Public Visibility

Have you ever picked a restaurant or mentioned it to a buddy simply because it was bustling with customers? Ever been drawn to a street performer solely due to the gathering crowd? Ever clicked on an online article or video primarily because it had a high number of likes or comments, assuming it's trending for a reason? Did you ever find yourself joining a club or group activity just because you saw so many people enthusiastically participating and felt the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)? Or maybe going to a movie because of it? (Barbie?)

A viral customer experience is public – it's the kind of experience that people want to share with a wide audience, not just with close friends and family. Public visibility plays a crucial role in marketing, as it can significantly enhance brand awareness and influence consumer behaviour. When a product, service, or brand experience is easily observable, it encourages people to adopt or engage with it themselves, potentially leading to a broader reach and a larger customer base.

One classic example of public visibility as a marketing driver is the earlier-mentioned concept of “social proof.” Social proof posits that individuals are more likely to adopt a behaviour or product if they see others doing the same. This phenomenon can be particularly powerful in driving the success of a product or service, as consumers often look to their peers for guidance on what to buy or how to behave. But how can businesses create an experience that is public and visible? Public visibility can be amplified through the clever use of social media.

Take, for instance, Grill Room, a local burger spot. They placed traffic lights by their entrance: green signalled available seating, yellow indicated it was getting busy, and red meant full house. This ingenious system not only set clear expectations about wait times but also subtly boasted about their popularity. Patrons couldn't resist snapping pictures of these lights, leading to a surge in social media shares. The buzz even caught the attention of local news, turning the eatery into a talked-about sensation. Through this simple yet innovative approach, Grill Room harnessed the power of social media, compelling more folks to experience their much-raved-about burgers. Businesses that craft experiences resonating with current trends increase the likelihood of customers sharing, allowing them to be part of the ongoing buzz. Consider the burger joint with its traffic lights: it not only adds social currency by riding a popular wave but also induces a sense of FOMO. This prompts more people to dive into the experience and spread the word.

Rewind to the summer of 2023: Did your social media feeds overflow with photos of friends posing beside vibrant Barbie stands? Perhaps you joined in, too? The Barbie movie phenomenon broke the mold, transcending its typical audience of girls aged 3-12 to captivate people of all ages and genders. The movie studios executed a brilliant marketing strategy, utilizing pink Airbnb experiences and engaging selfie generators, effectively turning the public into their most potent promoters. This wave of enthusiasm swept across many, and I'd wager that the buzz and the fear of missing out (FOMO) nudged most of us to join the crowd and watch the movie.

Another prime example of this is the “cronut” craze that swept across the US. In 2013, Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City introduced the cronut, a hybrid pastry combining the features of a croissant and a doughnut. The cronut quickly became a sensation, with people lining up for hours just to get a taste of this delectable treat. As images and reviews of the cronut flooded social media, FOMO took hold of consumers, driving them to share their own experiences and thoughts on the pastry. This contributed to the bakery's social currency, as it tapped into a viral trend and created a unique experience that customers couldn't wait to share.

By understanding the power of FOMO and aligning their products or experiences with popular trends, businesses can foster a sense of urgency and desire among their target audience. This, in turn, drives social currency, as customers eagerly share their experiences in order not to be left out of the conversation.