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@cathyyiquncao @cheezbot 

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Accept Ourselves or Edit Ourselves?

The concept of beauty has undoubtedly changed over time. Fashion choices once considered avante-garde later become the reason why we hide old pictures. Hairstyles, make-up techniques, body shapes, you name it, preferences have evolved and continue to do so. 

For instance, while young women today seek to be emulate celebrities and be thin, thinness was once a sign of weakness and sickness, as is discussed in the following 1970's New York Times article (continues to be topical!) 

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/23/archives/when-fat-was-in-fashion-abundant-flesh-was-a-thing-of-beauty-to.html

Regardless of what the current trend is, people want to follow it. While some trends are harmless, unrealistic "goals" have often encouraged low self-esteem among individuals who look differently, whose bodies' are shaped differently, and whose skin tone or hair color doesn't match what is shown in magazines. This of course isn't news to anyone! What is different now, is that we have an array of tools that allow/encourage us to observe our supposed imperfections and edit them away; we can therefore digitally meet our harmful goal. 

Unfortunately, tools like these make the job of not-for-profits like Women of Worth (WOW) even more difficult. The road to self acceptance is difficult and complex. What's easy? Removing acne with a click, slimming with a swipe and altering skin tone with a tap. 

It is in scenarios like these, where visible public figures have the power to influence consumer beliefs and opinions. Fortunately, we are seeing a lot of this with celebrities/influencers opening up about their own struggles and pressures. Additionally, body positive campaigns have taken off and have brought awareness to the the harmful short and long-term effects of not accepting oneself. While there are still ways to go, these continuous efforts have inspired many to choose accept instead of edit. 

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If it Looks, Swims, Quacks like a Duck, is it just a Duck?

In today's market, certain companies seek to move beyond the services they offer or the products they sell by increasing the value they deliver to their customers. The successful ones have used this strategy to differentiate from their competitors; but how exactly are they doing this? Here our just some examples: 

1. In its effort to offer exceptional customer service, Singapore Airlines regularly benchmarks not only against competitors, but against world-class service companies like the Ritz-Carlton. 

2. Oberoi Group CEO Vikram Oberoi once said, "the business of luxury hospitality is less about cost and more about value, less about extravagance and more about the experience," in describing the hotel chain's secret ingredient to success. 

3. Trader Joe's founder Joe Coulombe once famously said, "it's the quality of the people which sets Trader Joe's apart. Forget the merchandise, forget all the other stuff; it's the quality of the people in the stores." 

4. And of course there's Apple, the technology company that revolutionized the industry and changed the customer experience entirely. How? "Get closer than ever to your customers. So close that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves," explained Steve Jobs, Apple founder. 

What do these four companies have in common that set them apart? Why can they look, swim and quack like a duck yet still be so much more? 

They are highly Customer-Centric. Simple enough? 

While the answer may seem simple, getting it right is far from it. These companies have invested tons of energy and resources into really understanding their customers and delivering far more than they're expecting. Whether that means using different benchmarks, investing in top employees or offering the best technology, they address every aspect of the customer's experience, from beginning to end. 

In the case of Singapore Airlines, they offered top quality goods to their passengers, consistently modernized their aircraft and dressed their flight attendants in designer uniforms. While all these things were of course important, SIA's ability to anticipate customer needs and go the extra mile is arguable their greatest asset. Greeting customers by name with their favorite wine, apologizing in person for mistakes, and providing seamless customer service when customers are in distress are important and unique reasons why customers keep coming back. SIA's attention to detail, unlike space seats, is also much harder for competitors to replicate.

Which is why, focusing on what the customer truly needs and can't get elsewhere is the best route to follow. While consistently investing to upgrade seats is one way to go, it may also be a rabbit hole that fails to deliver the customer loyalty they are looking for. By using data to understand their consumers and working closely with employees and customers to determine continuous improvement opportunities, SIA can offer a unique and personalized experience that may be the key to long-term success.

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Sommelier or So-full-of-it?

"It's so light and fresh."

"It has a sweet aroma, but with citric undertones."

"It has a nice finish."

"It has all organic ingredients."

"It's perfect for a warm, sunny day."

"It's great, I feel rejuvenated."

These are just a few things people say as they slowly sip on their wine and pretend be connoisseurs in front of their friends. Funny enough, these are also comments made by women (or men) as they gently apply a new face cream and wait for the changes to start happening. 

Does the brand Armani or Veuve Clicquot say something to the unaware yet indulging consumer? Does the brand Youth of the People or a boutique organic wine from a small vineyard in California draw young millennials? Do their expectations of the product ultimately matter more than the product itself? Maybe.

The point of this comparison is to illustrate how both products, wine and face cream, largely target unfamiliar or clueless (myself included) consumers. This does not imply that a consumer won't be able tell if a face cream causes hives, but they may not be able to notice the very subtle difference between a firming moisturizer and a hydrating cream. 

