This Old House, Branded
September 2, 2010 by Peter van Aartrijk · 1 Comment
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203 North Moetz, Milltown N.J.
Here’s a picture of my house where I grew up in small-town America: Milltown, N.J., near New Brunswick and my alma mater, Rutgers University (photo credit to my home boy Charles Wasilewski).
I remember as a kid helping my dad build the garage addition to the house—off to the right there. The old garage became his office. I remember building snow forts in the front yard to ward off the neighborhood bully. We’d wait for the ice cream truck. We played hide-and-seek and army with stick guns in the yard.
This was the 1960s, man—no Internet, cell phones, computers. Although we did have The Munsters and The Addams Family on beautiful black-and-white TV. Milltown is where I got my start in reporting, working for The Sentinel, a weekly newspaper. That was cool—although the long hours (on, ahem, a typewriter) are what drove me to a somewhat-more-sane business called public relations.
Good old Milltown—one square mile of happiness, we used to say. Complete with a huge Fourth of July celebration, small-town gossip, ice hockey on ponds, and a cute girl in grammar school who would not give me the time of day.
What is it about the hometown that reminds me about great brands? Well, a few things, actually. The hometown was easy: On my street you went outside to play. All your friends were already there—or they were easily accessible. You just knocked on the front door. Or you could toss a rock against the house near the bedroom window. (I never actually did that.) It was comfortable: It wasn’t fancy, but we didn’t know or care.
Great brands should be comfortable, just like old friends. It was fun: Great brands should be destinations or things you like—things that bring a smile to your face, and warmth to your heart. It was safe: Great brands are places you trust for a consistent experience. I feel fortunate to have grown up in such a safe house in a safe town.
What are you doing with your brand to tap into these sorts of emotions? Is your brand easy, comfortable, fun and safe?
Why do we sometimes complicate things? Why do we over-think what otherwise could be simple?
Why do we sometimes make it so hard for folks to get to us?
What can you do to with your customer or member experience to take down some barriers and obstructions?
Think about it. Here’s to your Milltown.
About Peter van Aartrijk
Fantastic article! It’s sometimes hard to remember, with all the technological distractions, how easy & fun & comfortable things used to be…and that they still are. Holding onto those memories and good feelings and delivery them into your brand will make all the difference. Thanks for reminding all of us!