Recently I posted something about the forces reshaping our customers’ worlds* and, to illustrate, let’s consider a consumer product that’s penetrated a global market and kept its brand alive on every front.
Think about Moleskines—“the legendary notebook”—now ubiquitous to nearly every bookstore and gift shop, and their online counterparts.
Moleskine offers a good durable product but it’s not the only black notebook on the market, yet it may be to blank books what Kleenex is to tissues.
Moleskine’s publisher Modo & Modo resurrected the black notebook with an internationally flavored mystique, but they didn’t restrict it to an elite. Instead they opened it up to the world so the notebooks can be used by anyone who enjoys keeping a well-bound pile of paper around. Consequently everyone could feel like an artist and adventurer. (Hey, Hemingway and Picasso used Moleskines! Maybe Indiana Jones had one too.)
Then, instead of getting tetchy over the way Moleskine owners altered the black covers with their own designs, they went on to celebrate how citizens of the world use the notebooks—featuring saturated, customer-submitted Moleskines on their web site, blogs, online galleries, and in traveling “Detour” exhibits that go from London across Europe to Tokyo. Life hackers and bloggers routinely show their pages online. Just search keyword “Moleskine” on Flickr and you’ll see how extensive it is.
Moleskine hit all four bull’s eyes: creating international pedigree and appeal, then opening it up to world markets (globalization); diversifying the product line to fit heterogeneous needs (demographics); not merely accepting but celebrating a rich customer base (complexity); and showcasing the unique ways a global village of customers are using the product (customization). Why is this so remarkable?
You could ask for “Moleskine” anywhere in the world and chances are very good the shopkeeper will know exactly what you mean.
* Why It's No Longer Your Daddy's Customer Service
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