"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/