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Digital Omotenashi is the Future of Customer Engagement
The 427° Lab at Braze is on an innovation world tour and recently wrapped an epic visit to three global creative culture hotspots in APAC: Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo. What we learned: APAC markets aren’t just “testing grounds” or “catch-up regions”—they are actively shaping the future of digital customer engagement. Western companies often chase innovation by adding more and more tech. APAC innovates by adding intentionality: leveraging data thoughtfully to anticipate needs, blending technology with intimacy, and scaling with personalization. Three concepts to know: → Omotenashi 🌸— Radical hospitality. The art of noticing, the art of observation. Anticipating needs before they’re spoken, offering support before it's asked. → Omakase 🍣 — surrendering choice to the expert; forgoing the fatigue of decision-making; trusting the journey. → Bento 🍱 — the art of bundling; curated, compact, powerfully intentional & personalized. APAC brands are mastering the next generation of customer engagement: one that speaks fluent digital body language across channels, cultures, and moments. The Future of Engagement Speaks WhatsApp, Kakao, and LINE. Braze helps you understand all of them. 🇯🇵 In Tokyo: Digital omotenashi transforms customer data into anticipatory service. LINE isn't just a messaging app; it's a canvas for relationship-building through thoughtful digital gestures. Brands are reading customers' unspoken needs through their digital footprints and responding with thoughtful service that feels relevant rather than automated. The result? Engagement rates taht don't just outperform -- they look forward to brand messages instead of opting out. 🇰🇷 In Seoul: Korean brands are redefining loyalty through digital intimacy. Kakao T, the dominant mobile platform, is a superapp ecosystem for rides, payments, food, and more, anchored by a reward model (Kakao Pay Rewards) that connects it all. Korean beauty powerhouse OliveYoung's loyalty program "CJ ONE" does more than track transactions. It thoughtfully anticipates rwhen you'll need a restock, recommends new routines, and offers seasonal skin samples -- right when you're thinking about them. Their mobile app is a continuous digital conversation where brands demonstrate deep understanding of customer rhythms across multiple touchpoints, anticipating needs through AI-driven product recommendations that arrive at precisely the right moment. 🇸🇬 In Singapore: Southeast Asian brands have transformed WhatsApp from a messaging app into arelationship channel. Sephora recently created a virtual "Ang Pao" game for Lunar New Year in Malaysia which achieved a remarkable 132% uplift in purchases among participants -- not because of discounts, but because it was culturally relevant and resonated. This is how Sephora builds intimacy at scale: omnichannel precision, local cultural touchpoints, and leveraging WhatsApp as the intimate, high-engagement touchpoint where over 57% of Singaporeans prefer to seek customer support. They're not just sending messages. They're turning commerce into conversation. This is not just a channel strategy. This is global interoperability at the emotional level. As global brands rush towards AI and automation, APAC brands are finding more empathy and more humanity within the technology stacks. This is where tech has to go next: Not just faster, but more human. Not just personalized, but relevant. Not just intelligent, but intentional. In a world where commerce is a conversation, Braze helps you listen, understand, and respond -- fluently. -- Sharon Panelo is Senior Director, Strategic Consulting & Head of 427° Innovation Lab at Braze. How is your brand speaking the new digital body language of your customers? Join our Braze Bonfire community of forward thinking CMOs exploring the future of customer engagement. 🔥Creative Spotlight: Max's Mood Messaging Campaign 🔮
In this edition of our Creative Collective, we’re excited to highlight Max's innovative "Mood Messaging" campaign. Spotted while watching White Lotus S3 👀 As the streaming landscape continues to expand, viewers are faced with an overwhelming array of choices, making it increasingly difficult to decide what to watch. In fact, the Nielsen Streaming Content Consumer Survey revealed that 20% of viewers often don’t know what to watch beforehand and end up doing something else instead. 🤯 Max has recognized this challenge and has taken a creative approach to enhance the viewing experience. Their in-app message survey asks users what they are in the mood to watch—options include Action, Mystery, Drama, Reality, and more. Based on the selected mood, Max recommends a show that users can stream immediately or allows them to go back and pick a new mood if they’re not satisfied with the initial suggestion. This campaign taps into a crucial piece of metadata: mood. Did you know comfort streaming is at a high? Cynopsis finds 66% of viewers say they are enjoying discovering content that was originally released 10+ years ago. That explains why Katherine Heigl still gets recognized by teens today for her role as Izzie Stevens. What creative campaigns have you spotted recently? Share your insights and let’s continue to inspire each other in our journey of innovation!Espresso, Energy Drinks, and Cottage Cheese: The Fun Side of On-Demand Data!
