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Can you take personalization too far?

In a recent interview with a potential Creative Director in Miami, the guy made a statement that at first took me by surprise and still has me thinking. He said that “personalization was counterproductive to building a brand”, he claimed “how could you possibly build a consistent brand experience if it changes for everyone”. My instinct was to disagree, but frankly I could not muster a flawless rebuttal. I’m very interested to hear what you (the reader) have to say. Go ahead don’t be scared post something! After a couple of days, the Monday morning quarterback in me came up with a response. Actually an example of where personalization has supported and driven a brand. We did some work for Celebrity Cruises the premium brand in the Royal Caribbean family. The brand promise revolved around “being treated famously”. We leveraged technology to deliver an unparalleled level of personalization into the online experience. The idea was to mimic the kind of personal attention you would receive onboard. The results were impressive we not only dramatically increased revenue, when we surveyed their customers they were impressed with their entire experience. I would argue that builds their brand.

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Comments (2)

I think he's missing the point with that statement, and here's why. Brand is about experience. Experience is not a single experience for everyone, but the elements that are common are what makes the brand. As an example an airline such as Air Lingus that allows customers to feel in control. Thats an attribute that satisfies First Class, and Economy.

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