Source[De]Coded: 😳 Getting Outside the Comfort Zone

How on earth is it almost Q2? It feels like we were all reading a zillion 2024 prediction pieces and now we’re a quarter of the way through the year. Jeez. Anyway, you’re going to love this week’s newsletter…a brilliant campaign from Whirlpool, a new performance metric we all have to start thinking about, and a nice reminder of the real impact thoughtful storytelling can have on brand value. I’d love to hear your thoughts.Shameless plug – we just won a PRWeek Award for Best in Data Storytelling and The Observer named us a Top Agency in Tech & AI. Needless to say, it’s been a good week!Keep in touch.Greg & Becky

Go outside your lane: Appliance maker Whirlpool is having fun on social media with dating profiles

TL;DR: When we say “household appliances,” the first thing you think of probably isn’t online dating… yet, appliance maker Whirlpool has combined the two in its new consumer campaign. The campaign, which experimented with seven Chicago-area bachelors, depicts the importance of equity in household chores when finding a partner by swapping out the bachelors’ profile photos for shots of them doing laundry or washing dishes.Takeaway: Knitting these two concepts together may seem out of the norm. However, the brand first conducted research that showed equity around house chores was important for 94% of singles seeking a relationship. And the results of the campaign don’t lie either – the bachelors saw, on average, 79% more DMs and 46% more matches compared to three weeks prior to the experiment. We’re not saying that you should pivot your brand to online dating, but the essence of the campaign is pretty interesting: can you weave your brand into cultural conversations outside your typical niche? Not only does this strategy help you reach new buyers, but it also allows your team to flex your creativity and stand out from the crowd.Consider:

• What’s your “lane” or market niche? What’s a lane you wish you could be in? What else are your target customers interested in? 
• Think outside the box. What fun, unique conversation could your brand be a part of?

Predicting new metrics: Why you should care about “Share of Model”

TL;DR: Move over “share of voice” and “share of market,” there’s a new hot metric in town. Share of Model describes how each large language model (LLM) perceives your brand, measures it against competition, and suggests your products to customers. With the emergence of LLMs and generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama 2, and Microsoft’s Copilot, it’s becoming increasingly important to recognize how your brand shows up in these conversations and how you can use it to shape your strategy.Takeaway: Share of Model still has a ways to go before we can accurately analyze it against SoV or SoM. But even with how imperfect the LLMs are, consumers are increasingly turning to these resources to learn more about brands and make buying decisions. At the very least, check how your brand is being perceived by these models by asking simple prompts of the four core LLMs. Ask the bots what they think of your content, your strategy, and your approach. See how they’re ranking and viewing other brands in your space. Consider the LLMs like an audience focus group that’s always available and never tires of your questions. And remember, just like consumer behavior, these models are changing all the time. So, you might need to integrate this into your process to really stay up to date and reap the benefits.Consider:

• How are the major LLMs (Gemini, GPT4, Llama 2, and Copilot) perceiving your brand? How are they perceiving your competitor brands?
• How can you include LLMs in your content creation and brand strategy process?

Brand advocacy over advertising: Take a note from Tesla and GoPro

TL;DR: Can you remember the last time you saw a Tesla ad? With very little advertising, the company has managed to take a significant share of the market based mostly on consumer excitement. Similarly, GoPro launched itself into a majorly competitive camera and video market by positioning itself around capturing immersive experiences, not just selling professional gear. Both brands have managed to use this emotion-driven strategy to turn customers into brand advocates: people who will promote the brand simply because they love it.Takeaway: We can’t all have a flashy product like Tesla or GoPro, but we can manufacture a similar brand sentiment through strategic storytelling. What problem is your product or service trying to solve? Tesla just sells cars, but they’ve modernized what cars can do and made it easier on the operator. GoPro just sells cameras, but they’ve made cameras for extreme activities and life’s best adventures. You can tell the same brand story every other brand in your niche is telling, or you can lean into what makes you different and exciting. That emotion can capture audiences, then it’s just a matter of fostering and keeping that audience engaged. An engaged and excited audience? Well, that’s where the magic of brand advocacy naturally occurs.Consider:

• How can you tell your brand’s story in a way that excites your audience?
• What could you do to foster and maintain a community of brand advocates?