Episode #18 – Marketing Lagniappe and customer experience in the airline industry

Just back from Cannes, I’m joined by wingman Jack Campisi (a.k.a ‘Social Jack’ or ‘Maverick’) on the video podcast.

Here is a rundown of this episode:

- How does the airline industry size up when it comes to customer experience and provide those signature little extras?

- Examples from Southwest Airlines, Jet Blue, Frontier Airlines and Horizon Airlines

Click here to subscribe to the Podcast in iTunes

Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) – Check out this video by Southwest at their 2010 annual meeting.  Marketing takeaway – when you’ve got a signature differentiator . . . flaunt it:

Where is the lagniappe in your marketing? What’s Your Purple Goldfish?

Download the FREE eBook here

Episode #16 – Up the ante, the Baker’s Dozen and the Burning Question

I’m joined by wingman Jack Campisi(a.k.a ‘Social Jack’ or ‘Maverick’) on the video podcast.

Here is a rundown of the video podcast:

- What happens when your lagniappe becomes expected?

- Why a purple goldfish is not the Baker’s Dozen

- We talk about Hampton Inn who is launching waffles in order to upgrade their complimentary breakfast

- An update on where we stand in the Purple Goldfish Project

- Winner, winner . . . chicken dinner.  Heading to Cannes as a winner of the Burning Question contest.

Click here to subscribe to the Podcast in iTunes

Where is the lagniappe in your marketing? What’s Your Purple Goldfish?

Download the FREE eBook here

What Question will spark a revolution?

It’s officially official.  I’m off to Cannes for the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival.

Here is the press release:

Bridge Worldwide and Jim Stengel Ignite the Future of Marketing at Cannes Ad Festival

An interview with co-owner Joe Sorge

It’s been a little over 5 months to the day that I was first introduced to the Milwaukee phenomenon that is AJ Bombers.  Ever since Phil Gerbyshak nominated the place for the Purple Goldfish Project (they are #152), I’ve been dying to visit the place. Here is my original AJ Bombers post on ‘the laziest day of the year’ . . . January 2nd.   I can get a great burger in a dozen places . . . but I wanted to experience AJ Bombers and specifically chat with the co-owner Joe Sorge.

Last Monday I made the pilgrimage to Water Street in downtown Milwaukee.  Here is a video of my conversation with Joe Sorge with a couple of cameos by Phil Gerbyshak (@philgerb) and Kevin O’Malley of 1st Screen Mobile (@kfom):

Businesses that really get the concept of the ‘Purple Goldfish’ usually have a handful they employ.

Here is a rundown of the Top 5 from AJ Bombers:

1. P-nut Bomber – a signature way to deliver peanuts to the respective booths.  One word – genius
2. Oversize Beach Chairs – a couple larger than life beach chairs.  You feel like a silly little kid while sitting (but isn’t that the point)
3. Quad Cow – take on the quad cow at AJ Bombers.  After you’ve swallowed the last bite of your four patty burger you can sign your name on the sacred cow that adorns the wall
4. Sharpies – grab a marker and leave you name or Twitter handle on the wall.  You are now part of AJ Bombers
5. Streamlined menu – your menu is a narrow piece of paper that details the various burgers.  Grab a pencil and start writing . . . choose wisely

Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) – Look for AJ Bombers this summer on the Food Channel.  They will be featured on Food Wars where they will go up against fellow legendary Burger joint Sobelman’s. Stay tuned in August.

HELP me catch another 617 purple goldfish for a great cause.

FISHERMEN WANTED: Click here to send me your example

Landers became one of the largest Chrysler Jeep dealers by giving the little extras

#347 in the Purple Goldfish Project was submitted by Marty Desmond.  Marty commented on the X Blog at ‘The Experience Factor’ from a post called, “What’s Your Purple Goldfish?”

