The Power of Thank You - Part 2

[The first part of this post is a recap of an awesome podcast by Shawn Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. You can check out the full podcast here.]

Happiness precedes success. It’s plain and simple. When your brain is happy, it significantly outperforms your brain when it is negative, neutral or stressed. Unfortunately, for many people, their workplace puts their brain in a negative, neutral or stressed state, creating roadblocks and hindrances to dealing with problems, challenges and tasks.

Among other things, a positive state of mind affects your energy level, how long you can work on a project, how many possibilities you see when working on a project and how well you perform on a task. A recent study put this theory to the test. When researchers primed one group of children with positive reinforcement before asking them to complete a block puzzle, the children in the “positive” group completed the task 50% more quickly than the control group that received no priming.

When it came to adults, researchers found that it is possible to rewire the much more quickly than they thought possible. When managers just increased their praise and recognition of one employee once a day for 21 business days in a row, six months later, those teams had a 31% higher level of productivity than the control group.

Praise doesn’t have to be monumental. Achor suggests something as simple as writing a 2 sentence gratitude e-mail each morning, or starting a meeting by writing down three things you’re thankful for can dramatically alter the way in which your brain processes the challenges your team is about to deal with.

So. How does this apply to brands?

If a little recognition from a supervisor can yield such positive results, imagine what being positively recognized and praised by your brand’s fans could do.

If you’ve seen Geno speak in the past year, you’ve probably heard the story of his MINI experience. If not, here you go. I’ve never owned a MINI, but every time I see one on the road, I feel a positive sentiment wash over me as I remember Lindsey, Geno’s MINI “Motoring Assistant,” and the way she made him feel throughout the process of bringing his new baby home.

Last weekend I visited a local Chipotle. When we asked for a to-go lid, the employees could have handed us a lid and sent us on our way. Instead, they sang a song about taking Chipotle home, using the lids as cymbals in their impromptu ditty. A typical experience was instantly transformed into something remarkable. We left smiling, and you better believe I was tweeting @chipotle_tweets to share the story (and say thanks) faster than you can say “burrito bowl.”

If you are looking for a way to make your brand better, start by making it easy for fans to recognize the people (read: your employees – who ARE the brand) creating remarkable and inspiring experiences, products and services. Make it even easier for your fans to share the stories of those remarkable experiences with others.

A little thanks, as it turns out, goes a long way.

The Power of Thank You - Part 1

Photo credit: Ben Fredericson

Last Friday I found myself scrambling to pack for a flight. With no food in the house, I did what every red-blooded American does in such situations – I turned to delivery. As someone who has done my fair share of “Are we there yet?” over the course of my life, I love Domino’s Pizza tracker. I no longer have to hover around the front door waiting for the delivery guy. Instead, I just let the tracker do its thing. If you haven’t ordered pizza from Domino’s in the past few years, allow me to explain.

Once you pull the trigger on your order, you can “watch” as it goes through the process, from prep to delivery to doorbell. Along the way, the tracker even reports the names of the employees working on your order. Anna is prepping your pizza. It’s in the oven! Juan is doing quality inspection. Out for delivery.

And if that’s not enough, customers can choose from several tracker themes, from hair band to romance novel, to hear the steps announced from start to finish. I must admit, the simple act of placing a pizza order becomes remarkably more intriguing when a Latin lover coos from your MacBook to let you know that your pizza is “being baked with the fires of passion.”

Recently, Domino’s added another feature to the tracker, and this one has truly endeared the brand to me. The tracker now includes the option to send an electronic note of encouragement to the staff preparing your order. Pizza patrons can choose from a drop-down list of positive messages including “Keep up the good work,” “You’re my favorite Dominos team members" and “You are my pizza heroes!”

With the click of a button, the anonymous process of placing a pizza order becomes personal. Anonymous employees become pizza heroes to hungry customers, and customers become cheerleaders to employees. Sure, the tool is cool, but far more importantly, it is a conduit for customers to express gratitude - and employees to receive it. The brand helps the people who ARE their brand connect with the people who LOVE their brand and vice versa. And that bridge is a mighty thing.

