#54. Voice of the Customer → Signal Through The Noise
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In this episode, we talk about how brands can help adults send a signal to others who share the same hobby. Marketing teams, this episode is for you. And for adults, this is for you too.
Every episode is based on what people send in, message boards I read online, or the great conversations I've had with others. I give brands a perspective on problems adults face in the world we all live in, and the opportunities to solve them.
André Brathwaite hosts the Voice of the Customer on the Forms of Recreation podcast.
The opinions expressed are solely those of Forms of Recreation and do not necessarily reflect the views of any brand mentioned. We encourage you to check their corresponding websites for further information.
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Episode 54
Voice of the Customer → Signal Through The Noise
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Close your eyes and picture this.
You recently arrived
to the Dominican Republic.
You are there on a business trip,
but you are also an avid golfer,
so of course you travelled with your favorite golf clubs.
You really enjoy the feel of the golf clubs
every time you play with them,
and remembered that when you reviewed
the brand extensively,
the more it felt like the perfect fit for you.
As you arrive to the hotel,
the bellman welcomes you
and helps with your luggage
as you walk towards the front desk.
You can’t help but notice a guest
also checking in with her golf bag.
Same brand, same clubs.
A golf ball slips out of the bag
being held by her bellman
and bounces towards you.
You catch the ball mid-bounce,
looked at its logo,
and can’t help but ask
what she thinks of the brand.
She smiles and says that she also
noticed the brand logo on your golf bag
and wondered if you were looking
to play a round during your stay.
You both continued to talk,
raving about the brand,
the feel of the clubs,
a recent clinic hosted by the golf brand
you both had attended
without even realizing,
and the excitement of being able
to play on the new course
they just opened at the hotel.
Let’s step back for a bit.
What if there was no logos,
just a plain golf bag and bouncing ball?
There might have been a conversation about golf,
but not as rich as the one shared.
That’s because the brand acts as a signal,
a symbol of self-expression.
As adults, consciously or not,
we show others what we think,
feel, or believe.
Brands that clearly communicate
what they represent,
allows us to then use it as a signal.
One golf brand may signal
you as a vintage golfer
that values tradition,
while another may signal
you as a modern golfer that values innovation.
Does this mean that products we use
can act as a symbol
that helps us find our tribe
and sense of belonging?
Yes.
Brands. This part is for you.
You have the resources,
the teams,
and the influence
to help us adults find our tribe.
In Episode 23, I spoke about badminton,
one of my hobbies,
and how the resilient founder of Yonex
got his start by first carving wooden corks for sake bottles,
followed by wooden floats for fish nets,
and eventually wooden rackets for badminton.
Badminton is the fastest racket sport in the world.
Yes, the sport that involves hitting that thing
made out of cork and bird feathers.
It can go really fast
with a good enough racket and technique.
The fastest ever recorded?
565 km/h back in 2023,
more than double the speed
of the fastest tennis serve.
To me,
there are two ways you can play badminton as a hobby.
Backyard badminton
and indoor badminton.
Backyard badminton is what you picture
when having a good ole time with
family members on a summer afternoon,
on the grass,
occasionally being blinded by the sun
as you look up to make your next move.
That’s one way.
Indoor badminton is a bit more intense.
Every time I see someone
with a Yonex logo
on any sort of clothing or gear,
I know that they do not
play backyard badminton.
They play indoors,
running up to the net for drops,
jumping in the air for smashes,
and stepping back for clears.
The forms of recreation website
is for adults who have been wanting
to do their hobbies in other destinations,
Such as playing at Yonex’s
badminton court in Belgium.
Check out our website to explore more
destinations with your form of recreation.
So, there you have it.
Marketing teams. Go beyond selling a product.
For the rest of us.
By signaling to others what we enjoy, we will find our tribe.
