Einstein’s work predicted the existence of black holes.1
Here’s our prediction: Consumers are starting to feel like they’re being sucked into a marketing black hole.
To put it plainly, things are getting stale. These days, it seems like all branding and marketing teams are taking the easy road and pulling from the same playbook. At some point, someone figured out what “works” for a particular vertical, and now everyone is using identical strategies and tech stacks.
There’s just one problem: Staleness, in any relationship, tends to lead to a bitter breakup. That’s exactly what we’re seeing with the consumer-brand connection. When companies go cookie-cutter, they lose the loves of their lives: their customers.
“If you want to win over new customers—and win back any who are considering jumping ship—you kind of need to reinvent the wheel,” says Peter Farrell, our co-CEO. “Actually, you need a whole new way of looking at things. You have to reimagine the wheel. Imagination, for me, is far more powerful than knowledge.”
Our project with the US Navy’s NEXCOM serves as an excellent example. NEXCOM was struggling with the logistical and financial challenges of regularly replacing national chains in their mall’s food court. They needed a solution, but the traditional approach only considered the immediate costs of setting up a new restaurant each time a chain departed.
In contrast, our team at A&A took a more comprehensive approach. We looked at the overall customer experience in addition to the financial aspects. This led to the creation of a lasting experiential brand – the Fleatery. Our goal was to provide an experience that customers genuinely desired, rather than simply replacing another food chain. This involved offering quality food, a great ambiance, and adaptable localized menus for each base. The result has been a resilient solution and is now being rolled out at Naval Bases worldwide. It’s about Good Food and Good Fun. This project highlights the importance of innovation that transcends conventional data-driven strategies, focusing instead on creating meaningful and enduring experiences.
Good Food. Good Fun. Click here see to more on the Fleatery
