With Our Forces Combined We Are....

Here I'll have two friends select one random object each. I'll think of everything that comes to mind for each item and then try to combine them below.

CELLPHONE: Communication. Family. Friends. Appointments. Texting. Long distance. Love. Conversation. Arguments. Battery Life. Plug in. Connection to people. Email. Past. Present. Future. Location. Lost. Found. Pocket-sized. Multi-functional. Games. Alarm. Organizer. Planner. MP3. GPS. Broken screen. Small compared to laptop. Varying sizes. Sound. I'm not the type of person to have the latest and greatest cellphone. But not by choice. I don't have my own money, so unfortunately I have to get my parents to pay for my phones. Mostly, my phones just call. I have never had an iPhone or a Blackberry. I've never been able to check my email or use GPS... but God I hope my parents buy me something that does soon.

TRICYCLE: Fun. Kids. Transportation. Toys. Rusts in rain. Outdoors. Playful. Tires. Horn. Red. Driveway. Street. Safety. Laughing. Interaction. Back yard. Plastic. Metal. Small compared to bicycles. Bigger than most toys. I remember my first bicycle with training wheels. It was white and pink and may have had Barbie stickers on it. I rode it back in forth in our driveway.

Combination:

1. Tricycle with built-in GPS
2. Tricycle with easy-to-use phone built in
3. Tricycle that sends SMS of location in neighborhood to parent
4. Tricycle that can be adjusted to fit a large range of child sizes
5. Tricycle that is collapsible to fit in a pocket
6. Tricycle that is also scooter/bicycle
7. Tricycle that can play music
8. Tricycle that can hold a cellphone securely
9. Tricycle that is battery operated
10. Cellphone for children
11. Cellphone that can stand tougher wear and tear (be outside for a while and still usable)
12. Cellphone that expands and becomes a bicycle
13. Cellphone shell made of rubber (tire rubber)
14. Cellphone powered simply by human turning of a dial

It's crazy how I knew how to describe "cell phone" a lot more deeply than a tricycle. Am I getting so old that I've forgotten what it was like to ride a tricycle?

Anyway, I think a couple things were pretty cool that I thought of. The last one, cellphone powered by turning of a dial or some sort of crank I thought would be pretty awesome to have. (I say this as I have my cell phone plugged in because it was dying earlier today.) How nice would it be to be able to crank up your phone when its on its last bar of life? I know there are things out there that can charge a battery with a crank, those emergency radios, but not a cellphone, from my knowledge.

Obviously cellphones with the durability of a tricycle would be great for anyone. It might not be great for companies to make something with a longer durability, because the customer might come in to the store less often, but it will definitely make customers happier to have a phone that is water resistant, doesn't crack easily, buttons always work, etc.

And who knows, maybe one day we will all own a travel sized bike in our pocket and whip it out whenever we're running late.

Game On, Girls.

Gaming has been a great interest of mine, ever since my first SEGA Genesis console playing Sonic The Hedgehog from that cartridge you had to blow on. Recently, however, I've gotten more into gaming. I've dabbled in games on the Xbox 360, Playstation, Wii, Nintendo DS, PC games, and social media games. And all throughout my life, it was rare to find another girl with the same interest in gaming as me. Even in college! Maybe it's the fact that I'm a business student, but come on... isn't UT is supposed to have a student organization for everything? But I digress...

While the popularity of video games in girls is apparently on the rise, (a recent study showed girls make up 38% of total gamers),⁴ girls are still looked at as incapable of being good at playing games: from being harassed on Xbox Live to the disbelief when a girl won this year's Ultimate Gamer from WCG.³ And, women are also still very much underrepresented at game conferences. Austin's GDC Online ⁵, from my own approximation, had about 30% women attendees.

So, how come if studies show nearly 40% of gamers are girls, I still see a store full of guys at GameStop?

"38% of gamers" is a statistic I'd like to explore, primarily because "games" is a pretty broad term. It can mean anything from Playstation 3 games to social media games on Facebook. In my Advertising in Video Games class, we learned that one of the fundamental reasons that girls aren't big gamers is simply because guys make the games. It's no wonder that you don't find too many girl gamers when 88% of the industry is men,¹ and they usually create games to reflect what guys like.

