2009 Mike Arauz

desire pathsBranding for Digital Lives

Can I call you back? I’m in a presentation.

2009 Mike Arauz

Digital technology has changed the way we communicate, the way we see the world, and the way we live.

2009 Mike Arauz

Our new digital lives demand a new evolution in branding.

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In order to connect with people who are likely to be interested in your product, brands must now be able to answer this question:

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How will engaging with your brand help me to pursue the things that I am most passionate about?

I like turtles.

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Things used to be so simple.

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What does it do?

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Why is your product better than another?

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How does your brand make me feel?

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Things change.

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In the 1950’s, advertisers could reach almost everyone in the U.S. with a single TV spot.

Gives “I Love Lucy” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?

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Today, an advertiser is lucky to reach a tiny fraction of its desired audience with an advertisement on even the most popular show.

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Hey! Wha’ happened?!

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Where is everyone?

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Where can a brand find an audience who cares? And how can a brand connect with them in a meaningful way?

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In a digital world, people spend their time exploring the things that they are most passionate about.

Think about how you spend your time.

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This is a Desire Path

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Desire paths are the trails created when we leave the paths designed by architects in order to find our own way from one place to another.

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The internet is an infinite forest, filled with desire paths.

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Desire paths are created by groups of people exploring shared interests.

I like turtles.

We like turtles, too.

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As we go through our day we travel along many different desire paths.

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We decide where to go, what to do, and what to share with others based on our own curiosities, interests, and passions.

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Desire paths look like this:

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Twitter

Blogs

Shared Bookmarks

Search

Email

Facebook

Community Sites

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This is where we spend all our time.

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If a brand hopes to earn people’s attention, you have to connect with your audience on a desire path.

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Q: Can a brand create a desire path?

A: No.

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People’s lives don’t revolve around your brand, they revolve around life.

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Desire paths are created by people, not by institutions. They’re formed organically, over time, from the bottom up.

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To earn your place on a desire path, your brand has to start caring about something more important than your product.

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Apple cares about design.

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Zappos cares about great

customer service.

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Dell cares about social media as a tool for small business.

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American Apparel cares about redefining sexy and about fair labor practices.

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Nike cares about running.

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People who travel these desire paths become advocates of these brands.

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Q: Do I still have to do all that traditional stuff, too?

A: Yes.

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Yes, you still have to create a remarkable product, show how you’re different, and spark an emotion.

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Yes, you still have to be passionate about making your product great.

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And…you now have to be passionate about something bigger than your brand.

(Not a good example.)

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When it’s done right, brands can connect with people in these ways (in order of difficulty):

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1. Become something that people notice, as they travel down this path.

Ooh! Piece of candy!

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2. Become something that guides people, and lets them know that they’re on the right path.

Look, kids! Big Ben! Parliament!

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3. Become something that people carry with them as an integral part of the journey.

And that’s all I need...

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Next steps:

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Find your passion.

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Find the desire path.

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Make your brand useful to the travelers.

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Mike Arauz is a Strategist at

Undercurrent, a New York based

digital think tank.

I’d love to tell you more about this. Email me:

speaking@mikearauz.comLet’s connect on twitter: @mikearauz

i left the rest of my thoughts on my blog: www.mikearauz.com

2009 Mike Arauz

Special thanks:

David Armano – darmano.typepad.com

Noah Brier – noahbrier.com

Seth Godin – sethgodin.typepad.com

Gavin Heaton – servantofchaos.com

Sean Howard – craphammer.ca

Henry Jenkins – henryjenkins.org

PSFK – psfk.com

Faris Yakob – farisyakob.typepad.com

I’ve been reading these blogs religiously for years, and their thoughts have surely inspired my own on this subject.

This presentation is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence.

You are free:

to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work

to Remix – to adapt the work

Under the following conditions:

Attribution. You must attribute the work as “by Mike Arauz” (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work).

Image Credits:

Background by pareeerica: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8078381@N03/3043325110/

The Calm After the Show by Thomas Hawk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/155918164/

Desire Path by Skuds: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skuds/271501341/