What’snewonbrands TribalMarketingisyourbrandreadyforit?

Jean-Noël Kapferer, HEC Paris kapferer.com March 22 2012

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Thetimesarechanging

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Anothersignofthechangingtimes

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Thetwoforcesimpactingmarkets

NEWTECHNOLOGY SOCIALCHANGE

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Socialchangeledbynewgenerations

•  Youarethechildofyourtimemuchmorethanthechildofyourparents

•  GenerationY(1980‐1996):onaverage140friendsonfacebook

•  PostBoomers(1965‐1979)haveonly91

•  Boomers(1946‐1964)havejust64

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Newtechnologychangestheworld

Trains broughtthemassmarket

Parkings madesupermarketsaccessible

Television createdpre‐soldbrands

Internet createswhat?

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Newtechnologychangestheworld

Internet createswhat? ‐Backtoconversationsagain,butinside

socialgroups,tribes,communities ‐Freedomtospeak,notonlyauthorities ‐Cultureofsharingbetweenmembers Peertopeerrecommendations

Thecollaborativesociety9

Newtechnologycreatesnewdemands

FACT:Consumersnowdirectlysearchandpickcontentfromtheinternet

QUESTION1:Whatmakesyouinterestingenoughtofeedtheirsearchesandtheirconversationsonthenet?QUESTION2:Whatdoyoutalkaboutwhenyoudonottalkaboutyourproductsandyourservicesoryourself?

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Asignofthetimes:brandsarenowcravingforcontent!

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Todaybrandsneed«brandcontent»

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Thinkofyourbrandasamedia

Ifconsumersnowdirectlypickcontentfromallmediasandespeciallyontheinternet:

Brandswillhavetocreatetheirowncontentandactasamedia,

producingandemittingastreamofcontent,ofnews,ofeditorialmaterialcontinuouslyrenewed,throughallchannelsandsocial

networks

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Thinkofyourbrandasamedia

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«Brandcontent»isadifferentcommunicationprocess

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How«brandcontent»changestherelationshipwithconsumers

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Howbrandcontentchangesthefocusofyourinvestments

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Thethreetypesofbrandcontent

Entertainment

DiscoveryExploration

Usefulness

AudiencedelightmentCreativityoriginalityBuildingaffectthroughExperientialcommunicationobjects

Penetratingintothebrand’suniverse,heritage,history

BringarealservicetotheaudienceThisisnotaftersalesservicerestrictedtobuyers

Thegoalisnottopersuadeaconsumertargetbuttoengagealargeraudienceofpersonsintoyouruniverse

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Pioneersofbrandcontent

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Pioneersofbrandcontent

BMWcreatessmallmoviesforthenet

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Peoplelookforeducation

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Sourcesof«brandcontent»

Theclients:crowdsourcingYourhistory,heritage

YouruniverseYourvalues

YourknowhowAllyourstudieswhicharerelevantYourlatestnewproductlaunches

Etc..

Whatinternetrevealstoo:theimportanceofgroups,communities…

•  Consumersarenotisolated:theybelongtotribes

•  Thesetribesdefinetheiridentity,theirchoices24

Forgetindividuals,thinkmulti‐viduals

Theself

GroupA

GroupB

GroupC

GroupD

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Rediscoveringthesocialconsumer

FACT:Consumersarenotindividuals!Theyaresocial,belongtogroups,realandvirtual,whodrivetheirchoices

QUESTION1:Howdoyouintegratethesegroups,communities,tribes,…..

QUESTION2:Whatmakesyourelevanttothesegroups,tofeedtheirinterest.

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Introducingtribalmarketing

•  Anattitudewhichfocusesmoreontheactualgroupspeoplebelongto,thanonconceptuallyconstructedgroups(ex:lifestyle,segments)

•  Tribes,groups,communitiesareeverywhere:bylackoftoolsweweremyopic.Wecan’tnow.

•  Theyarestructured,organized,withinnerleaderswhocanactasinfluentialadvocatesorgatekeeperswithinthegroup.Andoutsidetoo

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Whythinkandacttribalmarketing?

• Massmarketinghasnotpreventedthegrowthofprivatelabels(50%)

•  Premiumbrandsaremoreresilient.Asaruletheystartbyenactingatribalmarketingstrategy

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Mostpremiumbrandsstartedtribal,communityoriented….not

massApple

Absolut

Nespresso

Redbull

Nike29

Mostpremiumbrandsstartedtribal,communityoriented….not

mass• Applestartedascultbrandofcreativeelitegroups

• AbsolutstartedascultbrandoftheNewYorkgaycommunity

• Nespressostartedascultbrandofthecoffeeafficionados

• Nikestartedwithheroesoftheblackghettocommunity

• Redbullstartedasthepartnerofstudentcommunities30

Benchmark:Redbull

•  BiggerinsalesthanPamper’sworldwide•  SixtimesmoreexpensiveperliterthanCoke

•  Grewwithoutspendinginmediaadvertising

•  Exploitedthepoweroftribes,communities

•  Onlyrecentlymovedintoworldwideeventsabletoproducereal‐livedexperiences,reinforcingundergroundcommunities,tribes

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Howitstarted:tribalmarketing•  Aimingatanexistingcommunity(studentsoncampus)throughproximity,relationalcontacts

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Howitgrew:partneringwithtribes

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WhattheRedbullcasetellsus

•  Redbullfosterednotaproductbutacausesharedbythetribesofextremesportsquiteunknown,neglectedbythemedias.TheRedbullcrusaderesonatedwithinthesetribes

•  SomemembersbecameadvocatesofRedbull

•  Thesecommunitieshaveaninfluence,createalargepublicinvolvementattheeventssetupbythebrand

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Tribesdonotcareaboutyourbrand

Youdonot«aimattribes»

•  Youneedtopromoteacausewhichresonates

•  Youpartnerwiththem(thisisnotsponsoring)

•  Youco‐createwiththem

•  Youfostertheirgoalstoo

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Co‐creatingwithtribes:Salomon

•  Productco‐creationwithsnowboardertribesactingasgatekeepersandopinionleaders

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Tomeettribes,beaculturalchampion

Brandasideology,withabigideal:Innocentisfightingmodernfoodhabits

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Enactinganinfluencers’strategyListalltherelevanttribes,thenselecttheinfluentialones

Nourishloyaltybybrandcommunities

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Leveragingbrandcommunities

•  Engageconsumerstobecomemembersofthe«BrandCommunity»,asourceofvalue,

+animatingthiscommunityofflineandonline

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Conclusion

•  Thesearegrowingshiftsofmarketingpractice

•  Theycapitalizeontheabilityofgroups,communities,tribestoaddvaluetothebrand

iftheyadheretoitscause(addsauthenticity)

•  Theyshowthatfarfrombeingjustthenameofaproduct,brandshavebecomealinktoo,asourceofexperientialcontentsonline,offline

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Moreontribalmarketingandotherinnovations:publishedJanuary2012

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Thank You

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