Metro Bank chairman Anthony Thomson to speak at the Annual
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On 29 September 2010, The Annual from Marketing Week will lay out smart thinking, smart working and smart engagement strategies for businesses. We ask Anthony Thomson, chairman of Metro Bank - who will speak at the event - which brands impress him:
smart thinking: Apple
It’s not only about meeting or exceeding customer expectations, it’s about finding innovation in ways that customers haven’t even considered. Apple is great at this. The iPad was heavily trialled, but people said: “What is the purpose of this?” It’s not a laptop or a phone and yet it’s been hugely successful.
smart working: Starbucks
The thing about Starbucks - and Apple - is that they create fans, not customers. People are passionate about the brand and about the products. I will walk past two other coffee shops to get to Starbucks. There is a café next door that will sell a cappuccino for £1.50 less and yet I still go to Starbucks to pay a premium because I am a fan of its products.
smart engagement: McDonald’s
McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc created a consistency around the brand back in the Seventies. The consistency applies to the delivery of the product - you can drive across the US and see 1,000 signs for a McD hamburger and you know you’ll get the same thing. It was the same back then. It is this kind of enduring consistency that you see among the great retailers.
Book your place at The Annual now. Visit www.theannual.co.uk for details
