What’s changed the way you think about the industry in the last year?

The way customers engage with a brand has evolved so much at a time when each telco’s products start to look homogeneous to its customers.

Like it or not, telco products and services are fast becoming a commodity – if they haven’t already – to the extent that it’s like buying milk at the supermarket. They are all the same, but which is cheaper today?

But telco differs from commoditised grocery items as the prices are continuing to decrease. In some countries in North America and Asia, the race to the bottom has unfortunately been achieved. And any sliver of product differentiation is happening in such a fast-paced market that competitors are matching or mimicking offers at pace.

So, it begs the question, how does one truly engage the hearts and minds (and gut) of Kiwis above and beyond data and price? Brand experience! Not customer experience, brand experience.

Google tells us the definition of brand experience is: “sensations, feelings, cognitions, and behavioural responses evoked by brandrelated stimuli that are part of a brand’s design and identity, packaging, communications, and environments.”

What that means is there must be a unique brand personality and attitude that must be adhered to consistently from day one. Successful brands have continued to grow because they have stayed true to their original brand DNA. These same successful brands argue that there is no need for a brand ‘evolution’ as this will only drive further brand homogeny.

Don’t get me wrong, brand creativity should evolve but brand purpose and experience must be upheld and should never change. Stop evolving brands! Brands were conceived for a reason and they were successful for a reason.