Page 27 - BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2014

Section 02 | Thought Leadership

THE PRODUCT
Have you ever noticed that most branded apps are The inluence of others
disappointing? Customers have. The chart below

shows the iTunes Store ratings of several branded A second problem occurs due to the environment
fast food apps, including one from Starbucks that in which an app lives. It used to be that brands
PARADOX: WHY gets a lot of praise from marketers. But all seem to
be hurting their brands. The iTunes Store has an app competed mainly within their categories.
rating scale of 1-5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 McDonald’s tried to make better burgers and market
them more effectively than Burger King. Dunkin’
being the highest.
Donuts tried to outdo Krispy Kreme. By a similar
logic, when one of the chains releases an app, you
MAKING APPS Rating Rating since
might think that the others should merely release
Brand all time
last update
a better one. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Nowadays, consumer expectations are shaped by McDonald’s 2.5 2
everyone. Google, Apple, Netlix, and Amazon set
the bar for what a digital experience should be – Chipotle
3.5 2
USUALLY HURTS not Subway or Starbucks.
Subway
3.5 2.5

Dunkin’ Donuts
3 2.5
The company best at grasping this so far has been
the thermostat maker Nest. Prior to its arrival, Starbucks
3.5 2
thermostat companies competed solely with one
BRANDS AND another. Nest built an appliance for an environment

shaped by peoples’ experiences with digital services. How can we tell? Their all-time ratings are higher
It was smart, connected, saved money, and made than those for the most recent update. In other
peoples’ lives easier. Google recognized this with
a $3.2 billion purchase of the company.
words, people are less happy with them now than
HOW YOU CAN they once were. This has happened even though,
paradoxically enough, all of them have improved
You might argue that if apps are so dangerous, over time. Shouldn’t a less buggy app beat a buggier
brands should avoid them entirely. We don’t think one? The answer seems to be “no.”
so. Apps are a great way to connect with your most
passionate customers. No one downloads your app
DO BETTER
if they don’t love your brand. And some fast food The reason for this phenomenon is fairly
brands create terriic apps. For example, American- straightforward. Today, we’re seeing brands trying
to become more and more integrated into their
based Five Guys recently evolved its app with a customers’ lives. They have many ways to do this,
feature that enables you to reorder a recent order. and most of them are compatible with traditional
That its in neatly with consumer expectations of
a smarter, more connected experience. Hardee’s/ marketing approaches and budgets. But some
Carl’s Jr. also revised their app with a points system things, like apps, are different and require
a different approach. In essence, an app is
Shane Atchison
and rewards you can redeem instantly. Both a digital product, and that puts it in a speciic
currently have 4-star ratings and many positive mental space for customers.
CEO POSSIBLE reviews from avid fans.
Shane.Atchison@possible.com
So what is the lesson for brands? You need to Most of the apps above were launched like
traditional campaigns: the brands undertook a big
Jason Burby
approach an app differently from a campaign. initial push and then made only a few small updates,
Begin by budgeting and stafing for the long haul. mainly bug ixes. To understand the problem this
President, Americas POSSIBLE Establish a user-centered design approach and creates, let’s start with a telling comment on
Jason.Burby@possible.com
create a product development plan to improve the
experience on an ongoing basis. Then actively listen Subway’s iTunes Store page. A user gave the app a
to what people are saying and use that feedback to high rating, but also asked, “Upgrade coming soon?”
She asked this because commercial apps always
plan your next steps.
evolve to become better and more relevant to their
users’ needs – and she has the same expectations of
Put simply, an app is a product that lives in a world
of smart, digital products. Treat one right, and you’ll a branded app. If you launch and leave your app, you
make your customers happy. Treat one wrong, and violate the customer’s sense of what a digital
product should be. Disappointment follows.
you’ll hurt your brand.

POSSIBLE is a creative agency that cares about results. We back
up every idea with real-world insights to create work that makes a
difference – and a measurable impact. On paper, POSSIBLE is 25
ofices spanning ive continents. In practice, we are 1,100+ people
offering local expertise to some of the world’s most dynamic

brands. These include Microsoft, P & G, Starwood Hotels and
Resorts Worldwide, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AT&T and
Coca-Cola. POSSIBLE is part of WPP Digital; for more information,
visit www.POSSIBLE.com.

52 BrandZM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2014
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