Russ Barrett
Southbank Interactive
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Home Depot for Valentine
Don't mean to beat a dead horse, but this one showed up in my email box just after I had created my previous post about the misalignment of Home Depot's retail environment and online. Now it's glue!
Russ Barrett
Southbank Interactive
Russ Barrett
Southbank Interactive
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.
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.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Fort Thomas Jewelers Launched
A local jeweler, Vince Keairns of Ft. Thomas Jewelers, was looking to drive foot traffic to his store. There really wasn't a web presence so we embarked on developing a digital marketing plan that included website design, marketing, search engine optimization, and online promotions. A downloadable coupon from the website helps to drive foot traffic. We also cleaned up the brand identity and created some calling cards. Welcome Ft Thomas Jewelers to the client roster.
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