There’s not many of us that at times haven’t felt bombarded by communication from brands. If it’s not personalised, irrelevant or poorly timed it can really feel like spam.

But done well, brand communications can work wonders – and help build closeness and attitudinal loyalty. Read on for a couple of different examples of comms recently received by Ginny, our Managing Director – and how they impacted on her attitude towards the brand.

THE GOOD

I love White Stuff. I love the quality, the styles and the brand resonates with me. I’m loyal – I’m an advocate to my friends for the brand and it would be right up there as a first choice shopping destination for me .  

Importantly, I feel rewarded for my loyalty. Periodically I will receive personalised marketing – by email and post. They incentivise me to shop again with personalised discounts and promotions. I’m happy to receive them and it makes me feel closer to the brand as the offers feel relevant for me. I feel like the brand knows me well as a customer. 

THE BAD

This one is about a colleague of mine. He treasures his annual holiday to remote parts of the world and has recently got really frustrated with a well-known, travel booking website. Picture him having just returned from a great holiday but now back to work, at his desk, far from the great outdoors. 

On numerous occasions, the travel website has sent him offers on flights to return to where he’s just got back from. The offers are on flights in the next few weeks. He can’t go straight back, and he’d probably go somewhere else next time. 

If the brand understood the motivation for the flight and thought more about the appropriate timing and relevance of their comms, they wouldn’t make the mistake of sending emails that irritate. The emails haven’t put him off ever booking with them again, but if everything else was equal, he’d be more likely to use another site that didn’t get such basic things wrong.  

THE MISSED OPPORTUNITY

I love Cos – I love the quality of its products, and their simple yet bold and stylish clothing. The brand resonates with me, and I’ve bought several items from them. But I also feel like a stranger to them. They’ve made no attempt to engage with me. There’s no personalised comms. No reward or attempt to build some closeness between me and the brand. The season has changed, and other clothing companies who I like, but don’t love, have already been in touch. It doesn’t move Cos to the front of the queue, despite my love of the clothing. A missed opportunity.

Ginny Monk, Managing Director, Motif