As I jammed out all weekend long to the tunes of some of my favorite bands, the world outside the gates of Austin City Limits slipped away. I forgot about writing papers and reading articles. I forgot about air conditioning and breathing clean air. I even forgot that not all tacos cost five dollars.
The first band I saw on the big stage was “Vampire Weekend.” I had never heard any of their music but it only took one song before I warmed up and began to dance along with the crowd. They are a youthful band that has a beautiful happy-go-lucky sound to it. However, it struck me as particularly odd to look to stage left and see a woman signing along with band. I turned to my father and shouted above all the noise “Why would a person who is deaf want to come to a music festival?” He replied to me, his foolish and naïve daughter, while still bouncing to the beat, “What’s not to love?”
That is when I realized that I go to ACL for far more than the music. I go to ACL to see 65,000 people come together and enjoy something awesome. I love seeing a six year old girl get in line behind the seventy year old man that is standing behind me as we all wait in line to get our airbrush tattoos. I love seeing what people wear or what people dare not to wear. And the sights cover all of Zilker Park. A park that I was playing volleyball in last month and will be viewing Christmas lights in next season, has, for the moment, been completely transformed.
I love the feel of heat, both from the sun and the other bodies that you are crammed up against. I love the feel of the amplifiers. It is like they are shaking my soul one drum beat at a time. I love when I have no idea how I am still standing because my legs feel like it would be better if they were just cut off.
I love the smell that is left on you when you leave and that you can only really smell when you get home. If live music had a perfume, it would smell like that: a mixture of beer and sweat and pot.
It is the music that brings us to Austin City Limits for the first time, but I think it is the experience that keeps us coming back. There are almost no lines and check-in is flawless. Safety is above all else, as security guards will immediately assist anyone who is publically intoxicated out of the park. Furthermore, there is a tag-your-kid booth to keep children and parents together. Free t-shirts are distributed to anyone that can collect a trash bag full of recyclable beer cans and water bottles; therefore, guests are actually doing the festival clean-up while they help the environment. The shuttle system has been perfected. It seems like the people at C3 have thought of everything, so I’d be interested to see what people at the festival wrote in the “Austin City Listens” suggestion boxes.
I’m also interested to further explore the customer experience at ACL. Only in its sixth year of existence, ACL has already drawn in thousands of customers that pay hundreds of dollars for one ticket. They pay to see, sit, smell, feel, and sometimes even listen to one unforgettable weekend.
I plan to use articles and reviews from past festivals, a novel written about the festival, and talk to customers themselves about their concert experiences. I’m interested to see how this festival compares with others, and I’d like to hear some of the negative feedback for the festival. I’d also like to research more about the behind the scenes operations and what it takes to put on an event that is this huge.
One article I have found was written after the 2004 ACL festival. It is from the Austin American Statesman: http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/xl/acl2004/aclhistory.html
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Blog 3. Is it just the caffeine that is addicting?
An eight o’clock class would not be an eight o’clock class if half the room weren’t still wearing the pajamas, glasses, and holding a hot cup of Starbuck’s coffee. Starbucks definitely earns its share at UT and probably most other college campuses across the country. It also appeals to business men and women, stay at home moms and dads, teenagers, retirees, pretty much anyone who can manage to spend four dollars on a cup of coffee. It seems that Starbucks is targeting the segment of the population that has enough disposable income to spend around a hundred dollars a month on this addicting habit. But I don’t think it is just the caffeine that has made this coffee addicting. Starbucks has the ability to create a beautiful customer experience that has created a loyal and wealthy client base. They appeal to their customers need to wake up in the morning, “fit in” with other employees at work, or just enjoy a relaxing night at home with a book.
Let’s begin by investigating how Starbucks uses the SENSE strategic experiential model to keep their customers addicted. When you walk into a Starbucks, regardless of whether you are in Southern California or Long Island New York, there are the same comfy chairs and the same light fixtures in every store. The store design makes you feel like you are at home even if you are on vacation thousands of miles from where you live. The music they play in the stores has become well respected. Starbucks has even started selling the playlists they play in stores and loyal customers purchase these CDs because they have a respect for the store and therefore respect for its music tastes. Before Starbucks started using aroma-tight packaging for their products, the smell in the store was the same throughout the country. You could walk into a Starbucks blindfolded and still, the sensations of incredible coffee smell and the noise of coffee grinders would be a dead give away to where you were. And, lastly, the taste: the characteristic that is supposed to make coffee drinkers decide what coffee they want to drink. But this brings us back to the beginning. Are the customers paying the most for the best tasting coffee or the best customer experience? I believe that Starbucks is doing a perfect job and selling the coffee experience.
