I am sitting at a hipster themed coffee shop at the moment writing this post, and one question is dominating my thoughts:
What makes a brand have the “cool” factor?
The answer is that there are many ways to make a product or brand “cool”, the secret sauce is maintaining a laser focus on your objectives. Know thyself, know thy audience You can ask any marketing executive, “Cool” is a fickle and many times a cruel master. What I have discovered is that the top prerequisite for a brand establishing a sleek public image is to fully understand its target audience.
Let us take the case study of Apple and the iPhone. The iPhone has undoubtedly set the precedent for the “cool” factor as it relates to technology. It has achieved international mass market appeal and revolutionized the mobile industry. From day one Apple marketed the iPhone as the first mobile phone that had the full suite of features previously only available on traditional computers.
But the best marketing campaign in the world will not create the “cool” factor by itself, it takes a solid product offering. And the iPhone delivered (and then some). The device gave consumers:
- An unbelievable user experience
- Innovative hardware performance (touchscreen, Wii- like controls, etc.)
- Infinite functionally possibilities (the app store)
Also, Apple has successfully created an entire ecosystem that did not exist only a few short years ago with users, developers and advertisers seamlessly interacting together. And it is the combination of all these factors that create the “cool” factor for products. Put simply, the secret sauce of effective brand marketing is to never lose sight of type audience. If you can successfully maintain your focus on the pulse of your target consumer, you will consistently achieve the “cool” factor.
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