​Instore is often where you reveal a deep understanding of how the brand is experienced by people. Or not.

The case of  Pampers in India.
Despite more than three times the media spends of its main competitor, Pampers, registered slower growth than them, in India. Behaviour based Receptivity & Shopper insights helped change not just the communication mix and media investments, but also  packaging and in store design, leading to an exponential increase in the trial and  in Pampers meeting aggressive sales target set. Here's a  sliver of the story In-Store.

Dad in the picture
While all communication was targeted towards the mom, the actual shopper was the dad, especially in tier1 & tier2 cities in India. Dad was the primary shopper especially when the child was very young and mom’s mobility was restricted. And dads, were more often than not, on motorbikes, scooters and bikes and even if they came to the shop with Pampers on their shopping list, they very often left with a Mammy Poko or a Huggies because Pampers packaging had no handles while both Mammy Poko and Huggies had plastic handles that they could easily use to secure the product (a big package!) to their vehicles. All that effort made in driving awareness, consideration brought to a naught on account of not understanding how the final mile is run!

The Sanitary Pad and The Diaper Difference
Pampers and Whisper (fem care) was placed in the same aisles in store. And had the same color palette in packaging (both and blue and white) and were stacked pretty close to each other. Dads coming in to the shop with Pampers on their shopping list were terribly embarrassed about inadvertently touching a fem care product. And their fear of embarrassment often led them to change their choice at the POS & go for a visibly different brand, the orange colored Mammy Poko or Huggies rather than be caught around or worse still seen holding a fem care product Once again, all the money spent in getting a customer in store  went down the drain in the last mile.

Trust = The Recommendation of my neighbourhood shopkeeper
Shop Keeper’s recommendation is trusted, especially in small towns in India. Their opinions are taken seriously. And they recommended competitors more than Pampers because of the margins they could earn. Their influence on purchase was extremely strong, with the degree of influence higher in small town India.

Communicating Price
In crowded retail environments, Pampers appeared more expensive because of the way information was visually communicated.  
​
On Packaging 
The visuals on Pampers packaging did communicate the intended benefit of comfort & dryness that but didn’t do so in a way that was relevant and meaningful to the moms they wanted to convert. 
In order to indicate superior absorbency, Pampers showed 6 glasses of water being poured into the diaper at one go, while Huggies showed 5 glasses of water BUT not being poured all at once into the diaper. Consumer reaction to the Pampers packaging “no one pees so much. Who pees 6 glasses at one go? The diaper must be so thick and uncomfortable. Also I don’t need diaper to absorb so much. ” and to Huggies “my child pees about 5-6 times during the day, and its about a glass of pee, everyone h/she goes. Shows good absorption “ 
 
The goal of all marketing is to drive trial. Paying adequate attention to the final leg of consumer journey, to how people behave and respond to stimulus in store, can help ensure that all that Awareness & Consideration achieved at the start of the path to purchase culminates in conversion. Pay attention to the last mile, to win the share of wallet.

Bring back the Brand Voice that is often muffled under generic category insights.
It is only when you use a brand’s unique identity to address a relevant human & cultural tension will you have an idea that is out of the ordinary & of consequence. 

Step 1.  Know your Brand’s Equity. And Get to an interesting Brand Truth, first.
What is your Brand’s unique POV? What’s your brand’s personality? Why does your brand exist in this world? What is the brand uniquely solving for? Who is the brand’s favorite user? What are some of the things your brand would never do? What are the quirks? What are your brand’s imperfections? What is the brand purpose? How does the brand express its purpose? 
An incisive understanding of the brand is the cornerstone of great marketing, and seems to have gotten lost in the dazzle of all the data and tech. Knowing your brand’s equity – and speaking the brand’s voice is not about making the brand seem perfect. People are not perfect. It’s the unique combinations of strengths AND flaws, and the way in which they are expressed that makes a person special. The same principle applies for brands too. Understand the strengths, embrace the quirks & use them to develop your unique way of looking at the world & framing situations. 
Brand Truths provide the Dimension, the much-needed facet for ingenuity. 

Step 2. Dig Deep to find the Human Truths  / Insights
With the deluge of data, information is more often than not, masquerading as insights.
Information is important - and helps answer the ‘WHAT’. But the ‘WHAT’ needs the additional lens of ‘WHY’ for it to qualify as insights.  
That she is spending 45% of her screen time on YouTube is important information. Not an insight. That 90% of that content is ‘How To’ videos is also important information. Not an insight yet. That she watches these videos to be of value to her community - and be seen as giving knowledge to them. That’s the start of an insight.
That she is interested in anti-aging products and that it is the No.1 searched query is useful information. Not an insight. That Anti -ageing, is not just an issue of fight to preserve your skin and it being a fight to preserve your dignity, your strengths, your quirks, and your personality, and above all to be acknowledged and respected for your achievements & knowledge. That’s could be the beginnings of an insight.
That women are their worst critics. That people dread diets in large part because of their fear of failure and therefore humiliation to themselves and others. That the breadth of social connections online do not satisfy the craving for depth of connections. Those are insights. 
Insights are about more about category than the product or the brands. 
And provide the Depth needed for engagement, to sustain initial engagement with.
 
Step 3. Use Design Principles to develop the UX ; the expression of the idea
Once you’ve got the brand truth and the human truth locked in, start building the ecosystem through which the idea will be expressed. Think of how the idea will be experienced by people, how will they discover it and engage with it, and to what effect. Are you providing an experience of any real significance to them?
Experience Design provides the breadth needed for a full range of meaningful expression. 
 
