Unlocking The Sweet Spot

One of my favorite reads in ad school was a well-written book titled “Hitting The Sweet Spot: How Consumer Insights Can Inspire Better Marketing and Advertising.” The book, written by Northwestern professor Lisa Fortini-Campbell, really struck a cord because of its strong emphasis on the right combination of consumer insight and brand insight – the “Sweet Spot.” I wish I could go into more detail, but unfortunately it’s been a few years since reading and I probably sold it off for Nationals tickets. And anyway a book review is not my point here.
Today a brand hit my sweet spot. Today I left a retail location with a smile on my face and a skip in my step. Today I purchased something that I would not have purchased if not for a particular social media promotion. Today I was rewarded for frequent purchases toward a brand that had been waning in my opinion book. But tonight my level of loyalty it at the highest level it has ever been.
Today I received my first foursquare special: a $1.00 off a Starbucks frappuccino because I am the “mayor” of a particular location. Laughable? Yes. Small potatoes? Sure. But my competitive, fun-loving nature was rewarded. It felt good and I’ll be back to keep my “mayorship” in tact – hopefully I can get that next special.
Starbucks got an early-adopter on its side once more. I tweeted it, I Facebooked it, I tumbled it, I’m telling everyone, and well heck I’m even writing a dang blog about it. Again, small potatoes for such a large organization like Starbucks, but touch points add up to make or break a brand. More importantly, think of the value of such interactions for the smaller organizations with much more on the line, and much less money to be nimble in today’s fragmented marketplace. Yes indeedy, another win for the evolving world of social media marketing.