Landers Chrysler Jeep

“In 1994, my ex-wife and I read an article about Steve Landers, owner of Landers Chrysler Jeep in Benton, Arkansas. Despite being located in a suburb of Little Rock, a small city, his dealership came within a couple cars from being the #1 Chrysler dealer in terms of # vehicles sold. In the article was a story about how a teacher once told him that he would not amount to anything. We were impressed with his story and decided to buy a car from him.

After we closed the deal, Steve gave us a package that included an invitation to a barbecue two weeks later. At that barbecue, we discovered why he sold so many cars.

The shop was immaculate, with brand new cars located in all of the stalls. As we were eating, one of the employees passed out gift bags which included a mug. Then, Steve got up and thanked everyone for our business. He said that, because he sold so many cars from around the state, some other dealerships did not like him. He offered to, if we ran into problems anywhere in the state, come and pick us and our vehicle up and bring us back. The final extra was to point out that there was one of each vehicle they sold in a service stall. With each vehicle was a mechanic who was ready to demonstrate how to maintain the vehicle, change tires, check fluids, etc.

His business was booming from word of mouth advertising. There was also a coffee mug from the gift bags which I used for 12 years. For 16 years, I’ve been telling that story. The barbecue was very cost effective advertising.”

Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) – Here is some background on the origin of the word Jeep and one of the more bizarre videos I’ve ever seen on YouTube.  Enjoy!

Thousands of words have been written about the origin of the Jeep name:

Because the origins of the Jeep are so entwined with its military heritage, many believe the name Jeep came from a corruption of the US Army acronym GP, for General Purpose, then used for any quarter-ton front-wheel drive reconnaissance car.

Others say the name was lifted from the nickname used during the 1930s for the specialist trucks kitted out with equipment to drill wells in the American oil fields.

Then there is the Popeye strip cartoon alternative. Eugene the Jeep was a small, impish animal that had the power to solve all sorts of problems – just like the 4×4 car of the same name – and which featured in the Popeye cartoon strips created by E.C.Segar from 1936.

Move over purple goldfish . . . check out these Arkansas catfish

Simple, yet an effective and noteworthy little extra

Whole Foods enters the Purple Goldfish Project at #22 from Claire Gallo:

“I live in West Hartford, CT. When you shop at Whole Foods and buy fish, meat or poultry . . . the folks at Whole Foods will offer to give you ice for free. Very nice touch, especially if you have other errands or plan to shop around town.”

Today’s Lagniappe (a little something extra) – “Paper or plastic?” is a question of the past at Whole Foods. When you come to shop, bring any bags you have on hand. Really, any bag will do — old, new, paper, plastic, fabric, even backpacks or woven baskets! You’ll feel good about helping our environment and Whole Foods will give you a refund of at least 5 cents per bag.

HELP me catch another 703 purple goldfish for a great cause. FISHERMEN WANTED: Click here to send me your example.

What the hell is a schema?

Steve Knox of Tremor took me to school the other day.  He recently wrote an enlightened post in Ad Age entitled, “Why Effective Word of Mouth Disrupts Schemas”.  The premise of the article is how to leverage cognitive disruption to drive ‘word of mouth’.

First off let me admit I had no clue what a ’schema’ was.  It sounds like something Sacha Baron Cohen’s ‘Ali G’ would say to describe a con artist in his West London Village of Staines.

So here is the real definition.  It turns out that our lizard brain remains typically in a static state. It relies on cognitive schemas to figure out how the world works.  Your brain recognizes patterns and adapts your behavior accordingly.  It basically doesn’t want to have to think.  For example, every day you get into the car and you know instinctively to drive on the right side of the road.  Fast forward and you’re on a trip to the UK or Australia.  The first time you drive on the left side it throws you for a loop.  Its disruptive to your normal driving schema and it forces the brain to think, thereby it elicits discussion (ie. word of mouth).

