trendwatching.com’s SERVILE BRANDS

trendwatching.com’s free monthly Trend Briefing October 2012

SERVILE BRANDS
Why for brands, serving, assisting, and lubricating is the new selling.

trendwatching.com/trends/servilebrands

SERVILE is:
Definition:
Yes, consumers are more demanding, time-starved, informed, and choice- Letting customers try out first
saturated than ever-before (we know you know). For brands to prosper, the
Helping customers monitor anything
solution is simple though: turn SERVILE. This goes far beyond offering great
customer service*. SERVILE means turning your brand into a lifestyle serv- Helping customers find anything real-time
ant focused on catering to the needs, desires and whims of your customers, Helping customers understand everything
wherever and whenever they are. real-time

* Everyday great ‘customer service’ will of course forever be crucial: a 2011 American
Being there when customers truly need you,
Express survey found that 70% of American consumers were willing to spend more with even if they didn’t realize it yet
brands that provided a great service, and a whopping 60% thought brands weren’t think-
Picking up where the government isn’t
ing enough about the service experience.
Helping customers save money
Helping customers start the day pleasantly
Helping customers to make the most of it
Bringing customers recommendations that
actually make sense
Making things more seamless for customers

w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m SERVILE BRANDS 2

Drivers | Three key changes among consumers are driving the need for your brand or business to go truly SERVILE:
Image courtesy of fridaypuppy.com

1. ON DEMAND 2. TIME 3. EQUALS
COMPRESSION

We’ve repeatedly flagged up the sky-rocketing number The endless abundance and increasing material affluence in Here’s the new reality: consumers will never again revere
of CITYSUMERS (urban consumers). CITYSUMERS who modern consumer economies (yes, even amongst financially brands the way they used to:
crave the endless novel and exciting experiences that modern challenged consumers), has led to an increasing feeling of • Only 47% of consumers around the world say they trust
hyper-cities offer. Which is why they will seek out or even being time-starved. paid media (television, magazine and newspaper ads), a
demand SERVILE BRANDS – brands that can help empower decline of over 20% since 2009.
Indeed, a survey by research company Datamonitor found
them or offer them the freedom and flexibility to make the
that 44% of consumers across 14 countries now say that it’s • 92% of global consumers say they trust earned media
most of urban life.
difficult to manage their daily obligations and find time to relax. (word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends and
Completely connected, they also expect the best of the No wonder then that consumers are demanding tools and family) above all other forms of advertising, an increase of
online world – instant information and immediate gratification services to help them get the most from the present moment, 18% since 2007.
– to be built-in to their offline experiences. That’s why however brief. This NOWISM world means brands have no
• Online consumer reviews are the second most trusted
SERVILE BRANDS bend over and do as they’re told ;-) choice but to satisfy consumer demand for instant gratification
form of advertising with 70% of global consumers
and ultra-convenience. That’s why SERVILE BRANDS cut
trusting them, an increase of 15% in four years.
to the chase, and save their customers time. In any possible
(Source: Nielsen, April 2012)
way.
• Only 29% of consumers in Brazil, China and India say
that it pays to be loyal to favored brands.
(Source: COLLOQUY and Epsilon’s Cross-Cultural Loyalty

Study, 2011)

With consumers increasingly turning to (and trusting) other
consumers, brands can no longer expect to be able to craft
or control their image. Another reason to be SERVILE and put
the needs of your customers above your own.


SERVILE is:
Letting customers try out first
Orca Chevrolet’s Rescue
Hyundai Home Shopping Drive

In May 2012, Hyundai Home Shopping introduced its To promote the release of Chevrolet’s Cobalt model,
new mobile application, ‘H-Codi’. It is a ‘virtual fashion Brazil-based car dealership Orca Chevrolet launched
coordination’ program with Augmented Reality Technology. the Rescue Drive campaign in early 2012. The
Via this application customers can virtually try on or test promotion targeted consumers after a breakdown,
most products from Hyundai Home Shopping. For example, when they were likely to be frustrated with their own
the camera on smart phones scans customer’s face
vehicles. Stranded drivers who called participating
or body, and shows pictures with co-ordinated fashion
tow trucks were surprised by an accompanying
products such as earrings, neckties and handbags. This
Chevrolet Cobalt, which they were given the
service is also available for interior accessories and more;
opportunity to test drive.
about 70,000 products are available. Augmented Reality
photos can be saved, and also shared with friends via
Cacao Talk (Korean WhatsApp) and Facebook.


