Experiencing the Lowe's Brand Continued
This is a continuation to my first blog post about the Lowe's brand strategy.
Lowe’s has an inspiring and compelling multi-cultural marketing initiative. It includes multimedia plans, creative and in-store strategies and tactics designed to attract multi-cultural consumers into our stores, and to enhance their in-store experience.
Without an effective marketing communications program, a marketing strategy will fail. Target customers must be made aware of the product and its benefits, by continually reminded of these benefits, and stimulated to take action. Building awareness, message comprehension, and interest are essential phases in building a high level of customer response and repeat business.
To be effective and cost-efficient a business must use both pull and push marketing strategies. A push strategies involved with Lowe’s are appropriate where there is low brand loyalty in a category, selection or choice is based on availability to in the retail store, the product is an impulse item, and the products benefits are well understood.
Push marketing for Lowe’s:
1. Trade show promotions like the International CES, a electronics and consumer tradeshow held everywhere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1. Maintaining an efficient supply chain.
2. Appealing looking packaging.
3. Point of sale displays.
4. Radio ads
5. TV ads
6. Email ads
7. Direct mail ads
8. Pay per click ads
Pull marketing for Lowe’s:
1. Social networking for the word-of-mouth effect
1. Media coverage to reach a wider audience
2. Strategic placement of a product or store
3. Information content like blogs to attract people who are interested in similar products or services.
Content is king, and Lowe’s makes sure that this is part of their marketing strategy. Looking at their online presence fresh content is produced daily. In 2011 Lowe’s launched an online tool called “myLowes” that enables consumers to access information and advice about their home improvement preferences online, customized to fit their needs. Tom Lamb, Lowe’s Senior VP, Marketing believes that “MyLowes” is a game changer. “We are transforming Lowe’s from a retailer to a dynamic and exciting brand that can connect emotionally with one of the most important things to people, their homes."
Lowe’s even has its own blogger network.
“What do you get when some of the great voices in the DIY community join together to offer home improvement inspiration, tips, and tricks? The Lowe’s Creative Ideas Creator and Influencers blogger network!”
36 bloggers make up the creative blogger team. A team member shares DIY creations. Each month they are given a challenge that may be based on an upcoming holiday, season, or just a random project. A blogger network does not only extend the reach of the brand but it also personalizes the experience for the user. It is a mutually beneficial relationship for Lowe’s and the bloggers. New Media Exposed explains that this is smart strategy for Lowe’s for these reasons:
1. People trust other people – we tend to trust other people (word of mouth) over traditional advertising
2. Promotes authenticity – if another individual can do it, I can do it.
3. A personal approach – consumers find a blogger they identify with by design style, lifestyle or another variable and this lends a one-to-one relationship vs. one-to-mass.
4. All roads lead to Lowe’s – bloggers use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc to drive their own traffic and all of these ultimately lead to Lowe’s; #lowescreator is the thread
But not only is fresh content produced on their blog network, it is also produced on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Google Plus.
At the 2013 Internet Retailer Conference in Chicago, Lowe’s director of social media and emerging platforms, Brad Walters, told attendees ““Facebook gives you an ‘a-ha’ moment,” said Walters. “You can get tremendous engagement from shares and likes.”
Lowe’s uses Vine mobile Twitter’s video service to tweet short “how-to” videos. Pinterest is used to inspire customers.
“We released a ‘Spring Has Spring’ Pinterest board with colorful images and videos and gained 80,000 followers,” said Walters. “We don’t use Pinterest to extend our catalog or flyer. It’s a way to provide valuable content for inspiration. We don’t have pictures of products with a white background.”
At the footer of Lowe’s website are the social media icons.
At the footer of Lowe’s website are the social media icons. The website is designed by Emanual Johnson Jr. who worked to deliver a clean and attractive design.
Throughout all social media platforms, ads, and mobile sites Lowe’s keeps loyal to its identity standards. Like its blue, red, gray and white colors. And when they launch a campaign they make sure to launch it on all online mediums.
Part of marketing is understanding the target market, finding out where they hang out, creating content that they want to read and getting them back to the website to convert. All of Lowe’s pull marketing online is used to create more sales opportunities.
