Truth: Some people love brands. So much, they consider the brand a part of their identity. They buy the bumper sticker. Download the ringtone. Wear the free t-shirt.
I am one of these people and my brand is Peanut Butter & Co.
Why? Because it tastes good. It’s made with all-natural ingredients. And has a personality that makes me smile.
This is what I tell anyone who asks me. And I do it for not one dime of compensation.
That’s love. And it’s not unusual, just underutilized.
Loyal, sometimes obsessive, customers are oft overlooked by marketers because they’re considered a “done deal.” But in an age where potential customers have access to, and rely more upon, the opinions of their peers, the time for embracing Jane Advocate is now.
One of the benefits of social media is its ability to fan the flames of love–to find people who champion your brand and hold the megaphone a little closer to their lips. It’s a term we’re calling grasscasting.
By using social media, we can identify grassroots advocates of brands and amplify their opinions in mass. Their unadulterated enthusiasm is the gold with which brand temples are built. Big yeahs for Red Robin, btw.
By helping loyal customers find peers who share the same affinity, grasscasting creates influential communities that can sing your brand’s praise with more authenticity and believability than any boardroom can conjure.
While you’re considering grasscasting, tempt yourself with some yummy peanut butter. My favorite is the dark chocolate.
Shawn Finger is Creative Director and Writer for The Alchemedia Project.