An electronic “thank you” may not seem like much, but it turns out those two words may be more powerful than we ever imagined, and even a small act of gratitude can have a profound impact on satisfaction and performance. A recent study found that when your brain is positive, it outperforms your brain when it is negative, neutral or stressed. No big surprise there, right? Well, the study also found that the simple act of consistently saying “thank you” can increase a person's productivity by 31%.

Tomorrow, we’ll dig into the nitty gritty of the study to find out just how powerful giving thanks really is. In the meantime, a tiny, thoughtful TED talk on thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag-Oyn8vIPE

Thank you for taking a few minutes out of your day to read all the way to the bottom of the post. Happy Hump Day, friends.

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Just can't get enough blog? Check out The Brains on Fire Book for more thoughts, insight and stories from the BOF crew.

The Art of We: The Future of Word of Mouth Marketing

Over the past several months, millions of Americans have been logging off Facebook. In May alone, more than 6 million said good-bye to the social networking site for good. To give you some perspective, that loss is greater than the total population of Denmark. It may seem like a monumental figure, (let’s be honest, if most of us lost 6 million customers in a month, we’d not only be sounding the alarm, we’d be looking for a new job, too...) but for a company that has over 500 million users, it’s a drop in the bucket. At least for now. For the past year or so, I have started to notice the people around me putting down their smartphones. I’ve watched them grow progressively more comfortable stepping away from the Twitter stream in order to engage in “real-time” hobbies or spend time with their families and friends. They’ve left status updates unmanned. They’ve silenced their ringers, alerts, whistles and bells. And they have begun to become much more present in their real lives.

And to be perfectly frank, I find it refreshing.

I believe we are witnessing the beginning of what I lovingly refer to as “The Return to Real Life.”

For years brands have been putting their eggs in various online baskets. Some were early adopters, others waited for the water to warm up a bit before they hopped in. Many jumped on the bandwagon in search of a quick fix and a magic bullet.

But there is no quick fix. There is no magic bullet.

You know why? Because real life is complicated. And real life happens offline.

Unlike widgets, wonkets, dashboards and baubles, WOMM is sustainable because it is about the people. Real people. It is founded on real relationships. Among other things, WOMM celebrates transparency, trust and community. Three things that cannot be bought, coerced, contracted, rushed or forced.

Real relationships do not come from shiny toys, the app of the day or the simple click of a button. Real relationships stem from a genuine, honest place. Real relationships take time, patience and tending.

Once upon a time, we were primarily exposed to marketing messages through radio, television and print. We didn’t necessarily choose which brands we were exposed to. We sat through commercials, we drove past billboards, we flipped the radio dial. We were exposed to a certain set of brands and marketing messages, and we exercised choice in store aisles when we decided whether or not to buy a certain product or service. We lived in a world of being marketed to.

Today, almost every brand - big and small - has a Facebook page and a Twitter page, and despite advances in DVRing and commercial-free radio, we find ourselves in a somewhat un-evolved situation. The mediums have changed, but we’re still being marketed at.

Instead of sitting through a 30 second TV spot, we’re logging on to find the same conversation taking place in a difference venue...and it still sounds like a (140 character) rendition of the same, old, tired conversation: “ME ME ME ME ME! Buy MY product. Buy MY service. I am so great.”

So what does that mean for the future of WOMM?

When I look into my crystal ball, I see The Return to Real Life as the dawning of a new era. An emergence of WOMM in its purest form.

I believe people will begin to make better use of the minutes of their precious lives.

I believe part of that will include applying much stricter filters to the messages and marketing that they invite into their live and wallets.

I believe brands that dare to show their humanness will be welcomed into our hearts and homes.

I believe there will be a shift from online to offline.

I believe brands that turn their focus from tools and numbers to the real people on the other end of the conversation will not only survive, but thrive, while those who have refused to adapt will find themselves on one side of a self-created wall - and their customers on the other.

I believe brands will not be evaluated based on the number of Facebook fans, rather they will be defined (and celebrated) by the quality of their interaction with fans.

I believe the most successful brands will stop focusing on toys and technology, and start focusing on human beings.

I believe brands will start to recognize the innate and precious power of a small group of passionate, vocal fans.

I believe people will want to connect with brands that make them feel like friends and family.

I believe people will want to connect with brands that are loved by their friends and family.