To sum it all up, it is only when you have the discipline and the habit of going through all the 3 steps (and in that order) that you can truly build a brand of consequence & hope to beat the Cult of the Average.

• Do only Step 1. You might get highly differentiated brand ideas (if the equity is clearly defined). Engagement and sustainability will be limited as will be the ability to drive penetration.
• Only Step 2. You get ideas that are generic to the category. Might get new users in  but brand loyalty, preference will be limited.
• Only Step 3. This is Expression devoid of an idea. It can help you be a better follower, a better participant - but cannot outfit you to lead.

​In the 20 years that I’ve worked in Brand Building, very rarely have I come across a brief where the audience is above 60 years of age. Its as though, to the marketers, people stop having any value once they cross a certain age. Yet, these misunderstood & misrepresented 60+ers, who are more than half of the population across many continents are far from being done. With more disposable income and more time at their hands, this is a generation that is a High Value Segment for many categories & brand.  Some key sentiments from chats with the people in this golden age across APAC.

This is my time. Finally.  
"The older you get, the more daring you become. Nothing to lose and no need to feel any embarrassment” China
“I don’t have to please anyone. I wear what I want and spend days doing exactly what I want to do” Singapore
“I am finally able to take the music lessons I've always wanted to”. India

The 60+ers today intend to make the most of this phase of their life. The ones we spoke to, felt that with age comes the confidence, the maturity and the ability to express themselves the way they'd like to. They felt comfortable in their own skin & were more ready to try new forms of self-expression - to go on that holiday they've always wanted to, to take the lessons they've always yearned to take, to live the everyday the way they've always wanted to.

With shifting priorities, adults 60+ are finding the mental and emotional space to live for themselves & are constantly trialling new forms of self-expression.

“We go to the theatre. Art class once a week, swimming and volunteering. We can do everything we want to when we want to do it. It is freedom, what shall we do today?” 

The Rise of the GrandParenting
While the 60 + generation is more laid back than their younger generation, they also feel the pressure to leave their mark – and so to do something of significance – before settling down to the physical restrictions of old age. 
“I worry about my health because they [son and daughter] have their life, have their work, have their son to take care of. They are very busy, so I don’t want to bring them any trouble.” China
“We are very important to our family.  We are advisors to them, what to do and what not to do.  They learn from us.” Malaysia
“I am teaching my granddaughter all traditional stories and songs, and our family rituals and culture” India
 
For many 60+ generation, Grandparenthood brings in additional responsibilities, with many taking on the role of active parenting, especially in countries like China, India, and Singapore where many grandparents are raising grandchildren because the parents are having to work away from home in urban areas.

Commanding meaning from technology
A life without imposed schedules also meant a life with ample possibilities to stay better connected with one’s passions, with one’s friends and family, more time to research on healthier, safer, better lifestyle options – from holidays to healthcare to entertainment. It also meant spending time digitally – to both enable, express, fuel & fulfill all of these interests & needs. 
“I can’t live without my phone.  I am connected with all my friends and we often plan for little excursions together. Once, we also travelled overseas together as a group” China
“Many of us suffer from osteoporosis and some of us have also had fractures. So we stay connected with each other so we can go for walks together or go for dinner together. Since our health conditions are similar we are more comfortable with each other” Singapore
“My daughter organized the religious naming ceremony of her daughter and participated in the whole ceremony via Skype.We video connect for all religious prayers” India
 
Overall, the biggest truth that these Senior Citizens were living by is that you could be old at 18, or young at 90.  It is a choice for all & certainly a reality for many.
 
This understanding helped AXIS BANK in India rethink their creative & marketing efforts in launching a product specifically designed for Senior Citizens and was the foundation for the “Great to be 60”campaign. It served as the call to action to awaken an Affinity for Ageing & helped the AXIS BANK dismiss the stereotypes of ageing, reflecting the true reality of the Senior Citizens and embracing new images of the old. 

 

As affluence among Chinese Consumers has continued to grow, so has her expectations for brand behavior and interaction. She expects much more from brands than just great product efficacy and deals.

THE LIFE IN STATUS SPHERE 
These Digital VIPS, high on affluence and digital lives, live in Status-Sphere. For them, the usefulness of 'stuff' is directly proportional to its ability to connote status.
“I chose Lamer, because it has redefined the luxury. It is very expensive, its composition is very rare, all common beauty counters in common malls will never sell the product, and it’s choiceful. I think it is a status symbol, only the top VIP can receive a private invitation to accept the one-on-one presentations and experience from the brand in a five-star hotel” May Lin, 32 
And as they try to seek a status dividend from things they purchase, digital has become their #1 investment advisor, helping them rise in the Status-Sphere by helping them feel smart anywhere,anytime, by guiding them along the path to purchase, by connecting them with other fellow students of status & by helping socially display  status 24 X7.

