Zeroing In on Authenticity via the Michael Graves Tea Kettle…
The Brand Experience Lab recently cited a terrific piece by Paul Barsch on the marketing value of Authenticity. Paul points out that we eagerly seek out, and are willing to pay a premium for, “Authentic” experiences, whether delivered via product, service or engagement. He cites the Michael Graves tea kettle, sold by Alessi for $145 as a prime example.
While Campfire labors in an industry that could easily be characterized as inauthentic, we nonetheless endeavor to create authentic entertainment experiences. This work began with my partners’ participation in The Blair Witch Project — an authentic horror experience.
We don’t believe that we’re engaged in a noble mission built around Authenticity, it’s just that giving consumers an entertainment experience that emphasizes having a genuine and genuinely good time is highly effective.
Paul put it this way:
An authentic “…product, service or experience is:
• Special: unique and differentiated, you can’t find it anywhere else
• Valuable: as Warren Buffet would say, valuable not because of the dollars you pay, but for the value you get
• Real: the product, service or experience “speaks” to the core of who you are, your mission, your purpose”
He goes on: ““The Authentic” is why people are willing to pay a premium for a unique teakettle, a scarce work of art, a great bowl of soup, or a spiced latte they can only get at their local coffee shop. Authenticity breeds passion and the examples of the authentic are endless.”
“The pursuit of the authentic then, for a marketer means:
• Incrementalism, or simply adding a few new features to an existing product or service, is the path to mediocrity
• Imitation, while “the highest form of flattery”, will always be challenged to measure up to the original
• Boldness, is taking a new direction, even when your customers of today are telling you they want more of the same”
Technorati Tags: authenticity, design, Michael Graves, net marketing, social media
January 7th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Thanks for posting this piece, but I was actually quoting from a piece that Paul Barsch wrote on MarketingProfs. We have written about being authentic several time and you can read one of our more recent pieces at http://tinyurl.com/vh6ty
Want to make sure that the right credit is given where it’s due!
David
January 9th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Hi Steve, just a note, not that I’m a freak for credit, but I actually wrote the post. Take care!
January 13th, 2007 at 7:00 am
Hey, Paul, corrected my post — and read a number of your other pieces which I highly recommend: http://d-cubed.blogspot.com/