On my way to the office Monday, I heard a story on NPR about WeedShare.com, a company out to solve the file-sharing problem in the music industry one song at a time. For those unfamiliar (as I was until Monday morning), Weed is a software license service of the Seattle-based Shared Media Licensing, Inc., that allows people to download music files and try them out by playing them up to three times before prompting them for purchase. But it's the next step that's truly innovative, they don't restrict the number of copies the end user makes, and they actually (financially) encourage file sharing. As Weed's website reads, "Weed has a different view on Internet file-sharing. Instead of trying to shut down file sharing, we think people should be paid for it. Instead of punishing fans who don't respect artists' rights, we think it makes more sense to reward those who do."
This company has tapped into one of the essential components of music as a product - the social network. Sure there are incredible information sources out there for music reviews, a whole industry is built around that. But, first and foremost, consumers learn about, try and, in turn, buy new music because they heard about it from the ultimate source - a friend. There are no better salespeople than the network within which a consumer chooses to spend time. Whether a brother, mother or any other, these circles create strong consumption networks; and here Weed has built an organic, ever-growing multi-level marketing scheme of sorts with the power of the brand in the consumer's hands. The power of social networks is not unique to the music industry, of course; but what this business model demonstrates is a creative way to not only fix the demon issue of the music industry, but to creatively position the solution as a win-win for all parties - musicians, consumers and, of course, Weed.
This licensing software not only provides a solution to the file-sharing problem, it takes the consumer out of their current adversarial role (the "villain" of the music industry) and empowers them by letting them participate in the brand. By relinquishing control (control of the music and control of the brand), WeedShare.com has all the makings of a cultural brand. Today's most successful brands, what we call cultural brands, realize branding is about discovery, empowerment and connection.
How does this translate to the food and beverage arena?:
Product innovation: let your consumers have some say in current and new product innovation. Study the way consumers use your products for innovative delivery systems and product line extensions. There are countless ways consumers integrate your CPG brand into their lifestyle that you may not have intended. For example, by keeping a reflexive ear to the consumer, Kashi was able to recognize how people used their cereal. People were eating it, cooking with it; so, Kashi designed a Meal Planner on their website. Kashi also had a big appeal for weight management (not the original intention of the Kashi line); out of that recognition they created Kashi Go Lean. They've been very good at moving with the consumer.
Brand Community: create the space, real or virtual, where consumers can go to talk with you directly, but more important the space where consumers can talk to each other. Starbucks is an excellent example of a brand that uses its retail space not only to sell goods, but as a meeting ground for consumers - literally, with its meeting room spaces, but also symbolically by creating a comfortable, relaxing environment around all things coffee. By fostering the lifestyle attributes of their product world, and thereby the world of their consumers, they bring people together to share in the coffee experience through live music, art displays, community events and, of course, coffee. But, you don't need to have a retail presence to do this, Clif Bar, with its Luna Bar brand, has a knack for bringing their consumers together; and in the case of Luna Bar, their consumers are women. They offer LUNAFEST, a national festival of films by, for and about women; LUNACHIX, a women's mountain bike program; and Luna Moms Clubs, a moms support group created around the desire to achieve a healthy balance in motherhood. In this, Luna Bar becomes the connecting point bringing women together in their local communities for a common purpose. To these consumers, Luna Bar represents not just a good-tasting, healthy product, but a brand that represents their most personal and emotional goals and values.
Brand loyalty: allow for participation and collaboration to build a sense of ownership in the brand. With WeedShare.com no longer are consumers merely end users, but active participants in the success of the brand and the company, even the artist. Hey, now they're a part of the music industry! It's this kind of empowerment, ownership and investment that breeds brand loyalty. Jones Soda is an excellent example of brand loyalty by way of ownership. They relinquish so much control of the brand to the consumer that packaging is based on consumer contributions. Would you dare drink another brand of soda if a picture of your dog graced a Jones bottle?
Though its first release was in September 2003, the Weed model seems to be growing, well, like a weed and has all the makings of a cultural brand. We think a lot can be learned from this business model. We'll be keeping our eyes on it.
grow your business like a weed - To learn more about this author, visit Harvey
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