BEAUTY = ACCELERATOR IN THE STATUS CLIMB
Beauty is seen as a significant contributor to the upward climb in Status-Sphere. But unlike their western counterparts, China's Digital VIPS are furiously unapologetic about wearing their belief on their sleeves and proclaiming beauty to be the gateway to success helping them meet personal & professional goals. Seen from their perspective, the pursuit of beauty is essential, and, a worthwhile expression of femininity. Beauty is akin to a career she constantly works at, a constant topic of conversation and a continuous education. 
“To be honest people judge others by their looks. Inner Beauty doesn’t stand a chance without outer beauty” - Jing Yang, 27
“If you are woman, it’s important to try to be beautiful. There are no ugly women, only lazy. I am always willing to take steps to look more beautiful”- Wen, 33

4 WAYS IN WHICH BRANDS CAN ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT & PARTICIPATION & WIN IN BEAUTY WITH THE DIGITAL VIPS

1. CAPITALIZE ON HER DAILY RED CARPET MOMENTS
With mobile enabled socializing of every moment, everyday is a Red Carpet Day. Video chats are the no.1 occasion to drive beauty & image conversations, where its not about just being Photogenic any more, but also about being videogenic.
“When I had video chat with classmates, I saw that they looked very young, so I also wanted to use some cosmetics & feel younger and beautiful too” Junchan Yang, 26

They feel like they are  ‘always on display’ and are always being judged
“A couple days ago, I met my college mate & we made an appointment to have video chat a few days later. Since then I wanted to enhance my appearance and image & show my best look in front of my college mate” Wenli Zhang, 37

The Opportunity. Help them pass this new image torture test. Ignite photo & video sharing occasions to drive appearance chatter online. And become a recognized expert on how to master looking good in these video sharing & photo sharing moments.  
 
2. INVOLVE THEM TO SHOW THAT YOU VALUE THEM
They judge the quality of their relationship with brands by how much they feel involved with them. 
 “I should be treated as someone who is interesting to build a relationship with. Most importantly, we (brand) should know & understand each other like we are bosom friends who can talk to each other closely” Mingming, 37
"I hope beauty brands can listen to advice and suggestions from consumers & involve us in everything” ChanYuan Tan, 29  

When it comes to building relationships, there’s no such thing as 'too many details' or ‘too much involvement’. The way they see it, to involve them, is to value them.
“Our opinions should be adopted by the brand” Zhenjin Shen, 29
“I would really appreciate it if the beauty brands asked and published my opinion”Zhiqin Chan, 34
“I always look forward to a direct dialogue with R&D of the product and technical personnel – the ones who actually make the product” Minerd, 33
 
The Opportunity. Give them the depth & breadth of involvement they crave for by soliciting their help to co-create & co-narrate the brand story. Think of ways in which you can use real consumers to tell AND extend your brand narrative. 
 
3. CELEBRATE THE TREASURE AND THE HUNT 
To them all the web’s a treasure trove.
“Shopping online is like a visual feast with lots of options. Even articles for daily use, like rice or noodles, can be delivered home, which brings me a sense of achievement“ Minlan Zhou, 36
“I do 80 % of all my shopping online. Online shopping gives me so many abundant options” Lijie Zhang, 47
Beauty shopping is seen as a treasure hunt, with the end of every treasure hunt sparking the beginning of another, and with the path to purchase looking something like this.

1. Trigger for the hunt = Display.  The display could be a post from a friend, a photograph that shows a friend looking very good, the ensuing comments, recommendations , discussions, display of a product used by a friend , an upcoming contact - an online (Video Chats) or offline meet.
2. Once triggered, she immediately starts hunting for clues. Searching through brand websites, E-commerce sites, E-retailers, beauty portals, female verticals, post from dermatologists, trolling through celebrity news, registering online to receive samples, combing through the beauty new feed.
3. Meeting fellow treasure hunters is a critical part of the treasure hunt. This is where she meets real people, looks at real reviews, reads real stories & witnesses vicariously real proof of transformation through Blogs, Online Forums, Reviews, Ratings, Comments, Brand Websites, Online Shopping Sites, Expert Opinion, Sharing Lists etc,
4. Next comes, narrowing the chase. This is all about comparing and contrasting of promotions, price, discounts, and deals. All of these can either as obstacles to the course of purchase or as accelerators.
5. Reaching the finish line – making the purchase - could be either online or offline.
6. The hunt is always documented. Experiences are always socialized,  be they good or bad.
7. The Hunt is never complete until the winner broadcasts the win and basks in the glory of the win. This is all about posting the user experience online, sharing one's shopping lists , reviewing products and brands, and showcasing / journaling transformation visually.
8. Display of person A = Trigger for person B. A person’s display during and at the end of the path to purchase, acts as a trigger for another person to start her treasure hunt and the  cycle, thus continues 

 
The Opportunity. Reward every step of the‘hunt with information, entertainment,  involvement, acknowledgement. Because when you reward, she broadcasts.
 
4. SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON THEM BY HELPING THEM REWARD THEIR GUANXI
They are constantly connected to their beauty community - their circle of trust & it is important for them  to maintain, strengthen and acknowledge their ‘beauty’ Guanxi (Guanxi is a network of relationships that support one another).
The right Guanxi minimizes risks, frustrations and disappointments, and makes all the difference in ensuring success. True in life AND in the beauty journey. In the pursuit of beauty, the Digital VIPS felt that right Guanxi, could  help them get the competitive edge and the inside information.
And while our Digital VIPS, enjoy the limelight to shining on them in the everyday red carpet moments, they want to be seen as acknowledging their Guanxi - their community-  for the role they've played in helping them achieve their beauty goals and milestones.
“Give me something that I can, in turn extend to my friends. Provide unique privileges like one on one beauty consultations that I can invite my friends to and they feel honoured and I feel like I have given them something of value" Chanchan, 31

The Opportunity. Help her stand out while fitting in. Spotlight her individual beauty success story while helping her reward her inner circle of support.

Understand your design audience - their motivations, and triggers - to then, use the digital platforms they engage with to serve experiences that matter and move.
​Usually, what separates the good from the great when it comes to designing experiences that truly engage, is their ability to put People BEFORE the Platform. 

