When COVID-19 drove consumers into the digital shopping space and struck fear in the less tech-savvy ones, curbside pickup and third-party home delivery became a no-brainer for grocery stores nationwide. While Whole Foods and Walmart hustle to dominate the digital playground for internet shoppers way before the pandemic, one grocer chose to leave the fighting to the big boys. An earlier B.R.A.N.D. Freeze moment of the late Joe Coulombe, founder of Trader Joe's revealed that this grocery store is all about being different. But is her refusal to sell products online, offer curbside pickup, or home delivery just a rebellious act to go against the current? D: The Store as the BrandAny business leader will tell you that making goods available online is an obvious solution to boost sales volume and grow your reach. However, shopping at a physical store is a non-compromising component of the brand experience for Trader Joe's customers. "The store is our brand" is one of this grocer's values, which is one of the driving forces (ie. the 'D' as defined in the B.R.A.N.D. System) behind how Trader Joe's does things every day. One would think that coronavirus would have forced the hand of this grocery store to sell online. She did not budge. The store took all the necessary precautions, kept her customers informed of store hours and traffic limitations, and customers continued coming. A: DESIGNING THE EXPERIENCEBusinesses with multiple retail spaces are likely to receive professionally printed signs, posters, and banners from their corporate office for display on site. It's more cost-effective anyway. However, when you step into a Trader Joe's, it's hard not to see the hand-drawn and hand-written signs from shelf tags to large wall displays. Each store has her group of artists who produce these unique visible elements daily. They are part of the team; stocking the shelves, working the cash registers, and also doodling in the back room. Trader Joe's invests in and values individuals with such skills because it is part of her brand. This national chain takes pride in being your neighborhood grocery store. Murals and images reflective of the community she is in is just another way Trader Joe's seeks to connect with her customers. More importantly, you can always count on an engaging conversation with a crew member or two during a visit. And a face mask will not get in the way. How did Trader Joe's respond during COVID-19? Learn more here.
One might wonder why a grocery store has a nautical theme even though seafood is not her primary product. Between the ringing of ship bells and employees known as crew members, mates, and captains, Trader Joe's seafaring culture can be traced back to her founder Joe Coulombe (1939 - 2020).
While Trader Joe's has always been tight-lipped about her business model, you can easily find wave upon wave of information from her school of avid fans in the digital ocean.
In this B.R.A.N.D. Freeze moment, I would like to first tap into the personal brand of Joe Coulombe to gain insights into the making of a memorable brand. You don’t have to be a celebrity
The goal of defining one's personal brand is not always about creating a celebrity-persona like that of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Elon Musk (Tesla), Ellen DeGeneres, or Martha Stewart.
As a founder/owner, you don't have to be the face of your company, but you have to be the spirit behind its culture. Your physical presence is limited by time and space, but a brand-centric culture will last for generations. Tracing his career back to 1958 when Coulombe was tasked by his then-employer Rexall Drugs to launch a chain of convenience stores to compete with 7-Eleven, we saw the maiden voyage of this trader on the culinary seas. A: SWEAT IT & READ IT
Coulombe was said to have worked without pay at Pronto Markets, the new chain he helped started, so that he can learn the business. When 7-Eleven became too big to compete against, Rexall’s decision to liquidate the stores opened the door for Coulombe to buy out the business which he renamed Trader Joe’s in 1967.
If you have an end in sight, there is no other way around hard work to get there. It doesn't matter if your goal is short- or long-term, big or small; have a goal. Coulombe did not want to compete with the bigger giants in the convenience store business and knew he had to be different.
From his interview with Perfect Business, it was also clear that Coulombe’s business savviness came from a lot of reading.
He read about the anticipated launch of Boeing 747 and figured that cheaper international air travel will wet the appetite of people for food from different parts of the world. Trader Joe's, to this day, is known for her selection of food from all over the globe. Inspired by an article on Biosphere in the Scientific American along with subscription to multiple whole food related publications, Coulombe also steered Trader Joe's towards the natural and organic food route.
After Coulombe's retirement in 1989, he remained the voice of Trader Joe's in a LA radio show "Food and Wine Minute''. Listeners would join him on his visits to the world's wine regions with interesting insights into food. Subscribe or pick up a copy of the Fearless Flyer and you will get a taste of his legacy.
As for the maritime theme, Joe drew his inspiration for Trader Joe’s unique look-&-feel from Frederick O'Brien's White Shadows in the South Seas and the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland.
As a founder and leader of your business, you are ultimately responsible for weaving the fabric of the human organization you are establishing. How are you achieving that? How tightly woven is your personal B.R.A.N.D. to the business B.R.A.N.D.?
