Why are some brands able to withstand the
test of time? Here are three key takeaways from brands preparing to lead the
market in the coming decades.
Each time someone interacts with your brand, they leave with a deeper understanding of who you are. Likewise, consumers develop personal relationships with the brands they experience, building a deep understanding of what your brand believes in, what you stand for, who you are becoming. To join the brands of the future, your brand needs to deliver the immersive authenticity and connection people are looking for.
Next-generation brands are continually adjusting and operating at the speed of technology. They’re repositioning themselves constantly to meet demands posed by innovation and social consciousness. As designers, engineers, and thought leaders work together to move companies forward, brands are getting radical about supporting fundamental lifestyle and cultural shifts.
Here are three things that successful brands are doing to stay nimble and prepare for the future:
01
Blending Function
and Emotion
Brands of the future have started a movement – one that seeks to inundate their product with meaning and inspire an emotional connection through a unique user experience.
One brand that’s leading the way in this regard is Peloton . The at-home cycling system solves users’ need to work out while distinguishing itself with screen technology that connects riders to virtual workout classes. Users share their workouts with like-minded people worldwide, building community along the way.
Peloton leveraged the power of evolving technology to integrate a design that fosters community, one that differentiates itself from any other competing design.
Yes, people get a great workout, but they also remain socially motivated to continue using the product because of the human connection in Peloton’s user experience design. As a result, people buy into the ethos of Peloton as much as they do the product.
02
Creating Immersive
User Experiences.
Brands that stay ready to lean into the future are tapping into the full immersive spectrum of how users access branded experiences. To withstand the test of time, brands need to make sure they keep evolving and stay technologically inundated.
Ikea’s Ikea Place app features augmented reality that gives users the power to visualize how different products might look in their homes. Users simply point their camera phone, and suddenly they’re able to experience the product right then and there
They can even get suggestions for pieces of furniture that match the existing design scheme by allowing the app to observe their space. The app streamlines the entire customer journey, prompting users to make purchases in a few short steps as they explore the possibilities of different products as presented by AR technology.
By leveraging the power of AR, the journey is personalized from start to finish, with users remaining fully engaged throughout the entire interactive, convenient branded experience
03
Moving From
User Interaction to Full User Control
Brands of the future are evolving beyond ideological statements. Yes, they take a stand and craft user experiences that demonstrate their social virtues. But they’re taking the user experience one step further – they’re inviting users to craft their own experiences by taking control.
Uber has evolved beyond the space of user participation – they’re
changing the way we think about mobility. Users who engage with Uber are co-creating their journeys, driver and rider together. Each interaction leaves an impact on the way consumers will behave going forward, influencing the decisions they’ll make to co-create improved interactions in the future.
The brilliance in Uber’s design is that they relinquished control almost entirely to their users. They managed to create a unique space for user experience design authored by the very people who engage with the product.
In this way, brands positioning themselves for longevity know that they are the experiences users take away from them. For brands like Uber, this means allowing users to take complete control over the experience.
What once seemed like the challenges of the future are now the opportunities of today. As a result, brands that stay adaptable and lean into the possibilities posed by new technologies and changing consumer expectations are resonating successfully over the rest of the noise in the marketplace.
From leveraging video technology to build community and creating visions through augmented reality to relinquishing user experience control to the users themselves, these are just a few examples of how innovative brands are positioning themselves alongside a rapidly changing marketplace.
The lessons offered by these brands are critical and remind us that if we hope to thrive tomorrow, we have to be adaptable today.