Studying parenting trends anywhere in the world is always a topic of great interest to me. With the great expectations that parents have for their children, and in how they view their own role in helping them get there, any look at parenting behaviour is flushed with emotions and possibilities. And this becomes all the more pronounced when we look at parenting trends in China, where the single child policy (that’s been relaxed in some measure now) and the digital lives have led to interesting behaviours and pointed newer ways for brands to enhance desirability, drive engagement & participation with parents.

In some ways these are uniquely Chinese and in many ways they mirror their global counterparts as borders come down with all pervasive digital lives.

DRIVE THE RIGHT CONVERSATIONS BY HELPING THEM BUILD A MUSEUM OF THEIR CHILD’S ACHIEVEMENTS  & EXPERIENCES
Parents uber display every experience & milestone of their child. Single child + Increased affluence has meant that Child is ‘the’ expression of family status. And this expression is amplified more with today’s visual language, resetting expectations from culture, content and brands. From ‘Telling & Consuming’ Baby Culture, Millennials are now making, participating in & reshaping baby culture. 
“My baby girl’s first Christmas. She got a present, and she seemed to like it very much. I shared it with everybody socially” - Rena, 33
“When my baby said his first sentence, I felt so excited. I recorded his voice and shared it with the world” - Sean, 28
This child newsfeed has also given parents content to populate their online lives with, while also shining the spotlight on one’s ability as a parent.
“Friends are surprised that my baby can use straw himself, and ask me how he learned. I believe that baby imitates mother, and I drink water using straw to teach him, so I posted pictures showing them that.” – Esther, 27 
They are constantly building a museum of their child’s achievements & experiences, displaying what they are most proud of – their child . And shining the spotlight, not just on what they buy for their child, but also on the activities they do with their child.
Implication? Have a culturally agile & visual approach to telling your brand story. Parents are natural sharers of their child’s experiences, esp. their ‘first anything’. Provide opportunities for parents to display their child’s experiences & achievements. Enroll millennial parents as content creators for the brand and dial up new visual formats for search, I-media and social platforms to increase receptivity with this active storytelling audience.
 
DELIVER THE RIGHT CONTENT BY OUTFITTING PARENTS WITH TOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THE JOB OF PARENTING DOESN’T OVERTAKE THE JOY OF PARENTING
Technology is parent’s ally helping them at their job of parenting. Mobile is the modern pacifier & the various digital devices, play the role of the nanny on the block. Digital parenting has reached its peak with the many tracking devices helping parents quantify information about their child’s health – including vital signs like heart rate and temperature to sleeping position, dryness and mood. Parents  are welcoming all help they can get to ensure that they remain on top of it all and are outfitted with the right information, inspiration and experience to excel in the job of parenting.
Implication? Create deeper daily interactions via content rich, data inspired parenting enablers. For example, you could create a win-win negotiation strategy with a publishing vendor. In exchange for developing a co-parenting data experience that drives traffic to their site they could deliver all the brand content needed to support these interactions.
 
PROVIDE THE RIGHT CURRENCY BY REWARDING THESE ‘ALWAYS-ON’ DEAL HUNTERS AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR SHOPPING EXPLORATION
For the millennial parents, shopping is an ‘always on’ exploration for the best deals.
“I love shopping. If I fancy something I take pictures, record product type, price, and then go to Taobao for comparison, inquire and buy, check reviews. I have great sense of accomplishment. You can never be afraid of not being able to find the things you like” – Ya’an, 31
Tools to help win and enjoy the treasure hunt are only increasing in number, with customized sale notifications providing millennial with discount alerts for the specific items they are interested in, the moment the price drops. Millennial parents are Deal hunters across categories, equally excited for getting a deal on soap as they were a TV. It’s not just about the price, it is the hunt for value.
Implication? Make the hunt for value a rewarding & equity building activity. What if you gamified the buying experience making every step of the process of buying your brand personally rewarding and fun? What if you could help her display her purchase, showcase her knowledge  and use all of it to extend and tell the brand story, thereby giving a platform to her voice & extending her influence in the service of the brand, in ways that feel natural and authentic.
 
BE A PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY & STRENGTHEN ITS FABRIC BY RECOGNIZING & STRENGTHENING THE VALUE OF COLLECTIVE PARENTING
Mom’s lifeline is her connection to other moms. Connecting to the experiences of other parents is her 24 X7  classroom.
“The QQ group I am in is a group for moms. There are more than 400 members in the group. Everyday we will share the parenting experiences and help each other with all kinds of questions related to kids” Pae Lin,28
“Some of my friends have already got children, they care about me when they know I am pregnant, so I always update them after my baby is born. When I receive comments I feel I am important around my friends” Zhin Ying, 34
“I ask my friends which baby product is better, because they will give me advice if they have used it, if not, we will discuss should we buy together” Sharon Tang, 33

The support from other parents is becoming all the more important in a society of largely single children now raising their own single child.
“I was a little worried when I found that my baby could not rise his head, so I ask on baby care forum, and some experienced moms told me it is normal to release my tension in such forums. It is a relief.Now I can answer other new moms’ questions myself according to my own experience” Jocelyn Teo, 30

Dads too have now gotten more involved in the parenting experience. As have grandparents. Witnessing the increase of diaper purchasing from Dads and Grandparents in other Countries (Germany, Japan, UK) Amazon migrated their successful Amazon Mom program to be re-named Amazon Family (2014). China is witnessing the same trend.
Jibaobao.com has a special page for the  dads & grandparents as shoppers for baby products.TalkerMaMa.com has a page for the dad called ‘TalkerBaBa’.. In Hong Kong, a website called ‘daddybuy2u.com’ has a page for Dads to purchase diapers. 