I believe people will start turning down the volume on brands that talk AT them, and tuning into brands that not only talk WITH them, but listen TO them, too.

A curious observation: If you take the word “ME” and flip the M 180 degrees, it turns into a new word: WE.

The future of WOMM: I believe that people will embrace and elevate brands that reject the notion of “ME” and actively practice the art of “WE.”

4 Ways to Put Some Human Back in Marketing

This weekend I was StumbleUpon-ing through marketing pages, looking for some Monday morning blog inspiration. As I hit the Stumble button, phrases like “trusted data,” “targeted results,” and “how to make your stock photos stand out from the crowd” kept popping up. It made me feel – in a word – icky. Why? Because something was missing. What was that something? People.

Somewhere along the way, it seems people (and real relationships) have been swept away in a sea of LIKES and fan numbers and [insert metric du jour here]. But people-less marketing is like showing up to run a marathon in flip-flops.

Have marketers lost their human touch? Are we investing in trusted data and targeted results instead of people? It’s time to put people back in the equation, I say.

Behold: four ways to do just that.

ONE | Engage imagination and a sense of wonder (because, let’s be honest, we could use more imagination and wonder in our grown-up lives.) Method recently sent out an e-mail sharing the news that their product refills now come in pouch form. True to Method-form, however, they presented the change to fans with a dose of fun and humor - and a story about how the pouch came to be “in the midst of developing a potential line of rodent pool loungers.”

They also gave fans an opportunity to do some brainstorming about alternative “uses” for the pouch – with winning entries to be featured on future pouches.

TWO | Turn ME into WE. In college, I had good professors and bad professors. The best of the best were the kind who could walk into the classroom, sit down and make us feel like a collective “WE” and “US.” They didn’t stand at the front of the room and lecture. They weren't self-righteous or feel a need to show off their brainpower. They were quiet, powerful leaders. They sat with us. They created a space for conversation. If we got a little (or a lottle) off topic, they adjusted the plan – because they understood what was important was that we were learning and growing and thinking together. Not that we were checking items off a curriculum TO DO list.

Creating a space where people feel that we’re all in this together changes attitudes, opens hearts and imprints on minds.

Check out Virgin Airlines for an example of one brand doing this well.

THREE | Make it meaningful. In case you missed the memo (and massive amounts of love), for every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need. I have always been a shoe-lover, but I have never felt quite as good about my footwear purchase (read: addiction) as I did the day I brought home my first pair of TOMS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKhV9kpGM-k

TOMS invites fans and customers to become part of their passion project (providing shoes for those in need) by simply purchasing their shoes. It doesn't require a lot to become part of the cause - or the solution. Just a pair of shoes you were already contemplating purchasing. TOMS elevates their fans and supporters – and positions the company as the medium that simply passes the love along. Everybody becomes part of the love chain. Everybody wins. And suddenly a marketing message becomes a movement message.

FOUR | Surprise ‘em and delight ‘em. When was the last time you had a remarkable pizza delivery experience? When was the last time your pizza delivery guy battled through a zombie apocalypse to ensure your pizza was delivered hot and on time? Right. New Zealand's Hell Pizza offers customers a “choose your own adventure” pizza delivery experience. Zombies + pizza = unforgettable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p1yBlV7Ges

Be Remarkable.

Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. | Wendy Wasserstein Last Friday, BOF kindred spirit (and resident massage therapist) Kim Herbert and I decided to venture beyond our usual dinner dives. Truth be told, Kim had a Groupon for a local Brazilian restaurant, so in the name of couponing, off we went.

The restaurant was modest, but it was filled with families and friends gathering to share a meal together. The staff was friendly, and clearly took pride in sharing the culinary traditions of their homeland.

After we had finished the last bites of our meals, the plates were cleared and we entered that strange post-meal phase when you're not quite ready to wind down the conversation, but feel like you're on borrowed time. Typically, it comes to an abrupt halt when the check is dropped on the table. A polite "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" moment. You know the one I'm talking about - it comes with a dinner mint as a parting gift.

Except this time the mints didn't come. We continued chatting away. Eventually, the owner's husband came by to say hello, ask about our meal and inform us that they don't bring checks to the table. Why? Because they don't want to rush people out. They want their patrons to feel relaxed, unhurried and able to enjoy the company of their dining companions.