Steve provided some great examples in his article.  My one favorite was for a new Secret deodorant that P&G was launching.  The deodorant utilized a moisture activated ingredient which kicked in when you sweat.  The brand understood that this could be positioned against a traditional schema, ie. the more you workout, the more you sweat and the worse you smell.  The tagline for the brand became, “The More You Move, the Better You Smell”.  A staggering  51,000 consumers posted comments on P&G’s website about the product.

Here is a Slideshare presentation that talks about schemas and the science behind word of mouth by Steve Knox:

I started thinking how this idea of disruption applies to the concept of marketing lagniappe.  The second ingredient in the lagniappe R.U.L.E.S is the concept of being Unexpected.  It’s that little something that’s an unexpected extra at the time of purchase.  It’s the unexpected ’surprise and delight’ that triggers disruption of our schemas.

Let’s face it . . . most companies fail to deliver an exceptional customer experience.  It’s only when a brand goes ‘above and beyond’ we get shocked.  And what happens when we receive that unexpected ‘branded act of kindness‘?  We tell our friends, we tweet it and we post on Facebook about it.

Do you agree?  Any examples of companies that have provided such a strong brand experience that it prompted word of mouth?

In Search of Your PURPLE GOLDFISH.  Click here to download the FREE eBook.

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The 4th Top 10 List from #151-#200

10.  Herman Miller (#158 Submitted by John Kowalski)  “Ok. Got a good one for you. I used to work at office furniture manufacturer, Herman Miller and one of the Purple Goldfishes that they offered visitors to their GreenHouse facility was honey. Honey that was actually harvested from bees that shared the grounds with Herman Miller. It tied into the sustainability aspect and dedication of Herman Miller. Here’s the entire story from their website,http://www.hermanmiller.com/About-Us/Environmental-Advocacy. Once you get to this page you’ll see on the bottom right of your screen a video labeled ‘Sweeter Solution’.  When I was there, the reactions were total amazement!!”

9.  Rod Oglesby Realty in Stockbridge, GA (Submitted by Don Dunlap) “Rod gives his customers a $500 DIY store (Lowe’s or Home Depot) gift card at closing. I thought it was really cool to use for those inevitable purchases you need when you move in. It was definately unexpected, and much appreciated. I’ve sold two homes with him and gotten a gift card each time. I would still use him if he didn’t do this, but it really separates him from his competitors in this market.”

8.  Hotel Murano (#181 from Mark Brooks) “A friend of mine, Brian Forth, recently made a reservation at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Wash.   After making the reservation, Brian tweeted about how he was looking forward to having a staycation with his wife in honor of his birthday. When the couple entered the hotel, they were greeted by name and given an automatic upgrade at no charge. When they entered the room, they found a welcome package including gourmet cupcakes. Naturally, Brian tweeted some more about all the nice surprises. Upon check-in, he inquired about whether the hotel shuttle would ferry he and his wife to a local steakhouse for dinner. Later, he posted the same question on Twitter. About 3 minutes afterward, the phone rang in his room and the concierge informed him that the shuttle would be available whenever it was needed.  So Brian tweeted again. And the culmination of those tweets, from a respected local business owner [Brian], had arguably more marketing power than any local advertisement the hotel could have purchased with the money they spent making Brian and his wife happy. Think about it: the cupcakes cost $5, the rest of it was just awareness and hustle.”

7. Sushi Time (#164 Submitted by John Phelps III) “I travel for work about once a month to Southern Delaware. If I happen to drive past Smyrna DE, about a half hour from my office, I always try to stop at this great sushi joint right off the highway called Sushi Time. The fish is always fresh and the service is always friendly, but what I think is really cool is the sushi chef aways gives you a different free appetizer before your order is ready. It is always something really delicious, always different, and in any other resturant it could be a $4-6 plate.  I always go back and I tell everyone about the place.”