However, things are looking up for girls. Female professional gamers (gamers that go to tournaments across the country, kick butt, and win money...for a living!) are now more common. Take Ciji Thornton, for example (image left). She's a big Super Street Fighter and Guitar Hero gamer. Or, Katherine Gunn, who claimed WCG's Ultimate Gamer title and caused a big stir for being the first girl ever to win. Networks have popped up online that cater to girl gamers, like www.GirlGamer.com. There is even a group of girls that play professionally and are sometimes considered the spokesmen of girl gamers called the Frag Dolls.

So, here are some questions I'd like to answer for my Current Topic Report.

1. What video games do girls play?
2. Why do they play it? What draws them to this game, what is appealing about it?
3. Why don't they play other games that are out there?
4. How do they feel when they compete against guys?
5. Does it take a certain personality for a girl to be a "gamer"? For example, do only shy girls or tomboys play games?
6. What can people in the gaming industry do to change that and make it more inclusive and accessible to all or most girls?
7. Does this barrier between men and women in games exist simply because every industry is male dominated industry?

These are probably questions people in the industry are trying to answer now, but I'd love to find out what is the driving force behind the over representation of men in the gaming world.

Links:

1. http://articles.cnn.com/2008-02-28/tech/women.gamers_1_women-gamers-female-gamers-entertainment-software-association?_s=PM:TECH

2. http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/24/technology/social_gaming/?section=money_latest

3. http://techland.com/2010/10/08/and-the-winner-of-wcg-ultimate-gamer-2-is/

4. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE49202W20081003

5. http://www.gdconline.com/

6. For my use: http://www.womengamers.com/articles/editorials/women-gaming-industry/

"You're asking me for Inception. I hope you do understand the gravity of that request."

Customer experiences are really fragile and complex. They're based on a personal and usually private incident between the consumer and a brand, but also include external noise, various environmental influences, as well as competitive intrusion. These experiences can even be very "dreamlike." The way you remember the experience later can be exaggerated or dulled in comparison to how it actually happened. Does that remind you of anything? Like, say, I don't know... Christopher Nolan's new, mind-blowing cinematic experience: Inception.

So you want to insert value to your brand? You want to somehow get your message in a customer's mind that will lead them to some sort of behavior. Inception, similarly, is the act of craftily placing an idea in someone's mind while the person is dreaming. I would even argue that it takes nearly the same amount of effort to accomplish both tasks, because of the careful approach needed to succeed in both acts.

In the movie, the architects are those that create everything "physical" for the dreamer to experience in the dream. From the smell of the grass to the layout of buildings on a familiar street, everything is created in the architect's mind so that the dreamer feels comfortable in recognizable surroundings. This, to me, is a brand creating connections with the consumer with sight, sound, touch, and sometimes taste and smell. (Remember Morpheus from The Matrix: "What is 'real'? How do you define 'real'? If you mean what we can taste, smell, hear, and feel, then what's real is nothing more than electrical signals interpreted by your brain.") Also, I like to think of everyone's respective experience with a brand as mere a summations of memories: good experiences at a restaurant, dislike of a television commercial, etc. And, they can be distorted in the consumer's mind later, just like a dream.

So, for inception to take place, a team joins the dreamer (in his dream) along with the architect, and they attempt to persuade him to change his mind, or take an idea into consideration. Thus, when he awakens, he wants to take that action (having his subconscious suddenly changed in his sleep). The problems that occur during inception arise when the dreamer's own subconscious attacks the intruders trying to implant the idea. (This can occur in consumer experiences when a consumer is blind to a brand's attempt to reach him through various forms of marketing, or the consumer has a negative outlook on advertising in general.) Other problems arise when the environment of the dream shifts, making the dreamer more aware that he is, in fact, dreaming. In consumer experiences, this may occur when outside forces conflict with the brand's message. External noise, competition, or misinterpretation/failed decoding of the message occurs.

Now, taking a step away from my sad attempt at explaining Inception (because, trust me, there's a lot more to it than that), lets take a look at The Alamo Drafthouse brand, for example, and a consumer experience I had at the theater that I'd like to describe.

It has been reported that the most senses a brand can connect with the consumer, the more likely the consumer will remember the brand. And, if the connections are positive and enjoyable, it is more likely that a consumer will make a purchase. The Alamo Drafthouse does a great job of making positive connections using all of the senses possible.