As delicious as my dinner was, the food isn't what I will remember a month or year from now. What I will remember are the ten extra minutes of unhurried time I enjoyed with a friend. What I will remember is generosity of time and spirit, clearing a space for friendship and conversation. After many a hurried experience, it was - in a word - remarkable.

It was an important reminder that being remarkable doesn't always have to cost a lot of money. It doesn't always require case studies and focus groups. Being remarkable doesn't even have to be a big thing. Many times, remarkability is in the little things. And more often than not, finding your remarkable is as simple as putting the focus on people - your staff, your customers, your fans and your friends.

Or as volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos says, when it comes to being remarkable: "Not every day is going to offer us the chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one." You can check out the rest of his TED talk below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAQfzHBpRsc

On Community Building: We're All in this Together

"The moment [laughter] arises, all our hardnesses yield, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place." -Mark Twain

A couple weeks ago a few of us were discussing the somewhat unfortunate relationship between airlines and social media. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go ahead and do a quick Twitter search for “airline” and you’re guaranteed to find a plethora of complaints.

“They lost my bag” complaint. “We’re still sitting on the runway” complaint. “Why can’t the plane take off with a crack in the windshield?" complaint. “How can adult humans take so long deboarding an airplane” complaint. “I don’t like peanut smell” complaint. “How dare you bring a baby on an airplane!” complaint.

The list goes on and on.

I admit it. In a moment (possibly multiple moments) of frustration, I too have turned to tweeting. And while I feel justified in doing so, (we were told our plane was held for over an hour “waiting on bags from a previous flight” as we peeked out the window to discover the baggage handler taking a nap on the bag trolley...) the airlines seem to take a particularly harsh 140-character flogging on a regular basis.

Perhaps it’s just the nature of a high-stress experience (travel) combined with the instantaneous gratification that comes along with unloading that stress on the world with the push of the button. Who can say?

But one thing is certain: travel brings out a side of many people you (thankfully) don’t see in everyday life.

Precisely why I was extra delighted to stumble across the new preflight video for Virgin America (in partnership with Method Products whose hand wash takes up residence in Virgin America restrooms).

This video does everything right.

It appeals to travelers of (all types) by embracing reality (of all types). It uses humor to boost customer morale. It creates a sense of oneness amongst strangers, if only from wheels-up to wheels-down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-sfzLRjocs

"Everyone knows you’re not supposed to stand up when the seat belt sign is on, get blotto on board or hog the armrest, but when a flight attendant snaps “Sir/ma’am, you need to [fill in the blank],” sometimes you want to do the opposite just to show who’s boss. The video uses the world’s best teaching tool, humor, as a reminder that behaviors like loud conversation, kicking the seat in front of you and dawdling in the restroom are, in fact, disturbing to fellow passengers.”

“There’s nothing in the video that says to our guests ‘you’re bad’,” says Porter Gale, Virgin America’s Vice President of Marketing. “We wanted it to be light and fun in a way that respects our guests.” [read full article here ]

Research has shown that laughter, among other things, lowers blood pressure, increases teamwork and helps people feel more in control of their situations, even if those situations seem out of control. In fact, even if you don’t get a giggle out of someone, the simple anticipation of a positive, humorous laughter experience has been shown to reduce stress hormones.

Virgin Airlines (and Method, too) deserves a pat on the back (and perhaps some love tweets) for displaying such an evolved sense of self awareness. There are always going to be flight delays. Luggage will get lost. People are going to be annoying. They might even kick the back of your seat.

But we’re all in this together. And with a dash of good-natured humor, one simple, powerful message (and a catchy tune that doesn't hurt, either) they create an insta-community at 20,000 feet - from New York to Los Angeles, Houston to St. Paul.

Learning to Listen

" Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." | Bill Gates

Before I begin this post, let me state one thing for the record: I love Netflix. I love Netflix to the point I no longer see a need for cable. I have watched just about every documentary in their stash. I love that Netflix knows my viewing habits, likes and dislikes. I love that Netflix knows to gently steer me toward my (apparent) interest in independent romantic comedies with a strong female lead. I love Netflix.