Hey Creative Collective! Let’s talk about something hotter than your morning espresso: the On-Demand market! On Demand is in demand, but the battlefield for customer loyalty is fierce. Here’s the 🔥🔥🔥 hot take: On-Demand has the most fun customer data! Social media, streaming, and cultural trends are driving customer behavior, and the impact is almost instant. Just look at some of my favorite data points from Grubhub’s 2024 Delivered Trend Report and Gopuff’s 2024 Consumer Trends Report that show how our cravings and interests are shaping the market: ☕ People couldn’t stop thinkin’ about me espresso Americans were buzzing with their love for espresso—whether sipping it in their drinks or blasting it on repeat in their playlists. So much so that Grubhub espresso orders spiked the week of June 22nd, right as the hit song Espresso topped the charts. 🧀 Cottage cheese everything TikTok has been flooded with recipes for cottage cheese everything—toast, mac and cheese, protein cookie dough, and much more. Cottage cheese captured consumers' hearts online so much that the high-protein, low-calorie food saw a whopping 166% increase in orders on Gopuff this year. Who knew cottage cheese could be so trendy? 🗳️ Nervous election night As customers tuned into Election Night coverage on November 5, Gopuff sales rose nearly 20% compared to the average Tuesday. Nervous Americans glued to their TVs and phones ordered comfort food and medication for their heartburn. Sales of ice cream, alcohol, and pain relievers were all up more than 30%, with digestive aids like Tums seeing a 13% increase. 🍋 Most sour One customer had nearly 900 limes delivered to their door over the course of the year... Now that’s a zest for life! Often, we see customer engagement messaging doesn’t match this fun and excitement. 😒 This year, we aim to shift brands from a product-first, transactional messaging approach to a more holistic strategy that combines both transactional and emotional loyalty. To truly thrive, On Demand brands need to integrate real-time data, creative storytelling, and cultural relevance to deliver personalized experiences at lightning speed. How can you do this? What about taking inspiration from Dutch Bros Year-End Celebration? They launched Personalized Personas: Customers were grouped into personas like “Champions” and “Rookies,” with each unlocking unique app stickers that celebrated achievements. These personas, created with Braze segmentation, ensured every customer felt valued. McDonalds teased an iconic collab with a voice note of Stormzy ordering at the counter, before launching the meal and offering fans the chance to bag official merch and meet the man himself. The data showed that lots of fans had already ‘ordered like Stormzy’ in the past, so they sent a targeted email celebrating their great taste. What do you think? Which industry has the most fun data, and how are they using it? Let’s get the conversation rolling! 💬Love and Deepspace
Ever heard of someone taking an AI boyfriend on vacation? 🤖 🌴 That's exactly what one woman did after her divorce, dropping $70 for a virtual companion to join her on what would've been her anniversary trip. Her verdict? "Worth every penny." This got me thinking about where digital romance is headed. I believe we're on the cusp of something fascinating - dating apps might soon blend AI avatars into their mix, and here's the kicker: it could actually make online dating better, not worse. Need proof? Look no further than Love and Deepspace, 2024's breakout mobile game that's taking the romance gaming world by storm. This sci-fi dating sim has pulled in a whopping $400 million and 50 million players in just one year. On New Year's Eve 2024, players spent $10.5 million in a single day. Let that sink in. Why It's Working Love and Deepspace isn't just another game - it's cracked the code on digital connection. Players aren't just tapping screens; they're forming genuine emotional bonds through: Personalized boyfriends with custom storylines that adapt to player choices Cross-channel interaction (texts, calls, social posts) Regular special events that keep things fresh A gacha gaming system that has some players happily spending thousands What This Means for Customer Engagement The success of Love and Deepspace isn't just about gaming - it's a masterclass in emotional engagement. The game proves that virtual connections can be meaningful, profitable, and surprisingly powerful. As the lines between digital and physical relationships continue to blur, businesses that understand this evolution will have a serious advantage. Remember that $70 AI vacation date? Soon, that might seem quaint compared to what's coming next in the world of digital relationships. 🤖 💘 With $400 million in revenue, Love and Deepspace isn't just winning hearts - it's showing us that in the digital age, emotional connection might be the most valuable currency of all.
