O2: ‘Transparent experiences can solve brands crisis’
The recession has caused a trust “crisis” for brands that will only be solved if marketers offer customers transparent experiences, according to O2’s chief marketer.
Speaking on customer happiness at a conference hosted by The Economist in London today (21 March), outgoing O2 marketing director Sally Cowdry, pictured, said all brands at the highest level need customers to trust them because “if you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.”
Cowdry added: “In 2009 there wasn’t just a crisis in banking there was a crisis in brands. Brands which offer consistent transparent experiences generate trust and from that platform you can grow your relationship with your customers.”
Zoe Howorth, marketing director of Coca-Cola Great Britain agreed that during austere times offering consumers an experience is what brands should be doing as well as gaining trust.
She said: “People have less money so you have to make it count by offering an emotional experience and getting trust. You have to do more than just be a drink, that’s where it’s going for brands. Consumers are demanding more and we need to step up.”
Coca Cola and O2 presented case studies at The Big Rethink 2013 conference on successful campaigns, with the Coke happiness truck and vending machine and O2 Priority Moments, which the brand claims sees consumers redeem 12 priority moment offers every minute.
