Not so long ago it would have been hard to imagine travel without a hotel, or public transportation without a taxi. But as we have seen, there are new brands disrupting the status quo of multiple, billion dollar industries. You may be wondering how these attention-grabbing brands have made such a profound impact on our consumer lifestyle in such a short time. We’re going to explore a few of these disrupter brands and identify what they are doing to cause such an impact on the travel, food and beverage and automobile industries, among many others.

Build an authentic brand

In previous blogs we’ve touched on the notion of consumers seeking a more authentic experience with brands, especially younger generations born into a digital world with thousands of ads flying at them each day. Many consumers have become savvy to various marketing strategies and instead prefer transparency, such as gleaning a behind-the-scenes look at your company, understanding the charities and community work with which you are involved, and showcasing your company’s values – all great ways to help build a more authentic brand and experience with your audience. Airbnb has made their mission loud and clear in the past few years. The CEO and Co-founder, Brian Chesky proclaimed that at the heart of the company was a sense of a global community and that there was no place for discrimination on their platform. Now, this could have deterred some from using Airbnb, however, their authenticity has been pivotal in their brand experience and global success.

Know your audience well

Thanks in large part to social media it’s easier than ever for a brand to get to know their audience. In order to create a disruptive brand, you’ll need to become an expert on your ideal customers. Things like understanding generational norms, which social media platforms your audience frequents, and what types of content they are sharing on social media will be very helpful in shaping your marketing strategy and finding the best channels and methods in which to reach your audience. Are they more likely to check emails? Direct messages? These are the kinds of analytics that will help you set your brand apart. Not to mention, it’s going to be much more cost effective to market directly to your audience in the way that they prefer.

Let your customers into your inner-circle

A customer-centric approach to marketing means pulling back any barriers and allowing your customers to openly share about their experiences with your brand. When a customer becomes a part of the brand, you’re essentially getting an advocate. Some ways to let your customers into your “inner-circle” could include asking them to post a review, share photos or even videos with your product. Keep in mind your brand has to really wow someone in order to get them to be your advocate organically. But then again, that’s exactly how these emerging brands are causing such a scene. Think about Tesla, for example. They have created open-source patents, which means anyone can work with them. The Tesla brand has gained loyal customers through their transparency and has sent ripples through the auto industry.

Ask for feedback and then listen

Your customers hold priceless information including the potential next steps that your business could take. Let’s take for example Ugly Drinks, a brand that is disrupting the soft drinks industry by offering a healthier sparkling water to replace soda. They sent out a survey to their social media followers and customers and in turn created three new flavors. Think about it, all they did was send out a survey via email and in turn they got tons of free market research and social media hype, capitalizing on invaluable input that came directly from their own followers and fans. They make their decisions based on feedback from social media and surveys, which makes perfect sense for their younger audience.

One of the biggest takeaways is how the strategies and brands mentioned above are taking matters into their own hands and running with innovative, fresh ideas that inspire consumers to take notice. They are finding ways to shake up the dust and create new trends, inspire new ideas and hopefully help make our world a better place in the end.

Ready to bring your brand vision to life? As always, our graphic design and marketing team are here to help! Give us a call today at 508-652-0012.