Brands work to associate themselves with major moments in consumers' lives
Implications - Rites like weddings and births are the most important moments in people's lives, and they're virtually guaranteed to be looked back upon sentimentally. In a push for emotional metonymy, companies are providing branded products and services directly associated with those major moments, like wedding registries and baby showers. This strategy amounts to proactively nurturing nostalgia for one's brand and building long-term consumer loyalty, as consumers will remember their foundational moments in connection with a brand.
Workshop Question - How could you connect your brand to a personal milestone in your target consumer's life?
Trend Themes
1. Branded Momento Marketing - Companies are providing branded products and services directly associated with major life events, aiming to nurture nostalgia and build long-term consumer loyalty
2. Non-traditional Gift Registries - Brands are expanding into the gifting world and beyond traditional occasions, offering gift registry services for any special occasion, and working to broaden the brand's scope and influence
3. Unconventional Weddings - Wedding ceremonies are getting an upgrade as brands offer wedding packages, catering and venues. Brands are increasingly getting creative by offering unconventionally themed wedding packages like fast food chains to cater to the interests of potential consumers
Industry Implications
1. Marketing - Opportunities for marketers to create a more personalized experience by associating brands with special moments in consumer's lives
2. Retail - Retailers can now enter the gifting world by offering non-traditional gift registry services which can help to broaden their product line
3. Hospitality - Hotels, restaurants and fast food chains are providing a wedding experience that is unique to their brand to attract and retain customers.
