Thursday, January 17, 2008

Brand Experience Misalignment

I just received my weekly email from Home Depot and after a recent retail visit, it became very clear that the retail experience and the online experience are misaligned.

The retail experience, while vastly improved from the 90s, is still very much contractor-grade. Maybe it's the bright orange color, but I always feel I should be wearing my tool belt when I visit my local store. I prefer the Lowes experience. Not because the product, availability, or assistance is superior, but because it is more friendly.

Depot's email is much more design sensitive and approachable than their retail. The experience is more engaging but also less garish with color usage. No bright, handwritten signs using a fat, felt-tipped marker. It speaks about environmental issues and promotional products in a soft-sell approach. Totally different.

The email communication is "Come and shop Home Depot because we care about the consumer and their needs". If the email is successful, the consumer arrives at the storefront and, beginning at the front entrance, it screams - "Welcome contractors". Kind of like telling my kids we're going to Toys R Us and then arriving at Kmart.

As Depot's readership and email subscriptions increase, they will need to consider the experience gap because the communications are not consistent. My two cents, risk alienating the contractors for a slightly more friendly retail experience. Something to take away for any email campaign and marketing program.