Nike’s Londoner ad is a one, that has really touched me in a long time, although I’m a Londoner, for eight years now. On some days when you are missing home, you often find yourself questioning how much is it worth to be here. Sometimes it do feel like that whatever ideals or goals you have in your mind, you are nowhere near them. This ad touches you on so many levels, its just such a pleasure to watch it on repeat, the struggles of living in a big city, being that boy or girl everyday, that almost everyone gets it, surely all Londoners do. If a brand can do this they must be doing something right in their company, in their culture. For a brand to be really able to do that, That’s powerful, to be able to make you immediately a part of something bigger. It’s shame that still many big brands fail to do just that or not able to tell stories or find meaning in their products and services. Personally all of us can benefit a lot from finding such stories in our lifes.
@dancecamsmith | NIKE ADVERT | IN THE CROWD
Another great example would be “Made in Chelsea” smoothie served at The Botanist (Sloane Square) before its closing down for refurbishment. The experience of ordering this smoothie, must be wonderful for the people who would ever come at the botanist for drinks, just seeing this smoothie is likely to elicit certain attachments to the concept of a an identity that is “Chelsea”. Every single time they spot it on menu, or they order it and subconscious suddenly they are a part of a greater reality now, a shared reality. A part of this reality, this subconscious affiliation now is The Botanist too. Simple, Powerful, Emotional. That’s what brands should look to find, create, build in themselves, thats the true premise of being in business for many among us.
Now we also have experienced this connection in many uniquely ways in our life too. A while ago I liked a girl from Lithuania, normally it’s a country that would not attract my interest, just whizzes past my eyes and ears normally, I’m sure! But then subconsciously it begins to change. Now that you are liking this girl, now every single time I would hear the word Lithuania anywhere, read something about it the meaning of the word has changed so much in the terms of conscious registering in me, that my ears literally stand up, eyes light up, there is this new beautiful connection. At some point in my life it might mean a trip to Lithuania for tourism. In this way all of us I feel are powerful and effective brand ambassadors for the countries, cultures, backgrounds, demographics we come from.
Now these are all very subtle powers that brands can create in a single person’s mind, in a culture, in a segment of population, it’s powerful and unique in its own way every single time. It is in this precise human nature and our ability to connect with someone, something, that we find beauty among us. As long as we will have this social intelligence all brands, all religions, all thoughts, all concepts will have their place in this world thus letting everyone being unique in their own ways.
Musings from a London Red Bus!
Neomodern 