I’ve written a lot about experience in the past.
How important it is.
How it can drive brand value and growth.
How it can create distinction and differentiation in crowded categories.
I’ve also talked about how badly so much of it is done.
That it’s more about consistency than excellence.
That it isn’t a new approach, just a new profit centre.
That many aspire to everything average than some things spectacular.
It blows my mind what some agencies and companies think is ‘an experience’.
Especially when you compare it to people who genuinely ‘get it’.
Whether it’s certain luxury brands or my client, SKP-S in Beijing.
Which is why I love the picture at the top of this page.
At the time, the person on the runway was 62 years old.
SIXTY TWO.
This was taken on the first of 3 nights of performing to 68,000 paying people.
So over 200,000 in total.
In South America.
Think about that for a second.
OK, so the person in question is Brian Johnson … lead singer of rock band AC/DC.
But let’s also remember we’re talking about a group of pensioners.
Literally.
Yes, I appreciate there are all-sorts of factors/considerations/contexts/excuses you could use to explain why they can achieve that sort of response when brands – with all their experience models and big budgets – can’t.
But the one thing AC/DC understand is if you want to keep people coming back, you need to focus on creating a seminal moment for your audience not average consistency.
It’s why I always ask ‘experience strategists’ about their life rather than just their work. I want to know what their frame of references are for experience. Because frankly – and I appreciate I’m being a massive snob here – if it doesn’t include festivals, theatre, art, music, retail, museums … then I don’t know if we’re ever going to share the same ambitions.
Because while I appreciate ‘average but consistent’ has value to some organisations, I would rather drink bleach than advocate that as a brand goal.
Not simply because I have an aversion to average.
But because when you do experience right – which means knowing who you are and who your customers are – the profits extrapolate. See, I’m not totally selfish.