Starbucks also does a fine job using the FEEL strategic experiential model. The baristas at Starbucks work routine shifts which allows them to build relationships with routine customers. My parents used to walk to our local Starbucks every morning around 6A.M. They become so familiar with the employees that the employees would notice if my parents missed a day. They also became friends with other Starbucks’ morning regulars. Walking to get coffee in the morning had turned into a part of their lives, and without it, my parents would be losing friends. Furthermore, the barista at “my parents Starbucks” knew their orders. Rather than my parents asking him for coffee, he would “wow” them by remembering what they wanted. This made my parents feel special in front of all of the not-so-regular Starbucks customers. The relationships built at their Starbucks made my parents FEEL like they had a relationship with the coffee as well. When they think of morning coffee, they think of friends and fun and of course, Starbucks
Lastly, Starbucks shows that it has no trouble RELATING to the population. Every cup they sell is a walking advertisement for their brand. The more cups you see, the more you think…everyone really does drink Starbucks. If you see someone studying for a test and holding a cup, you think…maybe that could help me study too. If you see someone on their way to work and holding a cup, you think…maybe that would help me wake up too! No matter where you look, there is someone to RELATE to. And Starbucks has a huge advantage. For once, a customer pays to advertise for the brand rather than the brand paying to advertise to their customer.
Starbucks has grown from 1,000 stores to 13,000 stores in ten years. This has changed the customer experience in certain ways as the company looked to cut corners. Still, I believe Starbucks has done a great job in creating the perfect and most expensive experience for its customers.
Let’s begin by investigating how Starbucks uses the SENSE strategic experiential model to keep their customers addicted. When you walk into a Starbucks, regardless of whether you are in Southern California or Long Island New York, there are the same comfy chairs and the same light fixtures in every store. The store design makes you feel like you are at home even if you are on vacation thousands of miles from where you live. The music they play in the stores has become well respected. Starbucks has even started selling the playlists they play in stores and loyal customers purchase these CDs because they have a respect for the store and therefore respect for its music tastes. Before Starbucks started using aroma-tight packaging for their products, the smell in the store was the same throughout the country. You could walk into a Starbucks blindfolded and still, the sensations of incredible coffee smell and the noise of coffee grinders would be a dead give away to where you were. And, lastly, the taste: the characteristic that is supposed to make coffee drinkers decide what coffee they want to drink. But this brings us back to the beginning. Are the customers paying the most for the best tasting coffee or the best customer experience? I believe that Starbucks is doing a perfect job and selling the coffee experience.
Starbucks also does a fine job using the FEEL strategic experiential model. The baristas at Starbucks work routine shifts which allows them to build relationships with routine customers. My parents used to walk to our local Starbucks every morning around 6A.M. They become so familiar with the employees that the employees would notice if my parents missed a day. They also became friends with other Starbucks’ morning regulars. Walking to get coffee in the morning had turned into a part of their lives, and without it, my parents would be losing friends. Furthermore, the barista at “my parents Starbucks” knew their orders. Rather than my parents asking him for coffee, he would “wow” them by remembering what they wanted. This made my parents feel special in front of all of the not-so-regular Starbucks customers. The relationships built at their Starbucks made my parents FEEL like they had a relationship with the coffee as well. When they think of morning coffee, they think of friends and fun and of course, Starbucks
Lastly, Starbucks shows that it has no trouble RELATING to the population. Every cup they sell is a walking advertisement for their brand. The more cups you see, the more you think…everyone really does drink Starbucks. If you see someone studying for a test and holding a cup, you think…maybe that could help me study too. If you see someone on their way to work and holding a cup, you think…maybe that would help me wake up too! No matter where you look, there is someone to RELATE to. And Starbucks has a huge advantage. For once, a customer pays to advertise for the brand rather than the brand paying to advertise to their customer.
Starbucks has grown from 1,000 stores to 13,000 stores in ten years. This has changed the customer experience in certain ways as the company looked to cut corners. Still, I believe Starbucks has done a great job in creating the perfect and most expensive experience for its customers.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Blog #2. Would you like some Google fries with that?
Barry’s podcast on “Google Suggest” shed light on the recent importance of search engine marketing. Specifically, it is important for companies to team up with Google as Google begins to dynamically decode the words that consumers type in to search engines and produce Google biased search results. By doing this, Google can easily control the websites consumers go to and, therefore, control the products and advertisements consumers see.
