Fast Company Design just wrote about Starbucks’ new concept store in Amsterdam and how embracing the local Dutch culture through the design of the store will help “reinvent the brand.” There are very few corporations that are as obsessed with delighting their customers as Starbucks is. But my most recent trip to Manhattan convinced me that Nike is definitely one of those few.
I stumbled upon Nike’s Bowery Stadium, a multi-purpose cultural space dedicated to all things sport. Besides selling Nike merchandise, they put on everything from workshops and lecture series to art exhibitions and live musical performances, all dedicated to a specific theme. Check out last year’s creation of “The Wave,” which celebrated the surf/skate culture, with an emphasis on the east coast community.
When Bowery Stadium finishes a theme, they move on to a new shrine for another sport subculture. And it’s not limited to only American subcultures, with “stadiums” located in Tokyo, Paris, London, Berlin, and Milan.
Instead of worrying about creating the next big viral marketing campaign, companies need to make sure they are being authentic and embracing the culture of their customers, first. That’s the natural way to spread word-of-mouth.
