Every now and again, a brand emerges that defies every established convention in all the right ways. The teams behind such businesses strive for delight, humor, and that enigmatic mind-reading impact that leaves buyers wondering, “How did they know I needed this?” Let’s talk about some eCommerce branding strategy examples.
These companies have somehow integrated real-time client forecasts into their business plans: they seem to know what the consumer wants when they want it, and how they want it delivered. The brands anticipate the desires and then outdo them in wonderfully inventive ways. To put it simply, you have to create spectacular and consistent brand experiences across all platforms to increase the revenue by up to 23%.
We are taking a closer look at a few such magical branding strategies and the thought process behind them.
Patagonia’s Purpose-Driven Branding
The 48-year-old company established in the US has prevailed in the market by adding a purpose to its marketing and branding strategies. Patagonia’s narrative emphasis on the 4 P’s – Planet, People, Purpose, Profits. In 2021, research on corporate reputation indicated that Patagonia claimed the top rank in the United States, with an index score of 82.7 based on public impression of the brand. Patagonia has become identified with outdoor activities and environmental causes.
Promoting Environment-Conscious Purchases
They are anti-consumerism and ran an ad in The New Yorker titled “Don’t buy this jacket.” The communication’s major goal was to persuade individuals to buy “just what they need” and “when they need it”. The goal was to shift people’s attitudes toward clothing, bringing conscientious consumption to the forefront. This advertisement resulted in a 30% increase in sales following the campaign. Though it wasn’t the campaign’s primary goal, Patagonia demonstrated that you can still make money while doing good.
Emphasis On Reuse To Reduce The Burden On The Landfills
In 2015, the company established the Worn Wear Wagon, a mobile repair shop that travels across the United States to mend clothing/gear and teach individuals how to do it themselves for free. The website even includes a slew of repair manuals to help consumers go the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) path.
Leading Through Their Actions
Patagonia’s website has a section called “Patagonia Films.” These films tell the real-life stories of people all across the world who are trying to safeguard the environment. The goal of these video stories is to raise awareness about environmental issues while also offering solutions for the benefit of individuals and stakeholders. Patagonia’s social media handles promote environmental stewardship and elevate people’s voices that have a positive impact. Whether you look at YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram, you will notice a consistent brand message that is in line with the goal.
Glossier’s Product Co-creation Ideas
Glossier, one of the most well-known cosmetic firms, arose from a blog that had already established itself as a beauty authority. Unlike other beauty brands, Glossier has a direct interaction with its customers. The honest, two-way connection gained through the blog, Into the Gloss and social media platforms, is a primary driver of this relationship.
Glossier has been able to use these online platforms to create products that are tailored to their target clientele. Their material encourages users to talk about their desires and requirements like specific skincare regimen products or faster airmail shipping, which often leads to new product ideas and changes to existing products. They have developed a new sort of digital focus group that is far less expensive and takes much less time to conduct.
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They can gather the data better and use it to impact product development and iterate on ideas with the Glossier community because they are digital natives. Consumers are incredibly engaged with both Glossier goods and the brand, even outside of the sales funnel, thanks to product co-creation. It also fosters a sense of belonging. This results in a very valuable user which starts a flywheel, wherein they not only help create improved products, but they also become a sales channel.
Starbucks’ Personalized App Experience
The success of the coffee chain teaches marketers a crucial lesson: the greatest mobile experiences drive continued brand engagement across several media. According to Numerator, a market intelligence and consumer insights firm, approximately two-thirds of Starbucks customers (61.4%) use the company’s app, with the majority utilizing it to purchase ahead of time or pay in-store.
App usage and frequency of visits appear to be substantially connected, implying that the app promotes purchase behavior. App users were 10 times more likely to visit many times per day and more than twice as likely to visit numerous times per week.
The chain creates an experience uniquely for you. Starbucks and other prominent consumer companies such as Nike and McDonald’s view mobile as a means of offering integrated digital and offline experiences in real-time, rather than as a channel.
What is the secret to a successful customer experience?
Spot On Personalization
The Starbucks app saves information about individual users’ tastes and purchase habits, which it then uses to create customized offers and discounts for them. Other seemingly little personal details, such as the app highlighting the music playing in the store the consumer is visiting, contribute to a holistic brand connection that connects the online and offline worlds.
Nike’s Motivational Slogans
Nike is a world-class brand builder. The company’s advertising slogans—”Bo Knows“, “Just Do It,” and “There Is No Finish Line”—have transcended advertising and made way into popular culture.
Instead of focusing on a brand, convey a story. This alludes to the fact that, while the organization was previously focused on discussing and advertising the features and benefits of its products, it was subsequently discovered that the genuine worth lay in the history behind what they sell.
Gone are the days when marketing strategy was solely focused on describing the features of our products; now, brands must sell a story in order to keep customers interested in the long run. This mindset at Nike prompted the firm to shift away from object-focused advertisements in order to tell a tale about inspiration and the ability to obtain it, concentrating on how ordinary people overcome adversity to reach greatness.
Even when it is spoken from the standpoint of an athlete, it is done from the beginning to the end. As a result, in its commercials, ‘Nike’ shows people overcoming adversity, conveying the message that with dedication, success may be obtained. Thus, from the slogan ‘Just Do It,’ Nike welcomes a lifestyle that revolves around overcoming and inviting people to fulfill their potential, yet that world referred to as ‘Nike’ is deeply characterized by the use of its products.”
Airbnb’s Focus On Appealing Visuals
When Airbnb first gained popularity in New York in 2009, high-quality photography was one of the key strategies that helped them treble the number of bookings. The company’s sales in the city increased when they rented an expensive camera and went door-to-door taking amazing images.
Since the founders, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, observed how important photography was in influencing consumer perception and intent to purchase (book), they created the Airbnb Photography Program, where hosts may arrange personalized photography sessions for their properties. This branding technique 40% increase in revenue and 24% higher bookings for the hosts.
Wrapping up
These world-renowned brands teach us that keeping it real with your audience, through authentic storytelling and simplistic slogans alongside having a purpose-driven business is all it takes to establish a desirable brand. You can focus on creating visuals and other content that connects with your audience. Building a community, through social media or your website can be the best brand-building strategy for the upcoming year. We hope these eCommerce branding strategy examples help you in your endeavors.
Author Bio:
Tim Robinson is Digital Marketing Manager at PACK & SEND, a 25+ years old and respected brand in eCommerce, logistics, and freight delivery solutions. Tim has 20 years of combined experience in sales and marketing. Logistics, D2C, franchising, business planning, and operations management are his core expertise. Connect with Tim on LinkedIn.
