The influence virus
I fell, I've been a victim, and surely you have too. A virus that's nothing new is in the air: the virus of influence, and in these times it's rampant in a digital format, navigating through various networks and achieving a higher reach.
By: Eduardo Gutiérrez Villarreal
It's becoming increasingly common to find recommendations or reviews of establishments on social media like TikTok or Instagram: restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, museums, hotels, well, a little bit of everything.
My most recent encounter was with some new focaccias in the city. After watching a couple of ASMR TikToks about preparing these focaccias, I decided to go, wait in line for 45 minutes, and pay 220 Mexican pesos (around $10). All for the sake of satisfying a craving generated by the digital influence virus.
I know what you're thinking. «You fell into the trap,» «I'm sure they weren't that good,» «it's pure marketing.». Well, yes and no. Let's break it down.
Differentiate beyond the product
Whenever I'm asked why invest in brand and experience, I think of these kinds of cases. Literally (and I'm not exaggerating), right next to this brand-new focaccia stand, there's an Italian restaurant that offers a very similar product on its menu.
I also tried the focaccias from this other place, and I have to admit that I liked both equally. The product and the price are very similar.
What changes then? Why is one half-empty and the other has 45-minute lines? The answer lies in the brand (who they are), the experience (how they make you feel), and the communication (what narrative they have built).
Unlike its new neighbor, this restaurant looks old. The interior is dark, the menu is in a large, awkward binder that's difficult to handle and read, the music changes genres indiscriminately from song to song, and the establishment's social media leaves much to be desired.
And let's see, I'm not one of those who think the brand is everything and claim with total certainty that «Starbucks doesn't sell coffee, it sells an experience.
It's clear that the most important thing is that the product is good, tastes good, feels high quality, and its price is acceptable. What I mean is that when the fundamentals are covered (i.e., a good product), brand, experience, and communication are factors that can help differentiate from the competition.
The Power of Going Viral
The foregoing perhaps explains how a focaccia business managed to differentiate itself from another and why, although its product and price may be similar, a certain preference for one over the other can generally be observed.
But to understand the phenomenon this new restaurant has become, we have to talk about the concept of virality.
Virality isn't something you learn in school; there's no proven, foolproof technique to achieve it. It's more of a combination of factors including creativity, timing, the ability to connect with the right audience, and, I won't deny it, a bit of luck.
A curious and revealing case was The Shed, a fictional restaurant in London that, despite not actually existing, went viral on social media and became TripAdvisor's number 1. The key? A combination of engaging content, (fake) reviews that created a sense of community, and a well-thought-out strategy to generate a perception of scarcity and exclusivity.
A brand experience without substance can become a good anecdote, but it will hardly be a thriving business in the long run. Virality can be a springboard, but what sustains a brand is the consistency between its value proposition, the experience it offers, and the way it communicates all of this to its audience.
At the end of the day, the combination of a solid product with a well-aligned brand, a memorable experience, and effective communication doesn't guarantee virality, but it can help achieve much more successful and lasting results.
If you're thinking about how to align your brand, experience, and communication to differentiate yourself in a saturated market, send us a message, we can help you achieve that.
PS. Maybe it's a bit late to say this, but if you were looking for an article about the virus flu, We recommend searching a specialized website. We apologize for the confusion.