​And she continues to derive support from her community she hopes to offer something meaningful back to them.
Implication? Tap into their inclusive mindset to build loyalty. Provide her with incentives and access to experiences that she can share with her peers and earn the status of ‘the valuable contributor’ in her community. Communicate, invite & reward conversations from the entire family and design for dad’s & grandparent’s role in the consumer journey.

Moments that Matter could be that bridge between reach & relevance, and render the usually weak metric of Brand Lift more potency.

​Brand Lifts, usually measured via a survey, more often than not, go this way.
Q: Would you consider buying this brand? 
Scenario 1. Yes?  No?
Scenario 2. A. Most likely = B. likely=C. highly unlikely=Never (with most people usually choosing option A or B)
Scenario 3. Are you more likely to consider / buy the brand now than you would have in the past? (with most people answering in the affirmative)

I’ve rarely seen a post campaign survey that does not have a lift in brand consideration scores (if the preceding awareness scores is a positive). The resulting analysis is more often not, one that says that the campaign resulted in an increase in consideration by X%. 
And given that consideration metric has no “do” component to it, it is mentally & emotionally easier for “respondents” to say ‘yes’ to consideration related question than to say ‘no’ and be asked for further explanation or reasons for their choice. Also, as human psychology goes, people are more inclined to give what they think is a positive response than not. Questions on consideration by itself, thus, are, wasted questions with a response that you can’t do much with.

AN OFFER
Add value to the Q’s on consideration by including the lens of Moments of Relevance;   actively seeking a list of moments where the latent awareness starts to become relevant. 

• What are the specific moments, situations that might get you to consider this brand? 
• Can you indicate the relative importance of these moments? (Size these moments) 
• How often do you face these moments? 

Questions on moments will enable one to bridge the distance between reach & relevance.  And will point to practical areas to deepen engagement by being of utility -  the best kind of marketing campaign there can be.

Workshopping is very often, the art of inspiring and stringing together multiple intelligences in a state of heightened creativity to solve a problem at hand.

‘Let’s do a workshop’. This was one of the most frequently heard phrases while working with a leading global marketer. Workshops became a place where people would come together, where and all responsibility was absolved momentarily and all trust was reposed in “the workshop”, with an expectation that “the workshop” would provide all the answers, solve all the problems, get everyone aligned.  
Yet very few workshops manage to be productive’ enough & accomplish the lofty goal they set out to achieve. Not even those run by the resource & intelligence abundant Google or FB. And yet, the best ones manage to get everyone together in a vulcan mind meld and help brands - practically - grow into their ambitions.

Through the multiple workshops I've designed and led, here are some things that I recommend people keep in mind as they start thinking of using workshopping as a process in business and brand building. 

1. Know the Business. Pre Align the Objective. Workshops are exponentially better if the leads have a clear understanding of the business and therefore, of the objective at hand. The pre work stage is almost the most critical part of the workshop. Clarify the intention. Get alignment on the output and the expected outcome of the workshop. Most of the time there is a misalignment on the expected outcomes of the workshop and what qualifies it as being ‘successful’ or not.
2. Have a Going in Hypothesis. The difference between a successful workshop and not, is usually the presence or the absence of a going in hypothesis. The presence of a hypothesis helps the moderator / facilitator run and navigate the session effectively and purposively. Share the going in hypothesis along with the pre reads for greater efficiency.  
3. Customize. Always Customize. One size does not fit all.  Workshops have to be tailor made to suit the client, the brief at hand, and the team. From the venue, to the formats, to the exercises to be used in the workshop, to the moderator type - ensure that the workshop is suited to the client and the brief at hand. This becomes all the more critical in a multicultural environment where it is critical to understand and design for the different people and personality types in the room.
4. Know Your Role. Clarify, establish, maintain the difference in roles clearly between the Moderator, the Participants and the Problem Owner. They are all different, and hold different responsibilities. I have seen many a workshop descending into chaos when the boundary between the problem owner (usually clients) and that of the moderator (usually agency folks) are not clearly delineated and maintained. 
5. Think of  the Team Composition. It is key to get the right people, with the right knowledge, attitude and vibe into the room. No amount of ice breakers and exercises will help get the creativity going without the right set of people in the room. Get the experts in, get the people who truly understand the business, get people who can be the representatives of the consumers. Get creative and interesting people in (writers, comedians, artists).Get actual consumers in when relevant, and get your smart and articulate friends in. And think of the right numbers needed for the workshop. Not too small , not too big either. Choose wisely.
6. Choose the Moderator / Facilitator well. It’s not enough to have a great ‘product’ knowledge – the ability to work the group & lead them with knowledge and personality is key. As is the ability to resist being the know it all who pushes their solution down the group’s throat.  
7. Get a Toolbox. The right stimulus. And all the physical logistics that you need to think of and assign one person to do all of this
8. The Venue. This is almost the biggest creative stimulus and often not owned and used well enough. There is something not quite right about doing a workshop on parenting while sitting in a corporate looking boardroom. Or doing a workshop on fitness in a windowless office location. Or in doing a brainstorm on leveraging Chinese New Year for your brand and having nothing to do with CNY in the room (true story!). Some of the best workshops I’ve led have been those where the venue is either an inextricable part of the hypothesized strategy or an immersion into a slice of life of the person you are intending to design the communication for. 
9. Goals. Get a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time Bound) close.  Ensure that there are clear alignments and next steps outlined along with the owners ascribed to each deliverable, before the end of the workshop.
10. The Workshop Pack. Ensure that all the key attendees and stakeholders get a complete workshop pack – with all the materials, references, cases used, coordinates of the participants and a tracker for the steps outlined.

