Equity for Punks
While the supermarket shelves are bulging with new product lines brand loyalty is shrinking faster than an MP’s expense account.
The markets have moved beyond mature to overcapacity. Choice might still be king but increasingly it's confusion that rules.
Unless of course your offering equity for punks.
Stuff that Sticks
I remember the first time we walked into the Dunstan Inn, boots and a muddy dog, in search of a drink and a something to eat. The pub was small, all but empty, I asked if the kitchen was open only to be told by the landlord that they didn’t do hot food… or sandwiches. I was surprised, these days most pubs have to, to survive.
The landlord recommended a pub down the road, ‘good food and a decent pint.’ My second surprise. It takes confidence to recommend the competition at the best of times and in today’s economic climate doubly so. So how was this pub managing to thrive when others are struggling to survive? *
In turned out that the Dunstan did do food but not in the way other pubs do. For a start there is the Friday night spread. Pates, french bread, biscuits, slabs of cheese pickles and chutneys. The spread has its own table. Help yourself its all free.
On Saturday’s the landlord, Richard Maurice, orders in a few dozen pies or fresh hamburgers from the local butchers. First come first served. Watch the match have a pint and pie or a burger. There’s a kitty to cover the cost but it’s not obligatory.
The Dustan also does one thing I’ve never come across before. Takins. Chinese, Indian, Fish n Chips… There’s a stash of menus propped up against the wall at the corner of the bar. Plates, cutlery and condiments are provided by the pub, orders take about 30 minutes to arrive. I haven’t tried the ‘takin’ service yet. But it’s on the list.
The Dunstan does not offer discounts, loyalty cards or special events to bring in those customers, that will according to market research, drink more and stay longer. Events are not driven by the pub but belong to the community and are seen as joint ventures, so there’s no need to plug, cajole, promote or bribe.
By actively generating generosity, no measly squares of dried up cheddar cheese from the ‘cash n carry’ and few pickled onions. The cheese is local, farmhouse, not vacuum packed and there’s a cake of it, the Dunstan has done what all sticky brands do. Created a club, the glue that makes brands sticky, and along with it a sense of belonging and community. The result is that holy grail of holy grails; customer loyalty.
The secret to the Dunstan’s success is the landlord Richard Maurice who sees himself not just as a proprietor put community guardian. The relationship that this creates with customers is markedly different to those publicans who see their business through a balance sheet. While profits are important, without them the pub would go the same way as so many already have, it is not the driving force.
Richard sees the pub, of which he is the custodian, as serving the community. It is this view of the world that informs the marketing and gives it the authenticity that brands like Levi’s, despite endless market research and deep pockets, are unable to command. It’s one thing to tell customers you are part of the community another to behave in a way that shows you truly are.
Marketing strategies that are driven by research rather than a long term vision may well increase profits but at what cost to the brand over the long run? Generating mistrust rather than generosity they are unlikely to ever create the brand loyalty that is the provence of a really sticky brand.
The Sticky Brand Checklist
The Dunstan ticks all the following checkpoints needed to create a sticky community and with it real brand loyalty as apposed to fans or followers.
- A clear sense of purpose. The Dunstin’s purpose is to be a cornerstone of community life.
- Meets a need. Provides an informal gathering place and with it a sense of belonging. A hub for charity events, village life – bonfire night, Halloween.
- Unspoken rules. No one would dream of trying to eat as much free food as they could. The Dunstan is self-policing.
- Participation: Food is free on Saturdays – but everyone pays their way. Room to give and be part of rather than just pay. Generosity is a two way street.
Source: Guardian