The Alamo Drafthouse is not only a theater, but a whole entertainment experience. I went with my friends and boyfriend to watch Scott Pilgrim vs The World, which is another experience in itself, considering how awesome a movie that was. I've been hearing about the Alamo Drafthouse since I've moved to Austin for school. The buildup of anticipation to experience the theater had gone on long enough (three years). So I was excited to FINALLY be able to go watch a movie there.

From the entrance (we went to the Drafthouse on Lamar), there is a vintage arcade game you can play while waiting for your movie to start. There is also a gift shop (which, unfortunately we didn't get to check out, but prompted us to say we would have to visit the Drafthouse again soon). The service was great. Our waiter was patient with us since we hadn't been there before. He explained everything in detail and welcomed our questions. We ordered food from our seats, and our orders were brought to us during the movie. I ordered delicious chicken strips and shared fries with my boyfriend. The movie was amazing, which could have helped with my opinion of the Drafthouse. The Drafthouse doesn't play every movie that comes out, either. I'm sure they pick movies that will be favorites for the Austin crowd.

Beyond the tangible characteristics, what I will remember most is the environment, as well as the memories I made there with my friends. The people who work there are friendly, quirky, and different. I love exploring favorite Austin places, and I'm very anti-franchise when we go out to eat. In essence, I'm all about 'keeping Austin weird,' and The Alamo Drafthouse is the place to go to keep Austin weird!

In a nutshell, The Alamo Drafthouse was successful in being able to connect a great experience with many different positive connections via several senses. It was a fun place I felt welcome. It was different than a typical movie theater, and more than a restaurant.

Or maybe... it was all just a dream?

Links:

1. http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com/

2. http://www.drafthouse.com/

Personal Persona

Learning about personas has reminded me of a couple instances where marketers have created personas to target their product or brand to a potential consumer. One is Wal-Mart, and the other is Xbox 360.

About four years ago, Wal-Mart was slipping in comparison to their competition, Target, in attracting a customer segment that Wal-Mart wished to have: the "stylish female bargain shopper." Wal-Mart called her 'Gracie.'¹

Gracie has a higher disposable income than the typical Wal-Mart shopper. She shops more for what she wants than what she needs, and is trendier. Gracie usually tries to avoid shopping at Wal-Mart if she can help it, and marketing execs at Wal-Mart understood this. So, they tried to implement products that Gracie would probably buy. Modern clothes, electronics, etc.

JCPenny tried to do a similar change in trying to upscale their merchandise and they ended up alienating their current consumers. Wal-Mart wanted to bring in Gracie as a new consumer along with their traditional customers. (Whom they called 'Karla.')

Along the same lines, Xbox 360 has been trying to target a new group of consumers: 18-25 year old females. According to IBISWorld, close to 40% of women are gamers, having increased five percent in five years, and this statistic is making marketers adjust their strategies.²

The persona that Xbox 360 has created to attract these girls is the: 'Hyper Social Female.' According to them, the Hyper Social Female is one who isn't afraid to start a conversation at a party or event. She loves to impress her friends using all sorts of entertainment, and is a heavy social networker.

My belief is that Xbox is trying to target girls who want to play Rock Band, have a movie night with their Netflix account, or connect to Facebook using their Xbox Live account. And while I hope this strategy works, I don't believe leisure players will make a purchase for these purposes. My personal experience with Xbox girl gamers, is that they're not afraid to play first person shooters (FPS) and fighting games. (Even though I play, when I first think of Xbox, the primary association I have is: Halo, and the secondary association is: dudes...shooting other dudes.) But if Xbox has done their research, as I hope they have, I'd only assume the insights that they've gathered have led them to the persona for their product.

The reason I bring up 'Gracie' and 'Hyper Social Female' is not by mere coincidence. I'm a combination of the two personas.

The April persona:

• April is in her early 20s and in college.
• Since she's a student, she has limited funds, but doesn't want to have to cut back on style.
• She likes to cook when she can, but since she's usually studying, she doesn't have much time. Going out to eat often isn't an option, and she'd like to keep her meals healthy if possible.
• She's creative. She likes to work hard, but equally play hard. She's competitive, and very passionate about what she loves.
• She doesn't really like to go shopping. Also, she doesn't necessarily like to party, but she's always hanging out with close friends.
• She's a gamer. Has played enough massive multiplayer online games (MMOs) to know they're bad news for people with addictive personalities. Loves role playing games (RPGs), but isn't afraid to kick butt on an FPS.
• She's not a tomboy, but not a girly-girl either. She likes to be a little different, but doesn't want to stand out.
• It's easier for her to get along with guys than with girls, but she loves talking to people in general.

