Episode Details

Main Takeaways:

• We have a super exciting guest this week, and she used to work for the happiest place on earth

• Brian's not on the show this week so, things might get a little dark

• Does anyone do branding better than Disney (probably not)

• What does the future of commerce, the future of brands, the future of this planet even look like anymore?

Was February Two Months or Two Years Ago?

Since time has absolutely no meaning anymore, it seems like February was forever ago, but two months ago, Phillip and Lianne met Summer Jelinek at Future Stores Miami after hearing her deliver an inspirational, impactful, keynote speech about authentic customer experience.

So let's talk more about Summer:

• Summer Jelinek is a speaker and trainer with over twenty years of leadership experience with major corporations like Walt Disney Corporation, Disney Institute, and HEB.

• Summer connects with audiences all over the world by redefining what consumer experience means in a modern context.

• In an age where consumer experience has become all-important, where the social contract between brands and customers is in full effect, this level of understanding is essential to the growth of modern companies.

• Fun fact: Summer first fell in love with the idea of the consumer experience at a ski ranch in New Hampshire and a dude ranch in Colorado

Do All Brands Know Their Audience As Well As Disney Does?

One of the most important considerations for any company is to know their audience and to have their audience consistently be a part of the brand's journey. Disney has their branding down to a science.

• Summer says Disney brands absolutely everything from their pretzels to their soft drinks, and it's all a part of the story.

• "It's just who doesn't want to eat a little bit of magic and pixie dust whenever you're having a bad day"?

• Phillip mentions an essential aspect of the brand-customer relationship: "The better you know your audience, the more receptive I think they'll be to the kind of messaging that you could craft at this moment."

• Summer says that Walt Disney World is an economic indicator, when the economy is good people are going to Disney, and when it's terrible people stop going (editor's note: whoa )

• It's worth noting that Disney has handled the crisis and results of it rather well; even as the parks have closed, it's felt as though the pixie dust has dimmed a little bit.

Retail Right Now: What Does The Situation Even Look Like?

Amidst the raging COVID-19 pandemic, questions remain on everyone's mind, what is the new normal in retail, and how are brands and consumers going to adjust to the current situations?

Phillip asks Summer what she thinks about the current situation on the ground?

There's a lot to consider:

• Firstly, there are a lot of brands who are doing incredibly well, and specific categories are booming (at least right now) because of the pandemic, while others are struggling to stay afloat

• And as Summer mentions, right now, whether a brand is doing well, we're all just trying to survive through this.

• The trick for businesses who are not doing as well right now is to become creative and figure out what they're next steps are, regardless of how long this lasts, with the information we all have right now.

• Summer has some