Workshop is a way of working in a risk free and collaborative manner and creatively creative manner. Planning for it is both a science and an art – and used well, it can be a true creative catalyst for actionable solutions. Plus, great fun !

It is a well-known fact that technology controls humankind, with a power to influence how people think and act, in a way that is far more pervasive and potent that any religion or government bodies. Whether it is YouTube, or FB, or any of the most popular apps or the efforts of most marketers, their focus is to “grab” your attention, “target” you better, “capture” your attention & your money, and get you “hooked”. The highly intelligent systems that all technology companies employ today, have one purpose – to get hijack every little attention that one has, to get one to see content, which in turn brings in revenue. The language and the actions in the 'hunt' for attention are evidently mercenary.

Many have started speaking up on the havoc that technology companies are causing & the idiocy of celebrating ideas such as the ability to order bath soaps using your bathroom mirror when there are bigger problems that need our attention and resources.

Tristan Harris is the poster child for igniting these conversations. Here is an excerpt from WIRED’s interview with him. “I’m not against technology. And we’re persuaded to do things all the time. It’s just that the premise in the war for attention is that it’s going to get better and better at steering us toward its goals, not ours. We might enjoy the thing it persuades us to do, which makes us feel like we made the choice ourselves. For example, we forget if the next video loaded and we were happy about the video we watched. But, in fact, we were hijacked in that moment. All those people who are working to give you the next perfect thing on YouTube don’t know that it’s 2 am and you might want to sleep. These are things like social awareness cues, which by showing you how recently someone has been online or knowing that someone saw your profile, keep people in a panopticon. They are not on your team. They’re only on the team of what gets you to spend more time on that service”

Brands, much like the technology platforms that they use to reach their audiences, are also guilty of joining & encouraging this fight for human attention. More often than not, what the brands want us to do (watch their pre rolls!) runs counter to what may be actually good for us to do; constantly “tricking” people and “capturing attention”  in this well coordinated attack on our state of wellbeing. 

Goading the already time starved, device addicted people of today to spend more and more time watching videos, sharing videos, commenting on inane stuff, commenting with uninformed opinions, encouraging them to tag others, clutter everyone’s online spaces with messages that pimp services and the products, is a blatant disregard for what truly matters to people. 

It is as though the brand’s wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people they want to super serve are at cross-purposes. Solving this would mean, using Tristan Harris's phrase- ensuring that there is a synergy in goals; a synergy in the goals of the company & of the people it wants to serve. 
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If you are a company that makes stuff for babies and kids, STOP stuffing an already overstuffed media environment with content that adds little quality time to their life. STOP getting moms and dads to keep watching your stuff online or getting them to enter inane contests where they need to submit their children’s pictures or videos preying on their natural desire to share stuff about their children. START getting them to put their phones down and spend the time outdoors or in actual interaction with their kids. Invest in playgrounds for the children instead of an advt that touts the importance of playing. Give parents inspiration on activities to do with their children – and enable that to happen with real utilitarian benefits. Get your company to start paternity leave instead of showing the token dad in the advts for your products. Expand the conversation to include all kinds of parents, not just the conventional idea of what a parent looks like. Educate the parents, upskill them, teach them skills – how to massage babies, how to establish a sleep time routine, how to recognize whether the baby food has gone bad, how to relax so that they can bring the best of themselves to their child, instead of spending all their attention in brand videos and advts. Connect parents with other ‘real’ parents in their community, people with whom they – and their children – can interact & have fun with for real. Create express lines at shopping malls for parents with children in tow to give time back to them. Do not bargain with them for their already thinly spread attention. Give them the gift of time & utility. 

If you are a beauty brand, you could STOP reacting to the culture, and START making the culture that is geared to people’s wellbeing. You could STOP talking fairness, thinness, compliments from men, stereotype of beauty - all measures that are devoid of wellbeing. START talking about the handbook of healthy lifestyle where you celebrate the Strong Beauty & where beauty is about healthy, energetic & wholesome lifestyle solutions. And you could START with acts & utility services in community that bring to life your commitment and vision. You could STOP making the beauty journey a lonely and judgmental exercise and START talking of Women Powered By Women, where a woman’s beauty journey is cheered, emboldened, assisted & powered by her sisterhood, where beauty trials, tribulations & triumphs & secrets are shared to help others & to make beauty a collective & supportive experience. You could connect people with wellness solutions, with experts who can help them express their various talents and all of their personality - all solutions to help them feel accomplished – and therefore, truly beautiful and confident.

In a fabulous case of walking the talk, REI, the outdoor lifestyle company, closed its stores on Black Friday, giving  employees a paid day off, and encouraging them and the rest of the world to spend time enjoying nature, keeping in line with its belief of “a life outdoors is a life well lived”. #OptOutside campaign from REI was not just another advt, but an act of consequence that breathed life into its vision in a manner that served both the people it wanted to win over, and the business with synergy of goals.
Brands could also take a leaf from Nike’s book. With Run + app, Training programs, school programmes, running tracks in cities, playgrounds to help children play, and a host of community programmes to ensure that brand values are expressed in action, and towards the benefit of people, Nike also more often walks the talk of synergistic goals than not. Or learn from IKEA’s Living Lagom project that supports IKEA customers and co-workers with products, workshops, bespoke advice and an active community to help save energy and water, reduce waste and promote a healthy lifestyle. 

