Nespresso: A taxi driver closing story

If you read my blog from the beginning you would remember that it all started with the taxi driver on my way to Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.

Funy enough, I have a closing story from a taxi driver on my way to Heathrow after the great week at GMX training. Here it is:

I have offered the guy to grab a cup of coffee in Horsley before we departure and so we started the conversation on having it always perfect.

The driver appeared to be a true lover of a great espresso and makes his own coffee every day. He also bought a 200 GBP Nespresso machine and used it for a while till he ran out of capsules.

Funny enough, he said there are two reasons why he doesn't like Nespresso for his choice of coffee:
1) The price of the cup of coffee is 3-5 times higher then his Lavazza grounded one
2) He can not control the way his coffee is made.

The latter is worth a discussion. Appartently, the guy loves to play with his coffee machine and make each cup of espresso fine tuned for the mood and the moment. In the morning he stuffs a lot of coffee firmly and creates a cup of strong and rich espresso. In the evening he makes it loose and has a more smooth and relaxing drink.

He couldn't get the same effect with always_perfect_but_the_same Nespresso.

I wish I knew this before the course... :-)))

WOW brands shouldn't change!

Given the attitude I have expressed at the WTF is WOW brand - you probably won't believe this story...

Yesterday we went to a food store to buy some stuff for dinner. I usually don't buy that many junk food and I don't remember when was the last time I bought any soda drink.

I passed by huge fridges with Pepsi and Coke and was almost at my way to the counter when I saw this:

exclusively for this retail chain, my childhoods' dream, soviet style labeled Pepsi - Cola!

Here I was standing as a 5 year old kid, looking at the full fridge of WOOOOOOOOOOOW!!! So I got 2.

And look at this new design of Pepsi. It's probably fits their brand template and blah-blah-blah, but why should I care? I want my old taste back. WOW brands shouldn't change!

Why Eastern Europeans are too lazy to blog?

Not many people blogging, huh?

We had an interesting chat with my fiance in regards to who's writting blogs and who's commenting on them. We came to the conclusion that discussion can happen only if
a) people are really personally attached to the topic discussed, e.g. it might be a WOW topic for them
b) people are really and I mean REALLY bored at work and bloggin is the easy way to kill timem

Otherwise, why would you spend your precious time writting notes that millions will see, but no one will care?

Given that not many people commented on my blog, I must assume that at least you guys are not bored. I will have to copy-paste some of the comments that I got via e-mail:

Anya: "WTF...as you have to be quite insane to spend that much for a sack". How much did you spend on your sunglasses a couplt of years ago?:)

V: Seven hundred bucks! I still don't belive it, but swear it wasn't for a JEAN PAUL GAULTIER WOW brand. It was because I look quite ugly in all other glasses I've tried. That simple...

Read the blog bottom up

Well, these are my interviews. Various consumers, various brands, but it seems that WOW effect is achieved in pretty much the same way.

DESIGN IT NICE
PRICE IT UP
ADVERTISE HEAVY
CREATE SCARCITY

and that's it! Or isn't it?

To be continued...

Alexander, 25, Manager: from lullaby to hard rock

A: I still remember my childhood WOW brands, like LEGO!
A: It was so desirable among kids that you immediately became a star in the yard.
A: I liked the fact that you could create your own worlds and let your imagination come through.
A: It also felt good to touch...



No cynicism about children's dreams...

A: And let me give you one which is not expensive and posh, but still a WOW: IKEA.
A: It accessible, simple and stylish. It has its special reserved, rational and laconic style.
A: It's universally applicable to any interior design. It's value for money.



That's my man! IKEA rules! And it's rationally explainable as well.

A: HARLEY DAVIDSON!
A: Associations with old and respected brand.
A: It's rock, it's freedom of decisions, thoughts.
A: It's careless life and enjoyment of now.










Jeez, man. This sounds like that 40 y.o. top manager who thinks he's too old for Bugatti.

Nelli, 22, Manager: Sex on the wheels

N: I am fascinated by the brands that make you pay more for the same stuff. Like AUDI, Lexus or Accura.
N: They create desire around nothing and charge for it.
N: You think it's more reliable, more quality, it's sex on the wheels!





Sex on the wheels?!! That's a brand essence! It can challenge the ultimate driving machine!

N: HERMES bags and leather accessories.
N: Can you believe a bag can cost 10k and people would be queuing for a year to get one?
N: Now we're talking quality.









N: Take this bag and jump into Audi...

Orgasm...

Anastasia, 21, Manager: It's all about the people behind

A: GOOGLE and FACEBOOK.

A: Both companies are admired for outstanding corporate culture.

A: Owners of both companies have very interesting biographies.

A: They are just original and outstanding, but at the same time not showing off how cool they are.

Yep, if I would have a couple of millions in my pocket and "I am CEO bitch" business card, I could also afford going barefooted to the office.

A: GOOGLE is a very positive brand. It helps you. You can ask any questions and get your answer right away.

A: It's very innovative. It has many different products and features that simply make you feel good.

