If all customer experiences become equally direct, easy and convenient, where can differentiation be achieved? The answer is to shift the focus back to the brand.

Why it matters

The easier and more convenient a brand becomes, the greater its risk of slipping into utility. The key is for brand owners to utilise frictionless ecosystems while also building emotional connections with customers.

Takeaways

The strategies CMOs should focus on to build their brand in the age of the customer are:

• seeing packaging as the number one brand-building channel;
• championing relevance over choice;
• building a brand beyond its immediate ecosystem;
• maintaining...