6.  Sky Lakes Hospital (#187 From Marilyn Suttle at Who’s Your Gladys? blog) The Six Foot Rule, “Every employee, hospital-wide, is required to look up, make eye-contact, and say something pleasant when they pass within six feet of anyone – a patient, visitor, or even a fellow employee. This rule has changed the environment at Sky Lakes. The expectation was non-negotiable. People were held accountable. What happened? For some, the workplace got a whole lot friendlier and much more enjoyable.”

5.  Amazon (#165 Submitted by Adam Brett) “The frustrating free packaging is a brilliant idea. I’m sure having your little ones you have battled the wires before trying to open up a gift”

4. Hotel Vitale (#194 Submitted by Michael Tambone) “I often travel to San Fancisco on business and stay at the Hotel Vitale. Because I stay there often, they place a hand written note in my room welcoming me back accompanied by a small box of boutique choclates. And when the valet attendants bring my car around, they place “Hotel Vitale” bottles of water in the cup holders automatically. Nice touches!”

3.  BLT Steakhouse (#182 Submitted by Jamie Goldman) “BLT Steakhouse in White Plains gives a cheddar popover to start your meal along with bread. The popover has a card on the different ingredients and how it compliments the meal.”

2. AJ Bombers (#152 Submitted by Phil Gerbyshak) One of my favorite Purple Goldfish is AJ Bombers (@ajbombers) in Milwaukee. Joe and his team consistently provide the Purple Goldfish by offering free peanuts…shot at you in metal WWII bombers. It’s way fun to get those from the bartenders.  Making AJBombers even more fun is the fact he is on Twitter, recognizing customers and anyone who mentions the place, hosts Tweetups at Bombers, has guest bartenders where he donates shots folks can sell…with all proceeds going to the charity of the guest bartender’s choice. Full disclosure: I’ve been a guest bartender and raised money for my charity.  Last but not least is everyone who wants one can get a Sharpie and put their Twitter handle anywhere they want at AJBombers, so when friends come in, they can look for your Twitter name and leave you a tweet…in real life.”

drumroll please . . . . . . . and the #1 from our fourth Top 10 list is:

#1. BMW of Bridgeport (#150 Submitted by Moi) “I was driving up to New Haven yesterday on I-95. I noticed a interesting billboard from BMW of Bridgeport. It was fairly simple purple goldfish. BMW wants you to take an overnight test drive.  IMAGINE THAT – they are willing to give you a vehicle for an extended period. No driving around with the salesperson (I hate that by the way) and no more imagining what a BMW might look like parked in your driveway.  I’ve done a little research. There is probably a strong reason why they want you take the car. Here is an excerpt from a JD Power survey in 2007:

“When it comes to the test drive, most shoppers expect to be able to test drive the vehicle for an hour or more, with most premium brand shoppers expecting to test vehicles for five hours or more. Most shoppers also expect to be able to take the test drive on their own, without the salesperson accompanying them.”

Strong move from BMW of Bridgeport. Even if those who test drive don’t buy, they are probably going to talk, tweet, post or blog about it.

Click here for the first Top 10 list from the first 50 examples of marketing lagniappe.

Click here for the second Top 10 list from #51 to #100 in the Purple Goldfish Project.

Click here for the third Top 10 list from #101 to #150 in the Purple Goldfish Project.

Click here for the entire list from The Purple Goldfish Project.

What the hell is a purple goldfish?

Let’s break down a purple goldfish in two parts.  This post will focus on the first part:  the goldfish

The growth of a goldfish (your product / business / career) is affected by 5 factors:

1. Size of the Environment (The Market)

GROWTH FACTOR: The size of the water the goldfish is in.

RULE OF THUMB: Direct correlation.  The larger the bowl or pond, the larger they can grow.

2.  Number of Goldfish (Competition)

GROWTH FACTOR: The number of goldfish in the bowl or pond.

RULE OF THUMB: Inverse. The more goldfish, the less growth.

3.  The Quality of the Water in the Environment (i.e. The Economy)

GROWTH FACTOR: The clarity and amount of nutrients in the water.