SERVILE is:
Letting customers try out first

Marks & Spencer’s Virtual This Trend Briefing is obviously
Manicure only the tip of the iceberg

Trend database + Monthly Updates + Tips
Marks & Spencer’s Virtual Manicure is a free online
and in-store service which enables customers to test Our Trend Database (just one part of the Premium
the UK retailer’s nail polish range on their own fingers. Service) gives you access to ALL our trends, insights
Shoppers upload an image of their hands and then and over 7,000 innovations we’re spotting on daily
click on a nail color to see what it would look like basis.
before they purchase it.
FIND OUT MORE & SEE WHAT ELSE YOU GET »


SERVILE is:
Volkswagen China’s Think
Blue Babolat’s Play & Connect

In early June 2012, Volkswagen launched its first Set to launch during 2013, Play & Connect from
eco-awareness mobile app in China. The ‘Blue French brand Babolat is a tennis racquet which
Mobility’ app is the first in-car mobile app which features integrated sensors providing real-time
tracks and analyzes users’ real-time driving behavior. information on gameplay. The device can detect
It then provides tips and advice on how to curtail service speed, the power of each hit and ball spin, to
excessive fuel usage. give players feedback on their performance. Sensors
located in the handle also monitor the type of stroke
and the position of the ball on the racquet, enabling
analysis of both technique and game statistics. Data
is sent wirelessly to a computer or smartphone,
enabling users to view data and set goals.


SERVILE is:

China Survival Guide See the infographic »

The China Survival Guide is a free iPhone app that A 1 minute summary of trendwatching.com’s Trend
tracks food and health scandals across China, so Briefing on SERVILE BRANDS
users don’t need to keep up with the news reports
themselves. It was downloaded 200,000 times within
a week of launching.


SERVILE is:
Helping customers find anything real-time
Westfield:
Shopping mall search SK Telecom’s Smart Cart

Westfield, the world’s largest shopping centre Last October, a SK Telecom pilot tested Smart
operator, added Google Commerce’s search Cart in Emart stores in Seoul, providing accurate in-
functionality to its in-mall mobile app to save store information. Shoppers search for products and
shoppers’ time in their malls. Shoppers can search discount coupons, and create a shopping list on the
and compare prices across retailers in their local smartphone app; this is later user-authenticated and
Westfield shopping mall, and call the local retailers to synced to shopping carts equipped with augmented
check availability with one click. reality tablets. Smart Cart harnesses NFC technology
to update real-time information such as product
availability, membership points and check-out
procedures. SK Telecom plans to officially launch
Smart Cart in South Korea and China by the end of
2013.

SERVILE is:
Helping customers understand everything real-time
Schiphol Airport’s Chinese Harrods’ Chinese
translation app translation app

In January 2012, Amsterdam’s Schiphol London department store Harrods also launched
airport released a Chinese version of the Schiphol a free Chinese language smartphone app, offering
app, offering information on flights, public transport shoppers functions such as an interactive guide to
and product offers, as well as maps of the departure the store, restaurant menus, and details on events
lounges, all in Mandarin. The app also enables taking place.
translation of signs in the airport, via a recognition
system using smartphone cameras.


SERVILE is:
Being there when customers truly need you, even if
they didn’t realize it yet

IKEA

For many residents of Quebec (Canada), property Montreal that could be assembled into moving
leases expire on July 1st. This makes it a popular boxes. The posters were printed with slogans that
moving day, and thus storage items such as encouraged residents to take them home, and also
cardboard boxes are in high demand. So last year, included discounts on new furniture.
IKEA put up 2,000 cardboard posters around


SERVILE is:
Dial Direct’s Pothole
OUTsurance Pointsmen Brigade

OUTsurance is a South African insurance Another South African insurance firm Dial Direct,
company that put traffic wardens on the streets of launched the Pothole Brigade, a road maintenance
Johannesburg, Cape Town and Tshwane – to ease initiative that repaired over 50,000 potholes in and
the traffic flow at dangerous or congested junctions. around Johannesburg, as drivers reported them.
Sadly, red tape recently killed the initiative, but there
are plenty of other cities that could benefit from a
similar set-up.


SERVILE is:

Like what you’re reading in this
Safaricom’s Daktari 1525 Trend Briefing, but want more?

Trend Report 2013 (Released November 20)
In the last quarter of 2011, Kenyan telco provider
Safaricom partnered with mobile health specialist
Call-a-Doc to launch Daktari - 1525. Subscribers Our 2013 Trend Report (just one part of the Premium
can get medical advice from qualified personnel for Service) outlines the crucial consumer trends that
around two cents per minute by dialing ‘1525’. The need to be on your radar for the year ahead. Split
service does not offer diagnosis or prescription, only into major themes and featuring 40+ trends, the
an appropriate level of counsel and (when necessary) report covers every major development in the (very
reference to local medical centers. All calls are
turbulent!) consumer arena.

confidential.


