Brands ritualize their offerings through assistive personalization
Implications - With the prevalence of “how-to” guides and videos online, brands are adapting this familiar format to the physical realm in order to demonstrate the value they play in consumer’s lives. By going the extra mile to create helpful kits and guidelines to be used as rituals in conjunction with their main offerings, brands are able to personalize their interaction with consumers by acknowledging their needs and creating memorable engagement. This strategy works particularly well as a way to get buy-in from the Gen X demographic who prefer to rely on themselves for getting things done and tend to have hesitations about testing out unfamiliar brands.
Workshop Question - How can you add value to your consumer's lifestyle beyond your original product through brand rituals?
Trend Themes
1. Assistive Personalization - Brands are adapting the 'how-to' format to the physical realm in order to provide assistive personalization, an opportunity for creating a memorable and personal interaction with consumers.
2. Child Distraction Toys - 'Versailles for Kids' offers a playset that distracts children while adults can watch the TV show, pioneering the concept of child-distracting toys that cater to adult-themed entertainment.
3. Eco-friendly Instruction Manuals - Chai Point's instruction manuals on how to repurpose the company's water bottles are examples of eco-friendly labeling, which provides a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to promote environmental responsibility.
Industry Implications
1. Personal Care - The personal care industry can take advantage of the trend of assistive personalization to provide personalized and memorable interaction with consumers.
2. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can innovate by developing and offering child-distracting toys that cater to adult-themed entertainment.
3. Sustainability - Sustainability is an industry category expanding globally; companies can take inspiration from Chai Point's example and provide eco-friendly instruction manuals to promote environmental responsibility.