RESOURCES:
Who would think that spending time in a furniture store can be fun before IKEA showed up with her signature blue-&-yellow facade, adding to the canopy of Singapore's urban skyline? Considering that this island country is only about 278.6 square miles, having two IKEAs on this red dot* is like living in home decor heaven. Before I curb my excitement, news on the street is that a third store is in the works for 2021! *The country of Singapore is so small that it is often displayed as a red dot on a world map. While I anticipate visiting this new store during my next yearly pilgrimage to the Lion City, a 3-plus-hour drive is how long it will take to go to the nearest IKEA store in my present reality. It does make for a fun road-trip with friends between Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Frisco, Texas, and the Swedish meatballs are just the cherry on top. In this B.R.A.N.D. Freeze moment, I will be discussing how this global giant remains true to her brand as she continues to grow a cult following. B: IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING ___Saying that IKEA is not in the business of selling furniture may sound oxymoronic. IKEA’s vision is to create a better everyday life for people, and that’s what she is selling; a ‘better everyday life’. Besides offering well-designed and functional home furnishing products at a low price, IKEA does so much more to achieve that vision. Learn about IKEA here. It’s easy to view your business as a financial transaction; you sell something that people are willing to buy with money. But when you change that paradigm and consider the problem you are solving for your customers, it will inspire and guide many operational and marketing decisions you are going to make as a business leader. A: HOW IS SHE SELLING "A BETTER EVERYDAY LIFE"?What is one problem IKEA is hoping to solve for her customers? Looking at her vision/mission statement, we can conclude that people are not able to find inexpensive furniture/furnishing that are well-designed and functional. And how do low-priced products promote “a better everyday life”? In IKEA’s marketing, you will see why she is in the business of selling more than just furniture or furnishings. Let's learn from the pages of her catalog: IKEA's iconic yellow price tag, seen both in her catalog and throughout her stores both in Singapore and the U.S., draws attention to the low pricing. But she is not just selling inexpensive blinds and teddy bear. She is selling a "better bedtime". COPY IN CATALOG: Build a better bedtime. Kids don't always find it easy to drift off - and not just because of the monsters under the bed. A cozy, comforting sleeping area of their own can help them relax, especially if they share a room. IKEA is speaking to the parents; that "a better everyday life" is one where their children look forward to bedtime in a room they call their own. In addition, IKEA will always devote a whole level of their store to simply showcase their products laid out in different settings. Both parents and children can explore a variety of themed bedrooms and get a feel of how they can create a similar space in their home. IKEA is always telling stories and people (ie. her customers) are the main character. You can find these stories weaved beautifully with their equally diverse range of products online, on-site, and on-print. COPY IN CATALOG: When opposites attract. These two lovebirds recently took the plunge and moved in together. They both feel at home in their new apartment: it's an eclectic contrast of two different styles and stories that come together perfectly. Just like them. In the case of the lovebirds featured in the catalog and those in real life, "a better everyday life" is when people of different culture or background find beauty in their union as well as in the space they will start calling home (furnished with IKEA's products of course). It's also clear that IKEA appeals to DIYers who enjoy flexing some muscles while expressing their own aesthetics. Her unique instruction that comes with any product requiring assembly is comprehensive yet easy to read and follow. Flat packaging (for ease of transport) and self-assembly have long been IKEA's way of keeping cost low for customers. And for those who rather not do-it-yourself, IKEA offers delivery and assembly services. COPY IN CATALOG: An area for weeknight dining, weekend game-playing or anytime DIY-ing. Thanks to the makeshift modular dining table - three smaller ones pushed together - and plenty of extra chairs, this room really can do it all, all the time. IKEA is known for her modular products that work for small spaces. But instead of selling the features of those products, she paints a picture of "a better everyday life", where one can use his/her space for entertaining, relaxing, and creating, any time and any day. R: SHE IS NOT ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLESome might argue that IKEA's products are not the most durable. But then again, she is not in the business of selling products. One truth that all business leaders must acknowledge; you cannot be everything to everyone. Trying to be all things to all people will cause your business to lack focus and your attempts to reach people will fall on deaf ears. Defining who you are trying to REACH; the second component in the B.R.A.N.D. System, will help your brand be memorable.
First aired in 1969, Sesame Street and Big Bird with several other muppets have been instrumental in educating and entertaining children with letters and numbers. They have also been known to address weightier issues like tackling loss from death and embracing cultural differences. In 2015, a muppet with autism named Julia was introduced to teach kids kindness and empathy towards other with similar development disorder.
Big Bird from Sesame Street was invited to orbit the earth onboard NASA’s Challenger in 1986 when the mission went horribly wrong and claimed the lives of seven passengers.
Caroll Spinney, the man underneath the yellow feathery costume, has made Big Bird quite a celebrity when NASA invited him on that mission to get children interested in space. |
Details
|