As Customer Expectations Change, Experiences Must Change, Too

Day two of Adobe Summit was full of inspiration, with visionaries including Sir Richard Branson, NFL defensive end J.J. Watt, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and executives from LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter on stage Wednesday morning talking about the personal side of digital transformation, being an experience maker, social good, and plenty more.

The day began with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen interviewing Huang, who discussed the importance of reinventing a brand in an ever-changing digital landscape.

Nvidia understands firsthand the importance of reinvention: The company, which got its start in 1993 in the 3D graphics workspace, has had to transform itself many times along with advancements in technology. Huang attributed the company’s success to a keen focus on the driving forces of the future of computing.

“There’s no alternative to rolling up your sleeves to understand [industry changes],” Huang told attendees. “As leaders, we need to be in the kitchen.”

From a marketing perspective, Huang stressed the importance of storytelling. “Consumers don’t want us to market to them,” Huang said. Instead, he said, Nvidia focuses on telling its brand stories, sharing the stories that consumers share with one another and giving them a platform to share their own stories. Huang then announced Adobe and Nvidia’s partnership to bring AI services to creativity and digital experiences.

Next up was the NFL’s Watt, who talked about the importance of brands using their social following and ability to reach people at scale for more than just selling products.

Watt shared the story of Hurricane Harvey, which hit Houston last summer. He used his massive social media following to raise money for victims, with the goal of raising $200,000. Instead, he raised $37 million in just 19 days.

“People want to be part of something positive,” Watt explained. “It’s amazing what people can do when they come together.”

By setting lofty goals and outlining the steps needed to achieve them, Watt said he has been able to overcome professional challenges—relevant advice no matter the career or industry.

Entrepreneur and Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson also took to the stage. He has always been an “experience maker,” he said, with his primary goal in all of his business endeavors being “to figure out ways of making people’s lives better,” he said. “Understanding people’s experiences—the good and the bad—lies at the heart of that.”

Branson talked about his early days at Virgin Atlantic and the goal he set for making flying enjoyable, rather than dreaded, for travelers. The company focused on entertainment, comfort, and food to make the flights more memorable.

“[When] making these experiences, attention to detail is key,” Branson said. He listened to cabin staff and customers, and took notes for action items.

“As expectations change, experiences must, too,” he said. “Always be a good listener, strive to create different and better experience than anyone else, and never rest on your laurels.”

In addition to these conversations, Adobe CMO Ann Lewnes interviewed executives from LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook at this morning’s keynote session as well. Read the article here.