Prepare Your Brand For The R8 Of Experiences

Experience is an opportunity to not just tell your brand’s story, but—like Audi and its R8 of websites—to enhance it with purpose and create connections that are deeper and more meaningful than any ad.

Once upon a time I led the redesign for AudiUSA.com. The brief, as described by the president of Audi USA, was delightfully simple: “I want the R8 of websites.”

For those of you who don’t know, the R8 is Audi’s flagship vehicle. Starting at around $200K, it’s the perfect marriage of design and engineering. And, as such, it’s the pinnacle expression of Audi as a brand.

What I love about this brief—“I want the R8 of websites”—is that it’s easy to imagine how it translates into a website: beautiful, lightning fast, and incredibly powerful.

In other words, every touch point is purposefully designed for an unforgettable experience.

Think about some of the extraordinary experiences you have had—perhaps an airline website or banking app that got you where you wanted to go smoothly and intuitively. How did you feel about those brands? Or, conversely, what about apps and websites that were clunky, inefficient, and left you frustrated? How did you feel about them?

Today, a new generation of companies is nipping at the heels of well-established brands by creating amazing experiences. These snappy startups are already scoring high for customer satisfaction. They might not have awareness just yet, but that will come with time.

Through my creative leader eyes, this is where we need to play: bringing brands to life through experiences. It’s about delighting the people it serves by creating utility, convenience, and ease in a slick and sexy package.

Great brands are built by connecting with people on an emotional level—which has traditionally been done through storytelling and media. But in today’s experience economy, connections are the real representation of a brand, and it’s an emerging white space for brands, agencies, and even individuals to create differentiation.

Experience is an opportunity to not just tell your brand’s story, but—like Audi and its R8 of websites—to enhance it with purpose and create connections that are deeper and more meaningful than any ad.