Right. It makes you spend half your day searching for your childhood's places and how they look from the satellite. Like it would make any difference for you...

A: FACEBOOK. 

A: Facebook is controversial. The inventor of Facebook is as interesting as the story of its creation. It seems not the best example of friendship and honesty, if you believe those rumors. But he now spends millions on charity/education.

A: The site itself starts being annoying. Asks you to give up information, requires to disclose your friends, constantly spams with some applications and games...

Great resource. Why go visit your friends? Just look at their Facebook page and you know who married, who traveled and who pooped...

Lena, 26, Manager: Keep walking, keep buying

L: LOUIS VUITTON - it's a miracle that they don't become obsolete. They became the Icon.
L: They don't change too much, but they are always trendy.
L: I will have a LV bag one day.
L: It's quality, it's stylish, beautiful, it's nice to touch. You always enjoy looking at it.

Hmm, I wonder if anyone tried to lick it? Maybe it tastes good as well?..

L: One that I consider WOW, but don't use...
V: That's interesting...


L: JOHHNIE WALKER!
L: I am not a consumer, but consider the brand very stylish.
L: Their advertisement is outstanding: it is humorous, but at the same time serious, they play on the edge.

Do you think Sergey from the first post would trade a bottle of his ZELENAYA MARKA for Lena's funny JOHNY?..

Oleg, 26, Manager: What men like...

Now let's see what men like... besides women.

O: BUGATTI is a WOW brand. All cars they make are mega sportish.
O: It's posh, but at the same time quite young and dynamic.
O: It's stylish, trendy, very functional.



The ultimate driving machine - that's functional, sportish, young and dynamic... And you won't look like a 40 y.o. top manager, who has a mental breakdown and tries to catch up his twenties. I am talking about a BMW here, for those of you who didn't get it.

O:  VERSACE is expensive and posh. I don't have it, but I WOW it.
O: It is the status symbol. The symbol of your life style.
O: You don't even have to have a label visible. You feel expensive anyway.



That's true - no label. Otherwise you look like you bought the "my friend, good quality, good price, just for you, my friend" version when you traveled to Istanbul...

Anya, 26, Manager: The happiest person on Earth - she owns what she WOWes!

Anya has a separate bank account to save for her WOW brands. Last one to empty it was LOUIS VUITTON bag she happily bought.











It must be interesting to hear what else ticks Anya's heart and soul and hits hard on her  mind... as you have to be quite insane to spend that much for a sack.

A: "APPLE is WOW!", says Anya holding her new iPhone.
A: It's very user friendly and beautiful indeed. Apple is like a drug, it sucks you in and you can't stop. You buy one product, then the next...
A: It's very cool and beautiful. I feel I am at the edge of the trend.







Apple is WOW indeed. I spent 2 hours staring at iPad in NY store, trying to justify purchase. Luckily my mind took back control over emotions...

That's not me on the picture, just in case you wonder.

A: GUCCI is another one. Brand with a history.
A: Stylish, comfortable and not that posh as Louis Vuitton.
A: I like the trade mark as well. It's unique and recognizable.










I wonder why posh is good for a bag, but not for clothes?..

A: My gosh! How could I have forgotten! BMW!!!
A: It's speed, it's comfort, it's style, it's enjoyment from driving, unbelievable enjoyment!

Now we're talking! The ultimate driving machine! That's sacred for me, so no comments...

PS: In case you still wondering why Anya spent a fortune for that bag:

Sergey, 53, Driver: Well, I don't know...

On my way to SVO airport I have asked the driver to describe what kind of brands he considers WOW... or at least what kind of brands he likes...

V: What is a WOW brand for you?
S: What the f@%# is WOW brand?!!!
V: Well, what kind of brand you would really like to own. Like car for example...
S: Car?.. Audi. I like Audi.
V: Why is that?
S: Well, I don't know. It's reliable. It's easy to handle. It's easy to take care. I have driven Audi and liked it a lot.
V: OK, why Audi, not a BMW?
S: Well, I don't know. Can be BMW...
V (confused): Hmmm... What about your favorite mobile phone or electronics?
S: Nokia, Sony.
V (hoping): Good! So why Nokia and Sony? Why not LG for example?
S: Well, I don't know. Can be LG...
V: :-(
S: LG is also OK. But it's not that well know as Sony.
V (eureka!): So what kind of vodka do you really like?!!
S: ZELENAYA MARKA ("Green Brand").

V: Why? Nostalgia?
S: Just like the taste. It's quite soft and easy to drink. Good quality.
V (giving up): OK. Thank you...

Not an easy task I thought and started thinking what is a WOW brand for me?..

Disclaimer

This little WOW brand study was conducted on the way from Moscow, Russia to Kiev, Ukraine with various people met on the road.

The benefit: multi cultural environment.
The downside: there's no sense to post transcripts/videos in Russian or Ukrainian, so you'll have to bear with my translation skills.

All brands, phrases, places, faces that seem familiar are indeed familiar and used for purpose!

PS: Purpose is scientific research. No offence meant ;-)