Having said that...we’re all going to learn something today, courtesy of Netflix.

A few days ago I settled in for an evening movie, and loaded Netflix to discover a new interface. It was a bit clunky. It scrolled funny. To be frank, it wasn’t great...or good, even. At first I blamed my computer. But after a few minutes of tinkering, I begin to realize...ick. This change was intentional.

Out of sheer curiosity, I headed to the interwebs to see what the masses had to say about this abrupt change to an otherwise much-loved service. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was about to step into the middle a firestorm - and what I expect will either become a shining example of hearing (and adapting) to input and feedback from  a loyal and loving customer fanbase or a case study that will go down in the hall of fame as a benchmark in customer disservice.

A few comments pulled from the Netflix blog:

“I would have commented on the Netflix blog, but the comment limit appears to have been reached (at 5,000).. I guess I am not the only one having issues. I read a few pages of the comments. The only one that wasn't wholly negative about the change said that they "will eventually get used to it" - not exactly a glowing endorsement.”

“Netflix, you have so many great ideas, and your old interface was amazing. This new layout makes me feel like I am shopping at a discount Netflix superstore.”

“I for one never asked for any update. This is just like another website where you push consumers the direction you want them to go. If Netflix likes the new design and blatantly ignores its customers than I'm going back to cable.”

"Don't you ever consult your users before you do these things? All that coding effort completely wasted. Your inability to think through the impact of design changes and talk to your early adopters before implementing them is stunningly amazing.”

For the purpose of this post, the design of the interface is really of no consequence. Love it. Hate it. Turn up your nose at it. What intrigues me about this situation is the fact that a very vocal group of users have risen up to voice their opinion - and Netflix seems to have no interest in hearing - or talking - to them.

Netflix VP of Corporate Communications, Steve Swasey did, however, have this to say in an interview: “We’ve tested this extensively, we know the vast, vast majority of people like this. It’s new, it’s easier, it’s cleaner.” He also went on to state that they were "absolutely" keeping the new interface. "We made it and tested it and researched it and tried it out and everywhere we tried it, it had a better reception. Otherwise we wouldn’t have made the change.”

“Change can be unsettling for some, but not the vast majority," Swasey said.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the interwebs (the Netflix Official Blog) 5000+ vocal fans and users beg to differ.

The Learning Opportunity

Three things we can learn from Netflix...

1. Your customers and your fans are your brand's greatest asset. Talk to them. They have opinions. They have thoughts. They have things to say and input to share. And it doesn't always take a fancy study or focus group to tap into their minds, needs, wants and thoughts. Most of the time all you have to do is ask. THEN LISTEN.

The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing.
 | John Russell

2. If you ask them, they will tell you. Don't assume you know what they want. Don't tell them what they want. Ask them what you can do for them...then do it.

Don’t try to tell the customer what he wants. If you want to be smart, be smart in the shower. Then get out, go to work and serve the customer! | Gene Buckley, President Sikorsky Aircraft 3. The ostrich approach may work well for birds, but not so much for brands. It’s okay to make mistakes. Nobody expects you to be perfect. But they do expect you to be responsive, communicative and fix things when they go wrong.

Customers don’t expect you to be perfect.
They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. | Donald Porter, VP British Airways

The Brand Humanifesto

In April, I wrote about letting your human show. It’s a novel idea for some brands. It makes others shake in their boots. For those that have embraced their humanness, however, there is no better place to share (or find) the core of a brand's spirit than in their brand manifesto. (Or perhaps it’s better we call it the brand humanifesto.)

We all use the word, but what is a manifesto, really?

The literal definition: a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives or views of its issuer. A public declaration explaining past actions and announcing the motive for forthcoming ones.

So what makes a good brand manifesto? Where are brand manifestos born? And why even bother with a manifesto when you already have a vision statement and a mission statement working overtime for your brand?

First, I think it's important to remember a manifesto is not a mission statement or a vision statement.

