LET’S TALK EXPERIENTIAL: Tony Paske, Head of Brand Operations and Field Mark

1- What are you optimistic about with your brand for the remainder of  2019?

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a - YES.  Excited about the category.  No longer in the awareness phase. It is well understood (micro-mobility). Not without its challenge. Have evolved as a  leader by brand, volume and leadership. Can now talk about the long term vision, vs how a scooter.

b- Evolution of message is based on category entry. Brazil/Germany are launching now, but because of the global traction, the users have tried scooters in the past. That halo has actually already created brand loyalty.  That halo has created demand from the ground vs trepidation. Germany asked for this and the German government made regulations in advance so only the best of the best were able to enter the country. Becoming the case study for how to activate with cities/countries for years to come.

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2- Is there a better way to measure success and effectiveness, like ‘brand love’ or social lift?  If so, what programs are you putting in place that speak to those metrics?

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a - How important is social?  It is a way to localize.  Strategically think by channel. Different channels reach different people

b - Brand = Instagram.  Convos there are largely positive.  Visual allows for it to be global. GLOBAL

c - Twitter - Conducting business.  Local teams to engage in local discourse.  Civic conversations.  LOCAL

d - FB - Primarily for its groups.  A great place for like minded people to feel a sense of community.

e - Where do you find your inspiration within social.  

i - Strategically - charting their own course on social.  Did deep dives onother global/local have done it.  Did not find best of breed.  

ii - CONTENT WISE - Inspired by NIKE, Patagonia, Content has built those brands, ways to share their point of view.

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3- Is your marketing spend more results-driven or awareness driven?  Explain.  How has that approach changed over the last year, if at all?

Biggest shift is moving away from marketing toward BRAND.  A company like Uber, whom they admire for best of practices like UBER.  Nobody scaled like UBER.  They invested early on in marketing and built automated levels that increase supply and demand, like CPC.  That model does not work for LIME.  Their supply and demand are controllable.  They have control over demand, but not supply.  City officials control the supply.  Conspicouous supply of scooters, vs UBER’s cars.

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4- What was the biggest trends affecting your brand in 2019?  Are there trends you are tracking that you expect to have a major impact for 2019 and into 2020?

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a - Becoming more and more global.  1 yr ago - predominanty US.  Now split even in Europe/US.  2020 - S America & Asia.  They have been very challenging.

b - Competition will be there too

c - Trend - Consolidation & thinning of the herd.  Lack of operational scale/efficiency.  

i - Bird gobbled scoot.  

ii - Acquisition vs. doors closing

iii - Is that good for the market?  It is.  Lack of operational efficiency will not sustain.  Consolidation due to operational inefficiency = better customer experience.

d - You use micro mobility.  Currently bike, scooter.  Today micro mobility. Tomorrow - who knows.

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5- How would you rank the following marketing tools for increasing exposure for your brand & why?

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a - Is the product the advertising vehicle?

i - It is, but they do invest in media/OOH/paid digital.  Mainly in emerging markets (Germany).  What they are not doing?  Direct response (download our app).  

ii - The approach is working (focus on brand).  The focus on brand is delivering neck and neck results in the near-term, but that is all really just planting seeds that will sustain over the long term.

b - Out of Home

c - Radio/TV

d - PR

e - Shopper Marketing

f - Events

g - Sampling/Street Teaming

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6- What percentage of your marketing budget is related to Events/Event Marketing/Experiential/Shopper Marketing?

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a - <10%

b - <20%

c - <30%

d - <40%

e - <50%

f - Over 50%

i - Will spend on events & experiential but only as brand drivers, not demand generators.

ii - Their experience shows experiential does not necessarily deliver CPA, for acquisition/demand.  NOt an always on channels (digital).

iii - How do you see using that tool?  Experiential is a good place for product demo.  They do not fit well in 10x10 booth.

iv - Works well with the detractor, the timid user.  Let those people experience the product.  Goes a long way toward changing sentiment.

1 - Will zero in on how to engage the masses.  Big event moments.  TRIAL is KEY.  Not so much in 2019, most moments have passed.

2- 2020 - SXSW, Big events, big moments.

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7- Is the percentage greater than, less than or the same as 2018?

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a - Greater than 2018

b - Less than 2018

c - Same as 2018

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8- Will your experiential marketing budget increase or decrease in 2020? Why?

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INCREASING.  Zero to 1 dollar is an increase.  Yes, they did budget it for 2019, but did not leverage.  2020 will see increases.

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9- What advice would you give others trying to launch brands and gain traction with new consumers?  What do you wish you knew then, that you know now?

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The importance of differentiation.  LIME has lots of copycats.  Entry to market is low.  Spanning is high.  FOcus on differentiation.  Wish they had done that from the beginning.  Brand growth is in new markets.  Existing markets are harder to change the differentiation.  They blend in with the pack, because of lack of differentiation.  Tell that story of differentiation.

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10- BONUS:  What question would you have liked to have been asked?

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Ocusing on brand vs marketing takes a long, long time.  This approach is contrarian to the short-term results hungry community.