Orchestrate Brand Experience

An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play a variety of different instruments such as violin, flute, piano, drums etc. in harmony. Orchestras are led by a conductor who directs multiple musicians with movements of his hands and arms. Musicians are experts in playing their respective instruments and conductor unifies the orchestra, sets the tempo and shapes the sound of the multiple musicians performing together. Audience experience depends upon musical understanding and intelligence of the conductor together with that of the musicians. If musicians don't play their instruments as per conductor's directions or if conductor's directions are not proper then music could become noise, which spoils the audience experience.

The way harmony of directions from conductor and performances of musicians defines audience experience in an orchestra, harmony of directions from CMO and performance of his team managing various marketing elements defines the customers' experience with a brand. The below figure shows CMO as a conductor, team leaders as principal musicians who lead an instrumental group, and team members as multiple musicians who play various instruments from Offers & Discounts to Packaging to Relationships to various types of Content Marketing.



Let's have a look at a few similarities between orchestra and marketing:

1. In an orchestra, different combinations of musical instruments create different music compositions. Similarly, for different campaigns, CMO has to use different combinations of new channels such as online video, mobile advertising etc. and traditional channels such as newspapers and TV.

2. An orchestra can't play the same music again and again. Compositions have to be reinvented and refreshed as per liking of audience in every market. Similarly, CMO can't have repetitive marketing strategies, he has to set marketing strategies as per market segments, market size, competitors' moves etc.

3. There are two basic orchestras - chamber orchestras and symphony orchestras. Chamber orchestras are small and employ about 50 or fewer musicians who play a few instruments whereas symphony orchestra can have more than 100 players who play multiple different instruments. Similarly, CMO has to plan usage of various channels based on customers' media consumption habits, budget, return on investment, team expertise, and customer acquisition cost.

4. In an orchestra, lack of direction from conductor, can spoil audience experience and undo efforts of musicians. Similarly, CMO has to be aware of what marketing strategies work in the industry, what successful companies have done in the past, which channels are getting saturated and crowded, what new ways could be tried to acquire customers, cost and time required to acquire customers through a particular channel, which channel can bring in what quality and quantity of customers and so on.

5. In an orchestra, mistake by even one musician can undo the efforts of all other musicians. Similarly, a brand is defined by both the best as well as worst experience of customers. Every press release, every advertisement, every communication, every packaging, every collateral must connect consistently with brand values.

6. People listen to a music composition for some time and then a new composition becomes popular and takes place of previously popular music composition. The new composition can come from the same orchestra or from different ones. Similarly, a new trend, new campaign, competitor move, customers' expectations and aspirations regularly change markets and relative position and perception of one brand as compared to other brands.

7. If an audience has limited time and option to choose, he prefers to listen the best available music composition. Similarly, unless customers have a valid reason to buy a brand, they will soon fall out of love and preference for a brand.

8. A few music compositions take special place in our mind due to their appeal, association with some cultural and social aspect, sales & distributions of recordings etc. Similarly brands create their space in our minds due to collection of thoughts based on experiences with various marketing campaigns and elements.

Along with a great product, various marketing elements play a key role in building our thoughts and perceptions about a brand. These thoughts and perceptions define the preference for a brand in our mind. Harmony of all the elements as per brand aspirations and values can showcase a brand as a hero, create desires, establish connections and eventually shape the decisions to buy.