Monday 26 July 2010

The Challenge of Building a Dynamic “Butcher” Brand Online - Social Media


Victor Churchill, a European-inspired designer shop of carnivorous inspiration (Butcher) in Sydney developed a website and released an iPhone app, appropriately named “Ask the Butcher”.  The “Ask the Butcher App” (created by Australia’s  Blind Mice Studios) extends users a connoisseurs guide to buying and cooking meat. 

“Ask the Butcher” answers all your questions about the perfect cut of meat, how to cook it, and what recipes to use it in.  The app even has a built in timer which reminds when to turn the meat - all in an attempt to keep premium meat, well, premium. 

What we find most refreshing about this brand is simply the fact that it’s only a butcher shop – but fights well above its weight class.   Whether Victor Churchill does in fact reap direct and measurable return on investment (ROI) from the iPhone app becomes secondary to the buzz created around their messaging and positioning.  The forward positioning becomes the differentiator and Victor Churchill is seen as a market leader.   Moreover, the PR and media buzz created more than offsets the cost of development.

Victor Churchill radically differentiated themselves as a brand and stand out in the market as a result.  In their quest for innovation they continually reinforce and amplify the core values behind their brand. It’s a reminder to all of us, no matter what we do, we need to be constantly looking for new ways to express and refresh brands.

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Goodbuzz creates social media campaigns that entice consumers to play, create, and share brand experiences. We focus on developing "branded utility" - moving away from interruptive 'push' models towards more meaningful ways of connecting.  From simple metrics to actionable insights that enable data-driven marketing decisions - Goodbuzz links social media efforts to business outcomes.  Visit Goodbuzz Inc.