Super Bowl LIX Ads: Are They Even Ads Anymore?
Ah, Super Bowl Sunday—the one night a year where people pretend to care about commercials. Brands drop millions for 30 seconds of attention, and in return, we get a mix of celebrity cameos, nostalgia bait, and the occasional heartwarming moment that makes us forget we’re being sold something. But let’s be real: Are these even ads anymore, or just really expensive short films with logos at the end? The Same Playbook, Every Year This year’s lineup? Some hits, some flops, and a whole lot of déjà vu. Budweiser gave us another sentimental Clydesdale story. Michelob Ultra made pickleball look cooler than it is. Google Pixel went for the heartfelt tech angle. Meanwhile, Coffee Mate traumatized us with dancing tongues. And of course, celebrities everywhere—Martha Stewart, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt. Half these ads could swap logos and you’d never notice. Are These Ads Even Selling Anything? Think about the last Super Bowl ad that actually made you want to buy something. Hard, right? That’s because these commercials aren’t about selling anymore—they’re about entertainment. We remember the moment, not the message. If your $7 million ad doesn’t make people remember your brand, what’s the point? Is a Super Bowl Ad Even Worth It? For the cost of one Super Bowl spot, brands could run months of digital campaigns with actual data on whether people engage or buy. Instead, they burn cash on a one-time spectacle and hope it “goes viral.” At this point, Super Bowl ads aren’t really about ROI. They’re a status symbol. A victory lap for brands that can afford to flex.Creative Spotlight: Shake Shack's Congestion Pricing Campaign 🍔
Spotted in my email inbox: Welcome to the first edition of our Creative Collective spotlight! This space is dedicated to showcasing innovative campaigns that redefine customer engagement, and we're excited to kick things off with a look at Shake Shack's recent Congestion Pricing campaign. In response to New Yorkers grappling with the challenges of congestion pricing, Shake Shack launched a clever initiative that resonates with the local community. The campaign features a $9 Combo meal deal, perfectly mirroring the new toll price, which includes a delicious ShackBurger and fries. What makes this campaign particularly creative is its real-time execution and use of geo-segmentation. By targeting customers in areas affected by congestion pricing, Shake Shack effectively drives engagement and encourages high-value actions—specifically, placing orders through their kiosks or mobile app. This approach enhances the customer experience and fosters a sense of connection between the brand and its patrons. 🗣️Now, we want to hear from you! Share your spotted creative campaigns this month and let’s inspire each other with fresh ideas.Happy Holidays from the Creative Collective! 🎉
Hi Creative Collective 🤩, As we approach the end of the year, I want to thank each of you for being a part of our community. We wish you all a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year! As we reflect on the past year, here are some valuable resources we’ve shared: Melting Points AI: New Flavors of Creativity How to Speak the Love Language of Loyalty Highlights from the 427 Innovation Lab: Learn from Panera Bread and KFC Retain Your Holiday Customers Into the New Year and Beyond Looking ahead to 2024, we’re excited to focus on growing our community and hosting in-person events around the globe! If you’re interested in meeting up and connecting with fellow creatives, please let us know—we’d love to hear from you! Thank you once again for your contributions this year. Here’s to a fantastic New Year filled with creativity and collaboration!The Power of Year in Review Campaigns
As we wrap up another year, one campaign style continues to dominate inboxes and social feeds: the "Year in Review" email. It’s a shining example of how "Data is the New Creative" when it comes to driving customer loyalty and retention. Spotify Wrapped may be the poster child, but they don't own the idea exclusively! Here are 4 more best-in-class examples that prove the versatility and impact of this approach: Strava: Year in Sport Strava’s "Year in Sport" campaign 2024 is a fitness enthusiast’s dream. Athletes receive a personalized summary of their total miles, elevation gains, and even their longest workout of the year. These data points are beautifully visualized and designed for easy sharing. The campaign has become a badge of pride for users, boosting Strava’s community engagement and app stickiness. Strava’s 2023 campaign saw over 12 million athletes share their personalized cards, with engagement rates 4x higher than their regular content. The genius? They transform raw numbers into meaningful milestones that athletes are proud to share. Tinder: Year in Swipe In the dating app category, Tinder’s "Swipe Stats" campaign is a cheeky take