The latest news in the world of customer experience and customer loyalty.
Golden Arches, House of Mouse rekindle marketing marriage
It looks like the love affair between two of the biggest brands in the country is back on after a long breakup—and, no, we aren’t talking about Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. Please! We’re talking about Disney and McDonald’s. The two brands, who both masterfully blend appealing to children while satisfying adults at the same time, have rekindled the relationship that went separate ways in 2006 when childhood obesity reports put a frown on Happy Meals, according to an article on CNBC.com. Disney developed nutritional guidelines at the time and revamped its standards of how it advertises food to kids and families. It took McDonald’s a while, but the restaurant is now slimming down its Happy Meals, lowering the amount of sugar, sodium, saturated fats and calories in the meals, even axing burgers and chocolate milk. Ironically, the new Incredibles movie is about to release.
Europeans Agree: Experience Drives Customer Loyalty
There is so much discussion within the loyalty industry about experiential loyalty, and the fact that brands are focusing much more on the experience to drive customer loyalty and changes in consumer behavior. According to a recent study from Adobe and Goldsmiths University, this theme appears to be apparent in Europe as well. An article in CMO.com references a study titled, “Reinventing Loyalty: Understanding Consumer Behaviour in the Experience Era,” targets this topic and suggests that brands must differentiate themselves with standout retail experiences and personalized offers to customers through digital channels. The study includes a survey of 5,000 consumers across Europe (U.K., France, Germany, Benelux, and Nordics) to gauge their relationships with brands. We wrote an article in January about how Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants uses an experiential focus to build brand loyalty.
Learn How Disney Continues to Provide Exceptional Customer Service and Memorable Customer Experiences
Loyalty marketers constantly seek to create and maintain exceptional customer service, providing consumers with memorable experiences that, ultimately, lead to brand loyalty. There is probably no better example of exceptional customer service than Disney. According to this article in Harvard Business Review, one of the keys that help Disney employees provide memorable experiences is by creating “magical moments.” From Disney’s park greeters to its attraction attendants, the article notes, each employee is empowered to make decisions connected to guest interactions focused on the overarching theme of “creating happiness.”