“I think the big idea [with a brand manifesto] is that it's a public declaration, not something that's limited to employees. Everyone sees it. Customers, investors, partners...everyone. It doesn't feature vague, self-serving statements about being the "leading provider" or "market-share leader." Your intentions are written in clear and friendly language, and the manifesto contains proof that you're putting your intentions into action.” [read full article here]

What does that really mean? Its your brand. It's you. With no walls. No jargon. No mumbo jumbo. It's your sense of humor. Your sense of style. Your spirit. Your imagination and inspiration. It's you unfiltered talking to your friends. It's a kindred spirit rallying cry. Your team cheer. Your chant. It's the reason you get out of bed in the morning and the passion that energizes you long before the first cup of coffee.

Simply put: your brand manifesto is the real story of you.

Which begs the question...how does a brand sift through their entirety to distill down to the best bits of human inspiration, intention and injustice within? By the power invested in question mark, of course.

"If you were on a protest march in the street to fight against something, what would you write on your banner? And if you were to flip this into a positive and fight for something, what would you write?

What is the bigger role your brand can play in everyday life? What sort of "legacy" would you like to leave behind after 5 years on the brand?

Ultimately, a manifesto needs to put a stake in the ground - what do you stand for? What do the people who subscribe to your vision believe in? What world do you and they want to see?" [read full article here]

And now for the fun – meet a few folks who are doing the brand humanifesto well.

Kelly Benefit Strategies-Optum Health Procycling (What if we all rode bikes? We'd all look good in lycra. And our carbon footprints would be reduced to the size of thumbprints.)

Bacardi (We are all meant to be together.)

Method (good always prevails over stinky.)

Amana (We believe guest towels shouldn't be so fancy the guests are scared to use them. We believe in proudly displaying personal tchotchckes, even if we don't know how to spell it.)

luluemon (Dance, sing, floss and travel.)

Chipotle (Food with INTEGRITY)

Pacifica Perfume (Fearlessness is our most valuable natural resource. Great waves make for great days.)

Roux Maison (We believe a cashmere sweater should last lifetimes. We believe the dryer eats one sock. We believe in making future heirlooms out of what we love today.)

SheWanders (We believe in pictures of cocktails and pictures of people with cocktails. We believe that backdrops are for pin up models and smilebooth.)

So. What's your humanifesto?

Fans to Family: Opening the Door

One of the most important lessons I ever learned about brand loyalty I owe entirely to the 80s. But before we time warp back to a decade when Popples, Giggles and school photos with laser-light backgrounds reigned supreme, let’s first journey back a mere 12 hours.

Think back to last night. That whole comfy pants, lounging around unwinding from a long day, channeling surfing while surfing the web all at the same time (don’t deny...) scene. Do you remember any of the commercials you saw on television? Did any of them inspire you to care about a brand? Even if you can name a couple of the brands featured in the commercials, will you remember or care about them in a decade or two?

Probably not.

That wasn’t even twelve hours ago, but I’m willing to bet I can take you back 20-some years with the help of one video (and a brand) you’ve never forgotten.

But first, let me set the scene. Allow your mind wander back to the days when t-shirt clips, bubble necklaces, jelly shoes and Reebok pumps meant you were fashionable. A time when every kid wanted “Pillow People” on their bed, New Kids on the Block in their boombox, a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper in their desk - and we all envied the kid with the Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.

Like most kids of my generation, my first inklings of brand loyalty were born in my living room.

It all began sitting on the floor in front of an episode of Mister Rogers. I was never one to just sit and watch TV, it was mostly just filler background noise while I did something more important - like drawing. So there I was, dipping my hand in and out of a plastic bucket full of colorful wax nubs in varying sizes (with the exception of white, which was mostly intact, because, let’s be honest, it was the most useless crayon ever invented - except during Halloween, aka: “black construction paper season.”) Life was good - and it was about to get even better.

Though there seems to be a bit of debate amongst Gen-X and Gen-Yers about exactly who took us there first (Was it Sesame Street? Mister Rogers?), you’d be hard-pressed to find one of us who doesn’t clearly recall the magical moment we were transported from the Crayola box to the Crayola factory.

A quick mining of the YouTube comments reveals that I am certainly not alone in this sentiment…

“This video is the reason I love crayons so much.” “I wanted to live in that factory when I was a kid.” “This is one of those Sesame Street moments that people dont forget.” “Entire generations nowadays don't know what this is actually about. And that's terrible.” “Amazing product placement for Crayola - turning an entire generation of 80s babies into Crayola loyalists!! “I used to look into my crayon after seeing this vid hoping it would magically show me how mine were made.”