on Year in Review. Users receive stats like how many swipes they made, how many matches they got, and even their "Top Emoji." It’s fun, personal, and perfectly on-brand. This Year in Review drove a 15% rise in app reactivations, a 30% increase in social media mentions of Tinder during the campaign period, and an average session length increase of 12% as users explored and shared their stats. Social sharing skyrocketed as users laughed over their data—and their “romantic” accomplishments for the year. Duolingo: Year in Language Streaks Dulingo's year in review creates personalized stories of users' learning streaks, complete with quirky statistics like “how many mistakes you made”, "number of times you practiced at 3 AM" and "your most consistent studying day." The unhinged owl mascot's sassy commentary adds personality to the data, making these recaps both informative and entertaining. User sharing of these recaps drove a 51% increase in app downloads during their 2023 campaign. Nintendo Switch: Gaming Year in Review Nintendo transforms gaming data into a celebration of player achievements through their annual Year in Review campaign. 2024 is still upcoming. The 2023 Year in Review generated over 3.2 million social shares in the first week alone, with a 78% email open rate for the campaign - nearly triple Nintendo's average marketing email performance. The campaign also drove a 40% increase in Nintendo Switch Online app logins during the review period and resulted in a 25% uptick in game purchases among users who viewed their year-end recap. Most impressively, Nintendo reported that users who engaged with their Year in Review showed a 35% higher retention rate in the following quarter compared to non-engaged users, proving that personal gaming insights create lasting player connections. Why These Campaigns Work What makes these campaigns so effective? Personalization is the secret sauce: Personal relevance that makes users feel seen and understood Surprising insights that teach users something about themselves Beautiful, easily shareable visuals optimized for social media Cross-channel integration across email, push notifications, and in-app messaging Time-sensitive FOMO that drives immediate engagement Why It Works Beyond the Inbox The magic of Year in Review campaigns doesn’t stop at email. When paired with other channels like push notifications and in-app messages, they extend their reach and engagement. For example, sending a push notification with a teaser (“Your 2024 Wrapped is ready!”) can drive customers to open the app, explore their stats, and share them. These campaigns also strengthen retention by rewarding customers for their loyalty and creating a habit loop—users stick around because they’re curious to see next year’s recap. Over to You! Do you have a favorite Year in Review campaign you look forward to every year? Are you working on one for your brand or clients (or even yourself) right now? Reply below with your ideas, we'd love to help make them a reality! Happy New Year!Any new creative holiday campaigns you love?
Hello Creative Collective! As the holiday season approaches, we want to hear from you! Are there any new creative holiday campaigns that you absolutely love? Whether it’s an innovative approach, a standout design, or a unique message, we’d love to see what’s inspiring you this year. I love this new one from e.l.f. - e.l.f. Cosmetics has launched its ‘eyes. lips. face. fandom.’ campaign, featuring actors Joey King and Lucien Laviscount. This campaign highlights the brand’s top-selling 'Power Grip Primer (PGP)' through a relatable and competitive narrative that resonates with audiences. King and Laviscount star as "opposing figures in a playful hometown playoff scenario—meeting the parents on game day while supporting rival teams." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4icy6vu2R4o Share your favorites in the comments below, and let’s discuss what makes them stand out. This is a great opportunity to gather ideas and inspiration as we all gear up for the festive season! Looking forward to your thoughts! 🌟Welcome to the Creative Collective! Intros & Creative Superpowers 🦸 🦸♀️
On behalf of the 427° Innovation Lab, we’re thrilled to have you join our Creative Collective, a vibrant online community dedicated to exploring and sharing groundbreaking strategies in customer engagement. This is a space where creativity knows no bounds, and we encourage each of you to dive in, share your ideas, and connect with fellow innovators. Want a taste of what the lab cooks up? Check out Melting Points AI: New Flavors of Creativity. Let's get to know our community - Sound off in the comments with: Name Location What's your creative superpower?
About Creative Collective
This group is a space for innovators to explore and share creative strategies that push the boundaries of customer engagement.
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