Apple’s “welcome to your iPhone” email today reminded me that this company is a brilliant marketing engine, not just a ground-breaking advertiser or developer of cool products. They do the marketing basics really, really well.
By contrast our new relationship with Toyota, as Prius owners, reveals to us Toyota’s lack of attention to experience design when it comes to brand marketing. We like the car; I’m not sure how we feel about the brand — if we think of it at all.
Apple
As shown here, Apple’s welcome email provides links to tutorial demos and topical how-to instructions, introduces you to the App Store, and offers a free workshop in the nearest Apple Retail Store. This is a great example of post-sale marketing and experience design, aimed to increase your ability to get value out of the product, drive adoption of new features and expose hidden benefits. Their goal: nudging you on the path toward becoming an Apple brand evangelist. Marketing Basics 101, yes, but how many companies do this at all, let alone execute it so well?
Part of what makes Apple’s welcome email such a brilliant marketing tactic is its tone and editorial emphasis: the clear focus on making you as a new user more productive with your iPhone. It subtly reinforces your sense of having made a smart brand decision.
Apple conveys enthusiasm about helping you make the most of your new iPhone 3GS very effectively. The colors are bright and optimistic; there are multiple links to useful content for the new user.
Because it’s consistent with their brand, the emotional tone in this communication feels authentic.
Toyota
In contrast my husband’s recent direct mail from his Toyota dealer is traditional and prosaic. The design is uninspired; the copywriting quite pedestrian. The overall tone is very seller-centric. There’s nothing about it that feels personal, other than the name and address of the car buyer.
The editorial emphasis is on selling more stuff, rather than helping the new car owner get more value out of your recent purchase (or overcome potential buyer’s remorse). The mailer showcases additional things the dealer wants to sell. The front of the direct mail piece focuses on “special offers.” The back, which you may overlook while tossing the piece into the recycle bin, promises “Our commitment to you has just begun.”
Unlike the Apple welcome piece, you don’t feel that Toyota or the local dealer is thinking about any form of relationship other than the traditional seller-centric style of connection.
As a result I’m sure my husband doesn’t feel as good about his post-purchase brand touchpoint as I feel about mine from Apple – and the price disparity between a Prius and an iPhone is enormous. Fortunately for Toyota, my husband likes his first-ever Prius and is not suffering buyer’s remorse. If he were, this piece would not have helped in any way.
For Toyota this is a missed opportunity, especially because the car’s user interface (driver cockpit and transmission controls) is quite different from a traditional car. It takes time to learn how to get the most out of the Prius’ UI, so this would be a good moment to educate the customer on those differences and why they make sense.
Experience designers, take note. Toyota could use your help.
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Great observation. One car company that has done this pretty well is Mini Cooper. Unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to purchase one but a friend of mine did. When visiting her shortly after her purchase she immediately pulled out the welcome package she got in the mail. Not only was she doing it with enthusiasm and pride (thereby strengthening the brand value in my mind) but she insisted on showing me every item. What personality! They do a great job of making you feel excited about your purchase and part of a club and culture. Prius owners are like a little club in my mind – Toyota’s marketing department would do well to capitalize on that especially given the new entrants to the market (or re-incarnations ie. the Honda Insight).