Sure, there are some who might contest it was nothing more than one of the craftiest product placements to ever capture the minds, hearts and loyalties of young audiences. I, on the other hand, believe Crayola simply opened the kimono (and their doors) to welcome an entire generation of children to not only use their product, but also become part of the magic.

20-some years later, I still find myself drawn to brands that offer a glimpse behind-the-scenes. A few of my favorites...

Stonyfield Farms: Once upon a time, I didn’t know (or particularly care) where my yogurt came from. It was just something to get me through breakfast. Then along came Stonyfield Farms. A couple clicks into the series of videos featuring family farmers who provide milk for Stonyfield products, and suddenly I'm a yogurt passionista. I now not only know where my yogurt comes from, I know who it comes from. I know its story from farm to fridge. I have a vested interest in the success of their farmers, and every time I find myself standing in the dairy aisle reaching for Stonyfield, I feel like I’m making an investment in those families and their story – one spoonful at a time.

Jeni’s Ice Cream: As a former Columbus, Ohio resident, I’m certainly not impartial when it comes to ice cream. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (pardon the pun) takes the cake. And while the product itself is – as the name suggests – truly splendid, it was their honest, transparent, passionate approach that stole my heart. Jeni’s blog provides a glimpse behind the scenes of this Columbus staple, welcoming Jeni’s fans to the table to experience the food, friends and farms that come together to make Jeni’s so gosh darn splendid.

Burts Bees: I love just about everything about Burt’s Bees. Their products, their philosophy , their philanthropic spirit. As a result, I have a bit of a brand crush (my bathroom cabinet can testify.) I was particularly delighted to discover that they’re now featuring employee spotlights on YouTube. The videos offer a glimpse at into the lives, jobs and passions of people at all levels in the BB hive, giving fans a chance to meet the people who make the products – and company – exceptional.

Crayons taking shape in Pennsylvania. Lip balm from North Carolina. Ice Cream from Columbus. Yogurt from family farms around the country. What do they all really have in common?  They don’t just push their product, service or message into the world of their fans, they open the door and welcome their fans into their world.

We can all learn something here. And the lesson is very simple.

It's time to open the kimono. That begins by opening your door and inviting people in. It's time to turn your brand's fans into family.

Which brands would you add to the list? Who has opened their doors, invited you to experience how they do what they do, shared their magic, introduced you to their people or made you feel like family?

Is Your Human Showing?

"I was dumbstruck. There, in a few pages, I read a startlingly concise summary of everything I’d seen in twenty-one years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief, and columnist for my newspaper. The idea that business, at bottom, is fundamentally human. That natural, human conversation is the true language of commerce. That corporations work best when the people on the inside have the fullest contact possible with the people on the outside." | The Cluetrain Manifesto

Like most of us, I have friends who simply don’t understand social media. When the topic comes up, their default response is typically something along the lines of: “I love you, Amy, but I don’t need to know if you’re standing in line at Starbucks. And frankly, I don’t care what you had for breakfast.”

A recent study conducted at Elizabethtown College, however, suggests that may not be entirely true.

In order to examine the role of self-disclosure in perceived credibility, 120 students between the ages of 18 and 23 were split into three groups. Each group followed the tweeting of a supposed professor. One group saw only scholarly tweets, one group saw only social tweets and the last group saw a mix of the two. Each "professor" included the same number of tweets and hyperlinks. Students were asked to rate the credibility of the professor they followed based on the tweets they observed.

The highest ratings were given by students who saw only personal tweets. Mixing in scholarly tweets had no effect on the score.

So what does that mean for marketers? Is it time to start urging our clients to abandon all industry talk in order to start spilling the beans about the aftermath of one too many tequila shots last weekend? Not so much. But it is time to start encouraging them to be real.

Scary? Maybe. Necessary? Definitely.

Welcome to a brave new world. The days of talking at people are over. It’s time to start talking with people. In order to do that, we have to take down our walls, step out from behind the desk and podium and (in the wise words of an MTV series) “start getting real.”

It’s time to show our humanness.

Originally posted on the Brains on Fire Blog