These are all ‘acts’ that are not just in line with the vision of the brand but also are geared to add real value to people’s lives and enhance their wellbeing. Providing a Great Experience is an act, both of intention and consequence. And should be evaluated in terms of its ability to add meaning to a person’s life. Brands need to stop this senseless and short-term hunt for attention, and instead commit to the wellbeing of people they want to have a relationship with.

Don’t be at cross purposes with the what a good life means to your ‘consumer’. And don’t trade short term likes and views for what could be a long term harm to the life of your ‘consumer’. Help people be the best version of themselves, engaged in life of fulfillment , not attention depleted, diluted  shadows masked by their screens. 
 
Related Links.
http://humanetech.com
https://www.wired.com/story/our-minds-have-been-hijacked-by-our-phones-tristan-harris-wants-to-rescue-them/
http://www.adweek.com/creativity/inside-year-three-of-optoutside-with-reis-chief-creative-officer/
https://communityimpact.nike.com/
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​Brand Purpose is called so for a reason.  A Brand’s purpose is the reason why the brand exists, and is the cornerstone of the brand's ambition. As such, at any stage in the brand’s journey, it should always be striving to grow into it and express it. Cannes 2017 made 'Purpose' very fashionable . The most rewarded campaigns were purpose oriented and sparked a series of purpose led work from many brands, some of which truly reflected an understanding of what 'Purpose' meant, but many demonstrated an absence of such understanding. 

PURPOSE IS USUALLY THE SWEET SPOT WHERE, WHAT THE PEOPLE NEED, MATCHES WITH WHAT THE BRAND COULD OFFER. And that 'need' might not be something that is eloquently articulated, but is certainly one that is felt deeply by people and that thrives in culture. It is something that marketers need to unearth with expertise and empathy.
​“Dove believes that beauty is not one dimensional; it is not defined by your age, the shape or size of your body, the color of your skin or your hair – it’s feeling like the best version of yourself. Authentic. Unique. Real. In a world in which girls are too often held back by low self-esteem and anxiety about their looks, Dove's Social Mission is to ensuring that the next generation grows up enjoying a positive relationship with the way they look and to help them reach their full potential in life”. Dove, with its purpose led campaign promoting Real Beauty, hit this sweet spot with what women all over the world were experiencing - and needed – a permission and a celebration of their authentic, real selves. Today, it continues to walk the talk with its public vow of always always featuring women, never models & by always portraying women as they are in real life with no digital distortion of any images, and by igniting conversations that give women permission to accept themselves and be celebrated for it.
 
 
PURPOSE IS ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU DO – ALL YOUR ACTIONS - AND NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY. Nike’s Brand Purpose is “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. And it delivers against this promise, not just through what it says, and its slogans and advts, but through ‘acts’ of significance in physical & virtual spaces that are complementary to its offering. From Nike+ and Apple ID, to their Nike SB APP, the technology they create redefines the sporting experience for all athletes,  the everyday fitness seekers, not just the elite athletes. The high-tech running track, which popped up over a city block in Manila, Philippines, during last year’s Olympic Games, was designed to the exact dimension of a Nike Lunar Epic footprint - just many times bigger. It featured a 200-meter running track lined with LED screens, where runners could engage in a virtual race against avatars of themselves. Gamification based on individual’s performance kept people coming back for more.

PURPOSE IS AN INEXTRICABLE PART OF DOING BUSINESS - OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE - AND NOT JUST AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF A BRAND.   Audi was looking to spark a reaction with DAUGHTER, its politically minded Super Bowl spot advocating equal pay for women, and it undoubtedly got one. But along with a lot of positive reactions, the automaker had to also deal with a deluge of negative comments about the ad in social media—with many viewers pointing out that Audi’s 14-member U.S. executive team consists of women. The 60-second spot, posted to YouTube and Facebook, registered a remarkably high ratio of negative sentiment—almost 40,000 dislikes to just 4,000 likes – as people commented on Audi hypocrisy because of the company’s heavily male leadership team.

Johnson & Johnson, not only manufactures products for babies & parents but also tries to walk the walk of helping families through the parenting journey. New parents - maternal, paternal and adoptive – working at J&J can now take a minimum of eight additional weeks of paid leave during the first year of a child’s birth or adoption. Other initiatives include free temperature controlled shipping of breast milk for nursing moms who may be travelling on business. Surrogacy benefits, childcare benefits etc. are some of the other internal actions from J&J, in an example of a brand walking the talk.

PURPOSE IS A LONG-STANDING, CONTINUOUS, SUSTAINED EXPRESSION OF AN AUTHENTIC SELF-IDENTITY. IT LIVES AND THRIVES IN CULTURE. AND IS NOT SOMETHING  SUDDENLY MANUFACTURED AS A FIX OR A REACTION. Iconic brands that have withstood the test of time, have done so by genuinely playing a role in culture & shaping it through an expression of their identity. AirBnB, one of my absolute favorite brands, has done this brilliantly. Airbnb’s mission statement ‘to make people around the world feel like they could belong anywhere’ is something that it constantly expresses and lives in culture. From offering free housing to people barred from flights to U.S. post the Trump Ban, to the Acceptance Ring, in which the hospitality brand is protesting the ongoing lack of marriage equality in Australia by marketing a ring that’s incomplete (The gap in the ring representing a the gap in marriage equality), to providing housing for evacuees of 54 global disasters, AirBnB expresses its soul- the belief in the simple idea that no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love, or who you worship, you deserve to belong. And for that, it is gaining people’s respect, love and share of wallet and has today become one of the most iconic brands of our times.

