To say that customers are important for the success of a consumer product is a bit of an understatement. They are, of course, absolutely essential. But few companies embrace their customers’ views, opinions, thoughts and ideas as wholeheartedly as Innocent Drinks, which, right from the very outset, has relied on customer feedback and engagement to drive its products, brand values and strategic direction.
Dan Germain, Head of Creative at Innocent, explains why customer feedback and involvement is so embedded in company culture: ‘The fact that the founders have been friends for years is the thing that most drives the personality of the company and its marketing. From the beginning we’ve tried to talk to people in a simple and straightforward way; they’re simply friends who we haven’t met yet. The benefit of friends is that they help you out when you need it, which is what our drinkers do – they advise us, write to us, cajole us and encourage us to make better drinks and do better stuff every day.’
From the outset, Innocent has emerged as a brand that encourages customer engagement, using a straightforward communications approach that extends to every area of the company’s activities: the branding of its products, its cow-print and grass covered vehicles, its interactive website and, most recently, the launch of its free music festival FruitStock (a rather fitting nod to the company’s humble beginnings at someone else’s).
In each case, Innocent has maximised the impact of design and branding to communicate a set of clearly defined values, strengthening the relationship with its customers and creating a community of consumers that grows bigger every year.
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Understanding the customer's view is crucial.
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