Call them rituals, ceremonies, habits … associating a brand with a set behavior can have a powerful effect on loyalty and enjoyment.
One of the most famous associations of course is Corona beer and lime. It is now such an accepted way of consuming the product that many drinkers don’t give it a second thought, and yet, as Vanessa Krumb points out, no-one’s quite sure why they do it or where the idea comes from. It has simply become the way you have a Corona.
According to Krumb, not only does a brand ritual improve the perceived experience, it is also likely to add to the price point. Buyers will pay more for something that comes with an established ritual. As consumers, the association of a product with an event (popcorn and the movies, beer with watching sports) adds to the enjoyment because it makes the occasion feel complete. I suspect rituals work the same way. They provide a way of interacting with the brand that is fun, known and widely practiced. That in turn gives them greater value.
Anna Rudenko provides some classic examples of other rituals that we all recognize:
• Separating your Oreo and dunking it in milk;
• Breaking a KitKat into halves and eating it on a break;
• Popping the cap of the Pringles tube; and
• The Stella Artois’ 9-step pouring ritual