It seems there are huge opportunities for Google here. In a simple example, a consumer types in the words “chocolate chip cookie recipe” into the Google search engine. The team at Google can process the words “chocolate” and “chip” and bring back top results for Nestle. Nestle would have to pay Google a lot of money, but, I’d say it’s worth it to have your product bombarding consumers every time they think of chocolate chip cookies. In the same example, Google could process the words “chocolate” and “cookie” to bring back results for Oreos. Even if the consumer wasn’t thinking Oreo when they started the search, Google has completely changed their mind now, and they run to the store for some cookie sandwiches and a glass of milk. And, Oreo owes Google some cash for helping make the sale!
“Google Suggest” is almost the same process but much faster. I start typing in “chocolate chip cookie recipe” and as soon as I start typing “cho…” I see “chocolate cake.” Now, I start to think: was it really chocolate chip cookies I wanted? Or do I want to make that delicious Betty Crocker chocolate cake? Once again, Google has persuaded me to change my mind and Betty Crocker owes Google big time!
My scenario is obviously ridiculous and extreme; however, companies could not ignore the subconscious thoughts of their customers. As much as I want to claim to not be influenced and swayed by internet marketing, I’m sure I never would have subscribed to netflicks had I not been surfing facebook aimlessly the other day.
Furthermore, Google is a trusted and respected search engine among most people I know. Titling their new service “Google Suggest” personifies Google as an e-friend. It is as if Google has gone out in to the world and experienced all of these real-life things, and now it wants to come back and “suggest” its favorite things for you to experience as well.
I can picture my friends and me sitting around on Saturday night debating where to go for dinner. One after another, names of our frequently visited restaurants are thrown around until someone asks: Well, what does Google suggest? Someone grabs a computer and starts the search and it only takes typing “res” before Google spits out: “restaurants in Austin, Texas, Carmelo’s.” None of us have ever been to Carmelo’s before, but if Google suggested it, it must be good!
Once again, it is an extreme. But I do not think we can underestimate the power Google has persuade us. And, I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing. “Google Suggest” will provide yet another outlet for marketing and another way for businesses to get their name out there. It will continue to advance competition and hopefully stimulate consumer buying over the internet.
Google has something big here. They have created their own Google network, and there are so many loyal “googlers” that they can heavily influence by making Google suggestions.
It seems there are huge opportunities for Google here. In a simple example, a consumer types in the words “chocolate chip cookie recipe” into the Google search engine. The team at Google can process the words “chocolate” and “chip” and bring back top results for Nestle. Nestle would have to pay Google a lot of money, but, I’d say it’s worth it to have your product bombarding consumers every time they think of chocolate chip cookies. In the same example, Google could process the words “chocolate” and “cookie” to bring back results for Oreos. Even if the consumer wasn’t thinking Oreo when they started the search, Google has completely changed their mind now, and they run to the store for some cookie sandwiches and a glass of milk. And, Oreo owes Google some cash for helping make the sale!
“Google Suggest” is almost the same process but much faster. I start typing in “chocolate chip cookie recipe” and as soon as I start typing “cho…” I see “chocolate cake.” Now, I start to think: was it really chocolate chip cookies I wanted? Or do I want to make that delicious Betty Crocker chocolate cake? Once again, Google has persuaded me to change my mind and Betty Crocker owes Google big time!
My scenario is obviously ridiculous and extreme; however, companies could not ignore the subconscious thoughts of their customers. As much as I want to claim to not be influenced and swayed by internet marketing, I’m sure I never would have subscribed to netflicks had I not been surfing facebook aimlessly the other day.
Furthermore, Google is a trusted and respected search engine among most people I know. Titling their new service “Google Suggest” personifies Google as an e-friend. It is as if Google has gone out in to the world and experienced all of these real-life things, and now it wants to come back and “suggest” its favorite things for you to experience as well.
I can picture my friends and me sitting around on Saturday night debating where to go for dinner. One after another, names of our frequently visited restaurants are thrown around until someone asks: Well, what does Google suggest? Someone grabs a computer and starts the search and it only takes typing “res” before Google spits out: “restaurants in Austin, Texas, Carmelo’s.” None of us have ever been to Carmelo’s before, but if Google suggested it, it must be good!
Once again, it is an extreme. But I do not think we can underestimate the power Google has persuade us. And, I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing. “Google Suggest” will provide yet another outlet for marketing and another way for businesses to get their name out there. It will continue to advance competition and hopefully stimulate consumer buying over the internet.
