It’s all about the EXPERIENCE

I came across a very interesting blog post by a well-established marketing blogger, Peter Kim. He talks about the proliferation of global brands – Starbucks, McDonald’s, Nike – and how their presences around the world makes him feel strangely familiar with the foreign cities he is visiting whether in Asia or Europe. He then talks about because of the global presence of these brands, it’s the experience they should be focusing on.

I agree that no matter where you go, it’s extremely difficult to avoid seeing or buying some of these global brands. Perhaps it’s the familiarity or the assurance that makes me purchase the products even when I’m traveling or perhaps it’s the coercion from my friends. This is from my observations in Korea. Korean people seem to be fascinated or attracted to many foreign brands such as Starbucks, Zara and Apple, quite possibly because of a certain prestige and status these brands offer. After reading Peter’s post, however, I’m beginning to think that it’s also because they just like the shopping experience.

Unlike some stores in Korea, the environment of the foreign brand stores is welcoming and laid-back. The shoppers enjoy looking around the store without being, maybe a little bit of exaggeration here, harassed by store employees. The chill atmosphere added onto their sense of prestige and status boost could easily make the Korean consumers to continuously purchase foreign goods and even become advocates.

Starbucks is also working hard to provide a good experience for all its customers by satisfying their needs. Although many Koreans go to Starbucks to simply grab a coffee with a friend and catch up, many others go there to study. Therefore, the company has improved the layout of its stores by having more individual tables and expanding its stores underground to provide a quieter study space. I have also heard from a friend that in Hong Kong, one particular Starbucks store offers a life-sized chessboard for the customers to play!

So, is it all about the experience? I would say, yes. It’s the prestige and perception of these brands that make consumers purchase the products in the first place, but it’s the experience that keeps them coming.