Constructing Manufacturers On The Idea Of Neighborhood
Neighborhood is more than a geographical descriptor. Neighborhood is a mindset … a mixture of attitudes and behaviors. Whether it is Mr. Rogers' neighborhood or the Cheers Bar neighborhood is a powerful force. The Financial Times once described a toy store in New York City, Upper Westside, that survived the demise of KB Toys, FAO Schwartz, and Toys R & # 39; US. The shop lasted because her neighbors owned the shop and her neighbors worked in the shop.
Neighborhoods are casual, informal environments. We don't have to plan, plan, or prepare. Chance reigns in the neighborhood. Neighborhoods act as a control valve: we can have as much engagement and engagement with the neighborhood as we'd like. Neighborhoods are never about “big, happy families”, but neighborhoods make it easier to discover and interact with people who are meant to offer each other something special.
In the neighborhood we can meet friends, get gossip and important news, and get social support. A neighborhood fulfills many of our social needs without the need for rational planning. In the neighborhood, it's BYOF: bring your own friends.
This is the reason why locks and orders at home make us so restless. The most important thing about living in a neighborhood is human contact and recognition. Virtual connecting has been fun for a while, but we miss the presence and conviviality of being together. We feel separate, isolated, and cut off. We like to be ourselves, but we also want to participate in something bigger. The neighborhood gives us the bigger, more outward purpose of building a viable, livable community.
Brand examples
Next door is a social networking site for neighbors. In an interview with Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor, spoke about our common need for neighborhood. Your street and zip code identify your neighborhood. Comments and topics on the site are only available to people who live in the same neighborhood. According to the New York Times, Nextdoor represents 265,000 neighborhoods in 11 countries. Nextdoor is working to ensure that it continues to be a positive community empowerment force rather than a neighborhood surveillance facility.
Neighborhood is Nextdoor's driver. However, the concept and construct of the neighborhood is a compelling and motivating force for many brands, especially now that we are stuck in our neighborhood demanding the camaraderie of our neighbors. The connections between those who live closely together are becoming increasingly important. Brands that can deliver in the neighborhood have a relevant differentiator.
Hotel Indigo is a brand that promises a neighborhood experience. It promises to impart knowledge about what it's like to live in the neighborhood and experience something different than a hotel chain outside the neighborhood. Decor and menus reflect the neighborhood.
Dunkin 'BrandsAs the parent company of Dunkin & # 39; s describes itself: “At Dunkin & # 39; Brands, we feel fortunate that our restaurants are part of the fabric of so many communities and neighborhoods around the world and our franchisees appreciate the role that they can play in strengthening their communities. ”
Applebee’s once had a lock on the emotional idea of the neighborhood but gave it up for a "product as a hero" approach. The brand currently offers individual menu items with a price. The sense of neighborhood camaraderie that the brand has built only appears as a final slogan.
District farm continues to reinforce the message that they are just like your good neighbor. State Farm also sponsors a program – Neighborhood of Good – by encouraging people to be neighborly by giving back to the community they live in.
Oscar Mayer Wieners A commercial went on during National BBQ Month (last May) asking customers to take advantage of the conviviality of the neighborhood cookouts by placing their grills on the front lawns “12 hot dogs apart “Stayed. The PR about the event stated:
“Connect with the neighbors and enjoy a day of grilling while following social distancing guidelines on this nationwide cookout. Oscar Mayer encourages people to go outside – and keep 12 hot dogs apart – to cook for a cause. The company will donate one million meals to Feeding America. Every time someone shares their cookout on social media using the hashtag #FrontYardCookout, Oscar Mayer will donate an extra meal to the nonprofit for up to a million additional meals. "
Neighborhood is a state of mind
In this turbulent, unsettling, unsafe, fragmented world, the idea of neighborhood is more relevant than ever. Neighborhood is more than a place. It's a state of mind. Let us know that we are part of a group, a community, a neighborhood of individuals that positively nourishes and nurtures our needs.
As Sarah Friar said, “… People can forget how similar we are all. What I love about a neighborhood is that it brings people together with a collective purpose. We all want our neighborhoods to be safe and places for children to grow up so that we all have a strong incentive to be friendly and make it work. “It reminds us that when we are thrown together, we discover a lot of what we like, much of what we can bond with, much that adds to our lives and what we can change our minds about.
Virtual friends and communities have advantages, but there is nothing like the feeling of walking down a street and waving to people we know and where they know us and where we are all happy to see each other.
Contribution to Branding Strategy Insider by: Larry Light, CEO of Arcature
At The Blake Project, we support clients from all over the world at all stages of development in building strong brands and profitable companies. Please email us for more.
Brand Strategy Insider is a service from The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in brand research, brand strategy, brand growth and branding
Free publications and resources for marketers