RULE OF THUMB: Direct correlation.  The better the quality, the larger they can grow.

FACT: A malnourished goldfish in a crowded, cloudy environment may only grow to 2 inches / 5 centimeters.

4.  How they’re Treated in the First 120  days (i.e. Start-up Phase / Launch)

GROWTH FACTOR: The nourishment and treatment they receive as a fry (baby goldfish).

RULE OF THUMB: The lower the quality of the food / water, the more the goldfish will be stunted for future growth.

FACT: The difference between the largest and smallest goldfish is by over a factor of 10.  The difference between an average and the largest is by a factor of 5.

5. Genetic Make-up (i.e. Differentiation)

GROWTH FACTOR: The genetic make-up of the goldfish.

RULE OF THUMB: The poorer the genes or the less differentiated, the less they can grow.

FACT: The current Guiness Book of World Records holder for the largest goldfish hails from the Netherlands at a lengthy 18 inches / 50 cm.  To put it in perspective that’s about the size of the average domesticated cat.

The One Element You Can Control

Out of the five characteristics for growth – there is only one that you can control 100% (assuming you already chosen your market and launched your product or business).  That characteristic is differentiation.   How do you stand out in a ‘sea of sameness’?  What makes you remarkable in how you conduct your business and serve your customers?

Today, on officially the laziest day of the Year . . . ‘The Make It Great Guy’ Phil Gerbyshak (@philgerb) dropped a bomb on me.  A P-nut bomb to be exact.

I asked him if he had any examples of marketing lagniappe and he immediately posted this gem from Milwaukee:

Phil nominated AJ Bombers.  In Phil’s words:

#152. One of my favorite Purple Goldfish is AJ Bombers (@ajbombers) in Milwaukee. Joe and his team consistently provide the Purple Goldfish by offering free peanuts…shot at you in metal WWII bombers. It’s way fun to get those from the bartenders.

Making AJBombers even more fun is the fact he is on Twitter, recognizing customers and anyone who mentions the place, hosts Tweetups at Bombers, has guest bartenders where he donates shots folks can sell…with all proceeds going to the charity of the guest bartender’s choice. Full disclosure: I’ve been a guest bartender and raised money for my charity.

Last but not least is everyone who wants one can get a Sharpie and put their Twitter handle anywhere they want at AJBombers, so when friends come in, they can look for your Twitter name and leave you a tweet…in real life.

Do you believe in love at first sight?  I do now.  I’m a huge ‘Five Guys’ fan because of the free peanuts.  In fact – I put them in the Purple Goldfish Hall of Fame based on their peanuts and the handfuls of extra fries.  AJ Bombers takes the P-nut to the next level! Move over ‘El Muchachos Cinco’ . . . you’ve got some company.

There are 5 main ingredients / r.u.l.e.s when creating a ‘purple goldfish’.  AJ Bombers scores huge on the fourth ingredient, which is expression.  Expression is how the marketing lagniappe is delivered.  It’s not so much what you give . . . but the manner in which it is given.  At AJ Bombers, the bartenders literally send bombers to deliver the nuts.  Check out this 9 second video on YouTube:

That’s flat out awesome.

How this for a little extra lagniappe:

Joe (one of the owners) e-mailed and tweeted me (@ajbombers) this afternoon to thank me (class act).  He also mentioned an added wrinkle,

“By the way, not only do we offer free pnuts to our guests while they are at the restaurant, they always get BONUS unexpected nuts with all togo orders.  Their reactions are priceless, they love it.”

We’re only scratching the surface on AJ Bombers.  I might need a separate post to discuss the oversized chairs, the no smoking policy and the Sharpies.

I have a feeling that I’ll be talking to Joe again.  AJ Bombers and their P-nuts are going to be featured in the book.  In the meantime I need to finagle a stopover in Milwaukee.  I can taste the burger already . . .

HELP me catch another 849  purple goldfishes for a great cause.  Click here to send me your example.