It's a little difficult to get into my different characteristics without wondering if I'm getting too nuanced. I mean, can I really speak for a group of 'people like me?' Are there 'people like me' out there? It's scary to know that the answer is yes, and marketers are targeting me (and the rest of 'us') on a daily basis; however, it is comforting to know that product designers are really trying to listen to consumer needs. And I'll be doing all of this one day! Woot!

And for added entertainment, here's a music video for a song called Video Game Girl by Parry Grip starring Olivia Munn. Do you think she's a Hyper Social?

Links:
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/21/AR2006042101927.html

2. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE49202W20081003

3. Make your own Scott Pilgrim avatar at: http://www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com/avatarCreator/

Design in Marketing. Good Idea?

What will bicycling company, Shimano (one of Lance Armstrong's main sponsors) do to retain customers once Armstrong retires? Should Coca-Cola change their recipe because 200,000 blind taste testers preferred a new taste instead of the classic flavor?

Those were questions marketers from these companies asked themselves. Shimano and CocaCola (respectively) found out what their consumers wanted in the products being offered to them, using fundamental design ideas to find these insights... and one of these companies made a serious mistake.

I believe it is essential for anyone trying to sell anything to ask themselves how their product would be uniquely beneficial to the consumer and would be different than anything else there is on the market. Therefore, when deciding whether or not to inject the design philosophy into marketing, you've got to realize how much success design in marketing has already brought. Then, it's pretty much a no-brainer.

IDEO Consulting Firm took over the Shimano problem and helped them develop a sleek new design for a bike. Less knobs, buttons, levers, and other things to have to figure out. Along with a bike design, IDEO created an in-store setup that would be more inviting to novice bike users. As a result, IDEO won seven International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) in 2008.¹

After a great guest lecture on design by Jeff Mulhausen, from Upstream, our Consumer Insights class learned some basic things to take into consideration that coincide well with marketing including a design philosophy. The fundamental rubric and thought processes from the design philosphy makes marketers whittle down their ideas and products to their very core, even before they're created. Here are a few that resonated with me:

1. Design for the majority. Currently businesses are making products only for the top 10% of the world's population. There is definitely so much more room to expand.
2. Design to empower. Provide tools for people to better their lives! Sure, you can try to push silly products like useless, ridiculous, tiny pieces of cloth to cover women's cleavage: http://www.camisecret.com. (I take this back. Someone, somewhere will buy this. And for this, I sigh.)
3. Have a universal design. Do not make your product exclusive. Try to make it accessible to any age, gender, etc.
4. Design for simplicity. This is exactly where Shimano excelled in their new bike design. They took the clutter and complexity out of bikes and made them for people with little bike knowledge.

This all sounds like common sense, right? Set up a focus group, send out surveys, and you can make the perfect product to cater to your customer.

But, even sometimes, common sense fails. In the Spring of 1985, Coca-Cola changed its 99 year old recipe because the new taste was preferred to the classic "Coke" in some blind taste-tests.

According to The Coca-Cola company's website:

"The fabled secret formula for Coca-Cola was changed, adopting a formula
preferred in taste tests of nearly 200,000 consumers. What these tests didn't
show, of course, was the bond consumers felt with their Coca-Cola -- something
they didn't want anyone, including The Coca-Cola Company, tampering with." ²

Where did Coca-Cola fail? Unfortunately, Coca-Cola had blinders on. They didn't realize how big Coca-Cola was, not as a soft drink, but as a symbol of America. This was another point made by Mr. Mulhausen. You've got to see if your product works in the context it is in and not just make a product just to make a product. I'm sure Coca-Cola had the right intentions, obviously the numbers told them what they should do, but they didn't realize the product would be rejected by Americans because their favorite childhood soda had been altered.

Obviously, I think including design philosophies in marketing is a great idea. It makes you think outside of the box as well as whittles down your ideas and products so that marketers can understand basic human needs and wants.

Companies must simply be careful to ask the right questions.

Links:

1. http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_newcoke.html
2. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_30/b4093044731823.htm
3. http://www.ideo.com/