SERVILE is:

22seven Billshrink / Orange

Launched in South Africa in January BillShrink is a US based service that analyzes
2012, 22seven is a financial services platform that consumers’ phone bills (once the owner
looks at users’ bank statements to determine where grants access), before making a personalized
they could save money. Consumers can see where recommendation of one of the 10 million plan
they generally spend money, and where they might combinations it monitors.
be overspending; they are then offered strategies and UK mobile provider Orange offers pay monthly
plans to help them reduce their outgoings. To use customers a service that checks whether they are on
22seven requires members to disclose full details of the best available talk plan (based on their call, text
bank accounts and passwords. and data usage history) every six months.


SERVILE is:
Samsung’s Upgrade Bank of America’s
Program BankAmeriDeals

The Samsung Upgrade promotion encourages US Bank of America’s BankAmeriDeals program offers
customers to trade in old smartphones in exchange customers promotions based on the retailers they
for a Galaxy. After purchasing the Galaxy S2, S3 frequent. When users check their account online or
or Note, users upload information about their used via the app, cashback offers are listed next to the
smartphone to Samsung’s Facebook page and names of participating stores they have shopped at.
receive a quote for its value. Consumers send off their Rewards can be redeemed at the locations on future
old device in return for a check of up to USD 300. visits.


SERVILE is:
Helping customers start the day pleasantly
Boondoggle’s Winter
Wake-Up Uniqlo’s Wake Up

Winter Wake-Up is an app that functions as a In a similar vein, Uniqlo Wake Up is a free app which
standard alarm clock, but (by connecting to online wakes users up with music automatically created
weather forecasts) wakes users earlier than usual if based on the weather, with a melodic voice to
there has been unexpected snow or icy conditions announce the time, conditions and day of the week.
during the night. Users can choose not to be woken
at all if extreme conditions make their commute
hopeless.


SERVILE is:

autoTRADER’s autoLYZER DuniaFitnes

Canadian auto classifieds autoTRADER created Indonesian fitness and health portal DuniaFitnes
the autoLYZER Facebook app, which uses data released a smartphone app offering tailored training
from users’ Facebook profiles (including recent regimes as well as health-related information,
photographs, social activities, comments and including nutrition tables and fitness videos. The free
interests) to generate three vehicles available for sale app also features a store where users can purchase
which suit their lifestyle and personality. fitness and wellbeing products.


SERVILE is:

Emporio Armani’s EA7

“44% of consumers
across 14 countries
now say that it’s
difficult to manage
their daily obligations
and find time to
Emporio Armani has created a mobile app for its relax.”
sports apparel range EA7, providing consumers with
lifestyle and fitness tips. The app is free and offers
interactive experiences, games, and content that links
to the clothing collection.


SERVILE is:
Bringing customers recommendations that actually
make sense
Ticketmaster Hellmann’s & St. Marche

US based Ticketmaster unveiled a ticketing In May 2012, Hellmann’s offered recipes tailored
Facebook app in January 2012, enabling users to to the ingredients the shopper had just purchased.
browse music events, see which shows their friends Custom software was installed in cash registers at
are attending, read reviews, schedule a wishlist Brazilian supermarket chain St. Marche. When a
of upcoming concerts they hope to attend, and shopper bought a jar of Hellmann’s mayonnaise,
of course, purchase tickets. The ‘Recommended the cash register recognized this and generated a
Events’ feature uses Spotify integration to see which custom recipe based on the mayonnaise and the
acts the visitor has been posting about online, and other ingredients that were purchased, automatically
sharing with friends, so that it can provide a list of printing this on the receipt.
suggested concerts.


SERVILE is:

Ford’s KeyFree Vodafone & Richard Nicoll

To promote Ford’s KeyFree technology (which Vodafone UK and fashion designer Richard
allows drivers to unlock and lock vehicles with NFC Nicoll created a handbag that can power a mobile
fobs), the automaker created an app that logs into a phone while on the move. After the bag is charged
user’s digital accounts, without them having to type from a mains power outlet (using a cable that
in their passwords. Consumers enter their usernames magnetically attaches to the exterior), it carries up to
and passwords into the free app, and when they two days worth of extra battery.
approach a synced computer, it detects their
(Bluetooth enabled) device’s proximity and signs into
the pre-registered programs.