PURPOSE IS REAL. AND THEREFORE, NOT PERFECT. In expressing your brand purpose, you may have to embrace some uncomfortable truths. It is key to stay real through all the conversations you ignite, all the conversations you hope to elevate, the communities you want to be a part of, the communities you want to create. Unilever’s OMO’s hugely successful campaign ‘Dirt is Good’ worked off the insight that if you are not free to get dirty, you cannot experience life and grow". By encouraging kids to enjoy real play outside, it took a stance against cloistering children and retraining and restricting their sense of freedom and creativity. 
P&G’s incredibly successful and highly awarded ‘Like a Girl’ from Always, changed the meaning of the expression ‘like a girl’ & turned it into a symbol of female empowerment all over the world. It did so by shining a light on gender stereotypes and the devastating effects in has on girls all over the world.
 
Cannes 2017 is full of winners that won as they led with purpose - from Fearless Girl, to meet Graham, and Ikea’s ‘Cook this Page’. They were all very real in the issues they talked about, and in the solution, they offered. Purpose, whether it is in reference to a person, or a brand, purpose is about enabling and inspiring WHAT COULD BE – from both a brand and a person’s POV. 
 
Purpose has become such a catch phrase now, that I think it warrants a call out to what it is not.
Purpose is NOT glamorous.
Purpose is NOT  ‘the cool thing to do’ or  ‘the in thing to do’
Purpose is NOT a quick fix. 
Purpose is NOT a convenient thing to do.
Purpose does NOT allow you a free reign. It calls for choices – not just in communication, but in actions.
Purpose is NOT a show. It is a way of being Inside – Out. It is your for you to experience, and for all to observe.

Being Purposeful is an act of discipline, authenticity, patience and creative courage. It is about respecting people enough to know that they will not just know but will also call BS when they see it. 
​Pepsi would know. 
 
 
 
 

​One of the trends that I am absolutely in love with, is the ‘learn something new’ holidays. Many outfits offer incredible and inspiring holiday ideas where one can learn a new skill or upskill and upgrade a skill one may already have, interact with people who share your special skill, & do all of this in environments that promote learning AND with communities that share their knowledge. Awesome, indeed.

From learning Tibetan pottery in Tibet while living with the locals, to cooking authentic Thai food, from farming in Scotland, from learning to Tango in Spain to painting the every day in South America, and helping build eco friendly housing in a community, skill based experiences are on the rise, and have tapped into a fundamental human truth – the fact that deep fulfillment is not achieved through mindless relaxation but through expressing your strengths and deepening your skills.

Brands have not yet caught on to this human truth in a big way, except for those in the fitness or travel category. Nike, Adidas, Under Armour all have skill focussed initiatives with always-on skills training that they regularly provide their customers with. Air BnB offers opportunities to interact with locals and learn art and craft, cooking, and a way of living from them. And all of these initiatives have helped bring the brand purpose to life in a manner that makes sense to the customers, while driving relevance and conversion.

When it comes to other categories, especially the FMCG category, there have few and extremely random acts in skills-sphere. This category has much to learn from the sporting and the travel industry on how to impart skills to its potential & existing customers.

What if P&G, supported the ‘Like a Girl’ (a campaign that aimed to that turned a phrase that had become an insult into an empowering message) with sports academy for girls. How about starting this initiative in geographies where girls were most disenfranchised & disadvantaged? Why not work actively with girls teaching them what claiming power is all about? Why not take this training to women, to mothers, to all parents, to help them influence generations after them? And what about a gender equality training course run by Always in schools?

What if J&J, with the Johnson’s Baby legacy, train families to get Dad’s involved in active parenting? And help reverse the sexism that exists in the world of parenting.

What if big food manufacturers started actively teaching people how to make the right food choices via training programs, workshops, clinics, outreach services ( not just via their digital push messages) 

FMCG Brands could beat the lack of differentiation and forge a relationship of mutual benefit with the customers, if they inextricably interweave skills training as part of the brand’s behaviour. R’ber, we are not talking about customer service. That is something I’m hoping brand are doing anyways.  I am talking active skills training and of being a go to resource for people to learn something from.

Here are some questions that I find useful, in helping brand teams think of how they can drive continued brand desirability, relevance, meaning by walking the skills training/ imparting route. 

1. What is the Brand’s Purpose? 
2. How is the Brand’s Purpose expressed in culture currently? What’s the gap? 
3. What skills can the brand impact to the people that can both breathe life into its brand purpose while also providing a real value to people? 
4. How is the brand voice & personality uniquely suited in teaching this skill? Why is this skill right for the brand to teach?
5. What are the physical and virtual environments the brand is creating – both to impart & support learning?
6. What gives the brand the right to impart the kind of skills you are planning to impart? 
7. How will the brand support this with consistency?
8. Why would people want to learn this skill from your brand? Source of legitimacy?
9. Is skills / teaching / training a part of rewards that you will offer your consumers? 
10. What are the kind of partnerships and collaborations that you can set in play to make this the best a uniquely useful learning experience for people?

 
Marketeers often live in Echo chambers, convinced & deluded of the tremendous importance that their brands play in the lives of people. Serve people, not just through the products you ‘sell’ but through skills and learning you can uniquely impart, to transform that delusion & misplaced conviction into reality. Become irreplaceably & meaningfully valuable in the lives of people by enabling fulfillment that is only achieved through acquiring & deepening skills. 

People remember and uniquely value those from whom they learnt something. In a world where brands are desperate for people’s attention through activities that are more undifferentiated than not, making an earnest effort to live and contribute to people’s skill-sphere, might be the best way to make them value you. The earnest cause you set in motion, will have the desired effect you can reap. It’s inevitable.