Think about your last shopping trip. Did you pause at the laundry detergent aisle to consider your options, or did you just grab your longtime favorite? How about the toothpaste and cereal aisles? For many of us, the choices are simple. That’s because we long ago formed relationships with brands we know and trust.
In a world of ever-increasing options, achieving this brand loyalty is more important for brands than ever before. And that extends from the shoes we wear to the cars we drive and beyond. So, what is currently driving consumer brand loyalty? And how can you make a consumer trust your brand, not just buy your brand? We explored the answers in our recent Brand Loyalty Trend report.
Engagement
Consumers want to be engaged in a brand’s story and product. Companies that encourage collaboration with their consumers are more likely to create long-lasting relationships.
Millennials are especially knowledgeable when it comes to what they buy, and they drive market trends because of their significant buying power.
Quality
For many consumers, the quality of a product or service determines the likelihood that they will trust a brand with their repeat purchases and establish an ongoing relationship. However, consumers are also likely to cite reliably high-quality customer service as the reason for remaining loyal even after encountering issues with a brand’s product.
Shared Values
Consumers are attracted to brands they view as altruistic and commit to companies that have a similar philosophy or values. They identify with and are more likely to stay loyal to brands that authentically demonstrate their commitment to social or environmental issues in their business practices.
90% of Americans say they are more likely to trust and feel loyal to companies that support social issues.1
Personalization
Consumers seek novelty and are more likely to be loyal to brands that pay attention to their individuality and respond accordingly. They develop trust and express satisfaction when brands continually surprise them with new products and experiences that are customized to their needs – or give consumers the power to customize on their own.
In an oversaturated market, the consumer is king. Never underestimate the power of brand loyalty, and always invest in your consumers – getting to know their needs so you can speak to them more directly than your competition can.
See five quick examples of companies that are succeeding, and learn how you can increase brand loyalty by requesting the full report.
1 2013 Cone Communications Social Impact Study.
March 20, 2017 | Research
As we celebrate another Women’s History Month, we’re reminded of a stat we heard at the 3% Conference: In 2012, only 3% of creative directors in the United States were women. Anyone who has taken a tour of our offices will surely realize we’ve turned that number upside down. And, for many of our clients, being a women-owned business means we help them meet Tier 1 Diversity supplier standards. Yet our work in creating a diverse workplace certainly isn’t done.
Here are five of our favorite tips from the 3% Conference that we try to apply every day:
- Celebrate diversity in all its forms, and be open to discussing it at work.
- Allow flexibility. (At Fusion Hill we have Flex Fridays to celebrate hard work and accommodate busy schedules.)
- Invest in personal development, whether that is presentation, diversity or leadership training. Prioritize giving your employees the tools they need to continue being successful.
- Join organizations in the community that celebrate women and diversity.
- Be a mentor to someone. Always be intentional about building each other up. Include men in these mentorship relationships, too, to avoid creating an echo chamber where women talk to women and no progress is made.
We are proud to do our part to boost the ratio of women in our industry, and we hope you’ll join us. Connect with us on Twitter, and tell us what you’re doing to make your workplace more diverse – and more accepting.
March 8, 2017 | Creative, Culture, Research
It’s the season of love, happiness and candy hearts here at Fusion Hill. This Valentine’s Day we’re feeling impassioned about many of the things we do every day. Here are 10 #ThingsWeLove to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.
- Creativity – No two clients or projects are created equal, and we love the challenge of creating customized, quality creative work based on solid research and effective problem solving. We’re repeatedly told that we bring true value to our clients and their consumers. From concept to execution, we develop solutions that are imaginative, captivating and, most important, effective.
- Travel – Across the world, across the country or across the city, our team loves to travel and gain insight to meet the needs of our forward-thinking and diverse clients. In our free time, too, we love to stamp our passports!
- Research – Our research team consists of a diverse mix – from MBAs to anthropologists to dreamers. Our multidisciplinary approach gives us a unique yet balanced approach to any challenge and makes our outcomes that much richer. Our research fuels everything we do – and is a key contributor to our success.
- Service – Giving back to the community is a value shared by all at Fusion Hill. We have regular agency days of service, including our recent volunteering at Open Arms of Minnesota on MLK Day. And, since we know the best is inspired from within, we pay each employee four hours per month to volunteer at the organization of their choosing.
- Strategy – Our research and design teams are linked to the strategy team, which enables us to fully understand the essence of our clients’ brands and develop an effective brand strategy or product concept. With years of experience working with some of the top brands in the world, our strategy teams often provide the backbone for the rest of our work.
- Northeast – Our office is located in a redesigned warehouse in Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota. Picture architectural angles all in white with bright windows, a private rooftop patio and high-design meeting spaces that help us produce the best work. You won’t see a single cubical in the whole building. We truly value our neighborhood and love sourcing products locally. We often look to nearby bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants to cater food or sneak away for an afternoon meeting. Though we do think globally, we’re proud to call Northeast our home.
- Health Care – We’ve interacted with hundreds of consumers, patients, physicians, sales reps and health care providers, making our team experts on the health care industry: from medical devices to health care delivery. We love our work in this space because we get to be a part of improving health care, and people’s health overall, around the world.
- Financial Services – With years of experience conducting and implementing research, strategy and creative for financial firms, we understand the complex channels from broker to advisor to consumer. From the unbanked to savvy HSA investors, we strive to understand consumers’ mindsets and inspire smart decision-making.
- Consumer Packaged Goods – After myriad hours spent in grocery stores, malls and consumers’ homes, we understand the world of consumer packaged goods. We’ve used those insights to help develop engaging products and effective marketing strategies.
- Spoiling Our Clients – Our designers, researchers and strategists find themselves moonlighting as elves throughout the year. We love our clients, and we love to spoil them – always including personalization, incredible design and, oftentimes, sweet treats. We hope our clients know how much we appreciate them!
All of these things, and more, make our work that much more meaningful to us. Happy Valentine’s Day to all – may your hearts be full and your candy jars be overflowing.
XOXO,
Fusion Hill
Tell us the things you love! Tweet us @FusionHill using #ThingsWeLove.
February 6, 2017 | Culture