SERVILE is:
Virgin America & Rock the
Toyota & Nintendo Vote

Toyota has launched a facility enabling drivers in Virgin America and nonprofit Rock the Vote have
Japan to control in-vehicle Smart Navi GPS units via launched a service in the US that allows passengers
Nintendo DS and Bluetooth. Drivers or passengers to register to vote for the 2012 presidential election,
can purchase a ‘Kuruma de DS’ utility card (costing using the in-flight entertainment system.
USD 92) which is inserted into the Nintendo console
to allow syncing of pre-saved routes, and navigation.


SERVILE is:
Health Street’s DNA
Testing Evian’s Smart Drop

Health Street, a medical testing company from New The Evian Chez Vous website lets Parisians order
York, offers mobile paternity tests via its Who’s Your bottled water for direct delivery to their homes and
Daddy? van that cruises the streets of New York. For businesses. Users can order other products from the
USD 299, passersby can have a cheek swab taken Danone group, including Badoit or Volvic water. In
for analysis in the vehicle’s lab, with results delivered 2013, the service will be accompanied by the Smart
in a couple of days. Drop; a wifi-enabled fridge magnet allowing members
to order water automatically by pushing a button.


SERVILE is:
Red Tomato Pizza’s Fridge
Magnet Turkcell’s Mobile Order

The VIP Fridge Magnet from Dubai’s Red Tomato Turkcell announced plans to launch an in-home
Pizza allows customers to order their favorite pizza contactless ecommerce solution. Customers that
at the touch of a button. Members of the loyalty own the NFC-enabled Turkcell MaxiPlus5 will be
program were sent free magnets, which use a able to hold their device against a fridge magnet
smartphone’s Bluetooth functionality to connect (that comes with the smartphone) to trigger Mobile
to the Internet. Once customers have pressed the Order, an online shopping application. Burger King,
button on the magnet, the pizza is delivered to their Migros, and energy supplier Avgaz are some of the
registered address. major brands to have partnered to be included on the
Mobile Order app. Existing contract customers can
upgrade to the new device from TRY 5 (USD 2.75) a
month.


SERVILE is:
Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel This Trend Briefing is obviously
& PayTouch only the tip of the iceberg

Industry Trend Reports
Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel teamed up
with Barcelona-based biometric payment
provider PayTouch so that guests (who register upon As a Premium member you receive instant access to
arrival) can make payments with their fingerprints. All 15 Industry Reports in the form of interactive PDFs
the facilities at the destination are equipped with print and PowerPoint - from Food & Beverage to Financial
scanning devices so that visitors needn’t carry their Services.
wallets or cards around.


SERVILE is:
GS25’s Convenience Tesco’s Virtual Grocery
Stores Store

‘My Refrigerator’ service from GS25 (a South UK supermarket Tesco debuted an interactive virtual
Korean convenience store chain) caters to customers grocery store at Gatwick Airport in the UK. Travelers
who are keen on additional gifts with a purchase, like departing for a holiday can order food supplies
‘1+1’ products (two for one or promotion package from digital displays with their smartphones. The
products), but find additional gifts a burden for them purchased items are delivered to their homes in time
to carry. With ‘My Refrigerator’ service, customers for their return.
can save additional gifts in their own virtual
refrigerator instead of taking them right away, and
pick them up any time during the validity period in any
GS25 stores. If they want, the products can be also
given to friends as a present.


NEXT
First of all, not ALL brands need to be 100% servile: certain luxury brands or the Apples
of this world can get away with being DOMINANT BRANDS.

Now, if you’re not Gucci or Apple, how to get started? First, realize that servile brands
always put themselves second. For most brands/business, this means a
radical change in mindset.

Understand that the days of revered brands are over. It’s not about telling your
customers that you are important, and they can have a slice of you if they pay for it.
Instead, it’s about telling customers: “Whatever you need or want, we’re here to help”
(or even better, “We know what you want, here, we’ve already done it for you”).

Pushed to extremes, there are huge opportunities for truly SERVILE BRANDS, that are
able to transcend their current offerings and provide complete lifestyle solutions for their
customers.

For marketers, SERVILE BRANDS means thinking about creating marketing that
isn’t marketing. If consumers aren’t searching for, adopting, installing, or sharing your
efforts (in whatever form: product, service, app, content etc), then you need to get
back to the drawing board. Now ;-)

Run with the examples above, take another look at our BRAND BUTLERS Trend
Briefing, and go all out in creating new concepts, services and products that are
infused with servility.

Meanwhile, we’ll do our best to please, serve and satisfy you by bringing you a new,
free Trend Briefing early November. Make sure you’re subscribed!


NEXT
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