A Case Examine in Life-style Model Constructing

My last two CMSWire articles offered an summary of way of life branding and why it’s an efficient technique firms ought to think about to extend buyer loyalty and long-term retention. I’ve additionally supplied some steps on how manufacturers can begin to develop into one themselves.

However perhaps you’re nonetheless skeptical. Maybe the concept of constructing a model outlined by the energy and fervor of the shopper communities round them, with everybody rallying round a goal and mission, feels like an enormous funding with an unsure quantity of return.

On this remaining article of the collection, I need to undergo what I think about to be the traditional way of life model case research, one which began with zero merchandise within the area the corporate would develop into most recognized for, and ended with one of the recognizable way of life manufacturers on the earth.

That model is Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. So get your sandals on, seize a Landshark Lager and loosen up as we undergo how Mr. Parrothead himself remodeled from singer-songwriter to one of the influential branding maestros of the previous 50 years.

The three Steps to Life-style Model Standing: The Margaritaville Story

Within the second article on this collection, I laid out three steps manufacturers must take to transition from being a product-led firm to a way of life model. The primary is to get rid of the standard product roadmap through which firms construct new merchandise in adjoining classes (like beginning with T-shirts and transferring to polos) and as a substitute establish new merchandise/ventures that align with their buyer’s most well-liked life.

Jimmy Buffett’s first encounter with industrial success was as a result of his abilities as a singer songwriter. Songs like “Come Monday” and “Adjustments in Attitudes Adjustments in Latitudes” have been the uncommon nation crossover successes within the 1970’s, and Buffett shortly turned one of many largest live performance tour attracts of the following few a long time.

Nevertheless, in contrast to different business-minded musicians who try to diversify into adjoining ventures like founding document labels or manufacturing, Buffett determined to put money into discovering methods to construct communities round what his music stood for, i.e. the island escapism way of life.

Thus for the higher a part of the final 40 years, Buffett targeted a lion’s share of his efforts on investing in services and products designed to assist shoppers faucet into the island life with out essentially leaving the comforts of contemporary dwelling, all beneath the model title “Margaritaville.”

Let’s shortly assessment the fast growth of the Margaritaville empire. In 1985, they opened their first retail location in Key West, Fla., shortly adopted by a restaurant in 1987. The restaurant chain has since grown to 31 areas throughout a number of international locations, complemented by greater than a dozen shops positioned within the US and Caribbean. Starting within the early 2000’s Margaritaville expanded into trip resorts positioned all through the Caribbean, together with a US-based resort chain. The 2010s noticed the launch of Margaritaville Casinos in Las Vegas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The primary Margarativaille cruise ship set sail earlier this yr.

And, lastly, for individuals who actually need to stay the Margarativille way of life, in 2018 Buffett opened the first Margaritaville retirement community in Daytona Beach. Properties have bought so quick in Daytona seashore that Margaritaville has already introduced new retirement communities in Hilton Head, South Carolina and Watersound, Fla.

Associated Article: What You Need in the Pursuit of a Lifestyle Brand

Content material: Buffett the Musician Comes Full Circle

One other step way of life manufacturers must take is to develop content material that helps prospects facilitate the approach to life that you just as a model have espoused.

Coming full circle, Margaritaville has discovered artistic methods to leverage music to help the model. Margaritaville Radio performs “relaxed vibes” 24/7 on SiriusXM, inducing replays of stay Buffett reveals and different artists in Buffett’s “Gulf and Western” style of music. The Margaritaville podcast consists of interviews with singer songwriters and people concerned in coordinating Buffett’s live performance excursions.

Lastly, Buffett’s personal document label, Mailboat Records, consists of artists rigorously curated to resonate along with his viewers. They’ve distributed albums from Yacht Rock luminaries like Walter Becker (of Steely Dan fame) and REO Speedwagon, Sammy Hagar and Jeff Bridges (sure, The Dude).