The study "Fine as North Dakota Wine: Sensory Expectations and the Intake of Companion Food," (Wansink, Payne, North) shows individuals' experiences with certain products such as wine are influenced by their perceptions of these. I'd argue this equally applies to face creams or other beauty products with nuanced differences. The fact that both products are made of many components, are experienced by more than one sense and belong to a product category with large variety, makes it difficult for the individual to fully grasp the intricacies. 

What does this mean for product brands that face a similar predicament?  I don't think brands should altogether forget about quality and just put on a pretty label an call it a day. I'm just saying the quality of the wine or whether the face cream actually deletes my freckles (I'm kidding I love them), may not make much of a difference if I don't believe or perceive it to be true. Understanding a consumer's expectation, whether they're a sommelier or a smooth talker, warrants greater attention. 

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How Much are you Tipping?: Using Nudges to Influence Tipping Behavior

Friends: Season 2: Episode 9 The One with Phoebe's Dad Source: https://www.netflix.com/title/70153404

After we've finished our pizzas, taken the last sip of our cocktails, we often look around the table to determine how much to tip. The receipt lays out three options: 18%, 20% and 25%. We think to ourselves: The waiter was nice, but he forgot our order twice. He ordered us a free cocktail to make up for it, but then brought the wrong one. What does this mean in percentage terms? Let me check to see what my friend is going to give.

We often rely on peer opinions to determine that which isn't easily calculated. We are easily swayed by context or suggestions and are at times, cognitively lazy. Establishments have caught on to this and conveniently provide tip suggestions at the bottom of receipts or use social pressure dynamics to encourage higher tips.

In fact, the following study by David Perrott showed individuals were much more likely to tip if they were presented with a full jar of tips as opposed to an empty jar. When people believed tipping to be a social norm, they were more likely to join in this behavior and add to the jar.

Moreover, companies have further employed this tactic by using iPad Tipping. As we wait in line for our coffee and bagel we can view how much those in front of us are tipping for their order. Then it is our turn to feel the glares (whether imagined or real) of those behind us and thus feel inclined to tip a higher amount. To add even more pressure to the interaction, we must then turn back the ipad to the cashier, who can see our tip choice before delivering our coffee. 

While consumers disagree over the fairness of some of these tactics, there effectiveness are not in question. In fact, a wide range of industries employ similar methods to increase user engagement with their brands. "Top Rated", "Customer Favorites", "A user like you also bought" are just some ways in which clothing retailers increase your engagement with their websites by offering insight into others' preferences. Spending apps attempt to increase the amount you save by showing us peer averages. Fitness apps sometimes offer data on your friends' workouts to encourage further use. The list goes on and on...

Now more than ever, in these times of social distancing, we are hyper cognizant of our desire to socialize. And guess what, so are thousands of companies who see this as an opportunity to increase our engagement with each other through their own brands.

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Inside Intel Inside: The Challenge Behind Shifting from B2B to B2C

"Will consumers care about the silicon in their cell phones? And even if we try to make them care, we know that this will come with a big price tag— and it won’t be effective unless we can show them exactly why our silicon is better than someone else’s.”  Pamela Pollace, Vice President and Director of Intel’s worldwide marketing operations

In the past, Intel managed to successfully increase their supplier bargaining power by directly targeting end-users. Their ability to extend this strategy into the cell phone market, however, may be like asking oblivious consumers to notice the Carrot Inside their Campbell's Minestrone soup! 

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Intel sought to target the end-user after realizing consumers were largely unaware of the specific benefits of the products within their computers. "In the past, we had always focused our energy on marketing to the design engineers of computer manufacturers. But design engineers didn't have the same clout anymore... it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that end users weren't' aware of the product differences,"explained Carter. By using creating marketing campaigns, Intel was able to educate the consumer on the differences between processors and ultimately strengthen the Intel brand. This strategy allowed Intel to increase its supplier bargaining power and thus avoid getting squeezed on price.

What is truly remarkable is that Intel, a B2B technology company, was able to focus on consumer feelings and experience, and join the ranks of Coca Cola, a consumer goods company! Beyond employing B2C marketing, Intel was able to overcome skeptics and attain OEM buy-in by creating a co-op advertising program that benefitted both parties. These two factors ensured the success of the campaign.

Moving forward, Intel must decide whether to enter the PDA and cellphone market. While their B2C marketing strategy has proven successful in the past, Intel does not dominate the non-PC market as it did the PC market. Intel's Intel Inside marketing strategy asked consumers to notice the differences between their own products, that were already everywhere. In this new market, Intel must harness brand recognition and reputation with the hope that consumers will notice their brand and view it as a differentiator.