Google has something big here. They have created their own Google network, and there are so many loyal “googlers” that they can heavily influence by making Google suggestions.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
This is MySpace
After reading the Generation Y article and listening to the MySpace Generation podcast, I immediately felt resentment. Just because I was born in 1987, does not mean that I am Mountain Dew drinking, Mudd jeans wearing college student that spends 2 hours a month on MySpace. Then, I sat down to type my blog and procrastinated for about ten minutes as I checked my facebook profile. Crap! These marketers know me better than I know myself.
Still, I could tell that the article was clearly outdated. The brands that the article claims are no longer "in style" are brands I see on nearly every corner of the UT campus. It seems like every girl I see is sporting Nike running shorts and every Indy band member is wearing Converse sneakers. This may show how both Nike and Converse have won their places in eyes of Generation Y despite possible trouble at the time the article was written. The article quoted David Spangler, director of market research for the Levi's brand, who said "We all got older, and as a consequence, we lost touch with teenagers." I think this statement is outdated because now companies can easily keep in touch with the teenage market by hiring young professionals, joining teen social networks, and using modern communication to reach young consumers.
I thought it was interesting that the article and the podcast expressed the importance of teens telling other teens what is cool. I think this is completely true in middle school and high school, when students desire to "fit in" more than anything. If the "coolest" kid in your school tells a fellow student that he thinks something is "cool" he has just made it "cool." Teenagers in middle school and high school follow trends and each other. Teens will believe they will like something if someone their age already likes it. This is more effective marketing than a commercial that tells teens they will like something.
I think that the reason my first reaction to the article and podcast was defensive was because I don’t think the assessments made accurately describe my friends and me. I like to think I am more of an individual that is fighting groupthink and will do anything to avoid what the group is doing. I will not wear designer jeans because and only because “everyone” is wearing them. I am on facebook, but I don’t like that I am because “everyone” is on facebook. I’m beginning to think that this individualism may be a college thing, through, rather than a generation Y thing.
Ten insights about me:
1.) I am concerned about the environment. But I always forget to bring my recyclable grocery bags into H.E.B. with me.
2.) I love Whole Foods Market for the experience and not for the food.
3.) I like to be outside.
4.) I want a cell phone that can make phone calls and send text messages only. Nothing else.
5.) I strive to be an individual.
6.) I don’t like to work hard to get information because the Internet makes everything at my fingertips.
7.) I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes.
8.) I like to be around people all the time.
9.) I text message all the time.
10.) I don’t watch TV and I only go to a movie theatre once every three months or so.
Still, I could tell that the article was clearly outdated. The brands that the article claims are no longer "in style" are brands I see on nearly every corner of the UT campus. It seems like every girl I see is sporting Nike running shorts and every Indy band member is wearing Converse sneakers. This may show how both Nike and Converse have won their places in eyes of Generation Y despite possible trouble at the time the article was written. The article quoted David Spangler, director of market research for the Levi's brand, who said "We all got older, and as a consequence, we lost touch with teenagers." I think this statement is outdated because now companies can easily keep in touch with the teenage market by hiring young professionals, joining teen social networks, and using modern communication to reach young consumers.
I thought it was interesting that the article and the podcast expressed the importance of teens telling other teens what is cool. I think this is completely true in middle school and high school, when students desire to "fit in" more than anything. If the "coolest" kid in your school tells a fellow student that he thinks something is "cool" he has just made it "cool." Teenagers in middle school and high school follow trends and each other. Teens will believe they will like something if someone their age already likes it. This is more effective marketing than a commercial that tells teens they will like something.
I think that the reason my first reaction to the article and podcast was defensive was because I don’t think the assessments made accurately describe my friends and me. I like to think I am more of an individual that is fighting groupthink and will do anything to avoid what the group is doing. I will not wear designer jeans because and only because “everyone” is wearing them. I am on facebook, but I don’t like that I am because “everyone” is on facebook. I’m beginning to think that this individualism may be a college thing, through, rather than a generation Y thing.
Ten insights about me:
1.) I am concerned about the environment. But I always forget to bring my recyclable grocery bags into H.E.B. with me.
2.) I love Whole Foods Market for the experience and not for the food.
3.) I like to be outside.
4.) I want a cell phone that can make phone calls and send text messages only. Nothing else.
5.) I strive to be an individual.
6.) I don’t like to work hard to get information because the Internet makes everything at my fingertips.
7.) I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes.
8.) I like to be around people all the time.
9.) I text message all the time.
10.) I don’t watch TV and I only go to a movie theatre once every three months or so.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
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