The Universal Brand Experience

By Ilana Kearns
With an unparalleled mix of the world's top theme parks built by renowned brands such as
Universal and Disney, warm weather, and the proximity to the beach(s), Orlando, FL has been
named the #1 spring break des na on by AAA in 2018. According to Visit Orlando, nearly 3M
visitors are es mated to travel to Orlando during the 2018 spring break season, which kicks o
the week before Easter and con nues through the second week of April.

The Brand Promise of a Magical Experience

With mom and dad working full- me in 50%+ of two-parent households in the US, families seek
the precious down me they have together for a shared experience like no other. When a family
decides to use their me o together over spring break at a theme park, that decision is
anything but logical; it is emo on-driven. A family of four will easily pay $3,600+ for two days at
Universal Studios for that promised magical experience that goes beyond the screen, behind the
scenes, and jumping into the ac on of favorite lms that only Universal Studios can deliver.

Customers will not think twice about the steep price tag if their expecta ons are met. When
those expecta ons are not met, watch out. The emo onal wrath is not pre y and, in seconds,
will overshadow the posi ve moments.

Here are some helpful takeaways from our family's recent experience at Universal Studios we
can all bene t from to improve our own customer's brand experience.

You are the Brand.

A brand is so much more than the logo created at corporate. Consumers today view a brand as
one holis c experience created by the behaviors and values delivered by employees at all levels
across all touchpoints. A customer's ini al interac on with a brand can begin any me and
anyplace at their discre on through many touchpoints, including online, in person, through a
phone call, or authorized partnerships. The rst touchpoint for a family planning their rst
Universal Studios trip could be Universal Studio's website, reviews from their trusted social
network who have rst-hand experience, or the concierge's guidance at a local hotel. A
customer views each of these touchpoints as one Universal Orlando brand experience.

Any dissa sfac on a customer experiences like a bi er dining experience at the Toothsome
Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen located in the Universal CityWalk quickly
overshadow the posi ve experience(s) the magic of Harry Po er created, poten ally disrup ng
the customer journey, leaving a las ng impression of the Universal Studios brand.

Edelman, a global communica ons rm, de nes a brand as "The Earned Brand's story is not
simply told, it is demonstrated and experienced; and, to do that, brands can't operate with a
style guide alone. The Earned Brand has a worldview and a belief system, a purpose and a
reason for being — one that de nes not the communica ons but how the brand behaves
online, o ine, and in all contexts. An expressed set of values informs which products are made,
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 which language is used, how customers are treated, and ul mately the legacy the brand leaves
in the communi es it serves".

"More touchpoints led to more complexity."

With me arguably the most prized commodity, customer's expecta ons for fric onless and fast
experiences are being set by small, everyday interac ons that are easy to overlook, like
Universal Studios o ering a complimentary poncho for children with a cast so they too can
safely experience the thrill of the 84-foot plunge on the Jurassic Park ride. While providing a
poncho may seem minor, these moments are what de ne a brand experience.

A Harvard Business Review ar cle tled "The Truth About Customer Experience" found most
customers weren't fed up with any one par cular phone call, eld visit, or other interac on —
in fact, they didn't much care about those singular touchpoints. What reduced sa sfac on was
something few companies manage — cumula ve experiences across mul ple touchpoints and
in various channels over me. Delivering at scale on customer journeys requires two high-level
changes: (1) modifying the organiza on and its processes to deliver excellent journeys, and (2)
adjus ng metrics and incen ves to support journeys, not just touchpoints.

Understanding how consumers interact with a brand across mul ple touchpoints such as a
website, physical, mobile, or social media is a necessary step for providing the personalized
experience consumers have come to expect.

The Bright Side of Bad Experiences

Despite best e orts, mishaps will occur, resul ng in poor customer experience. All is not lost;
these priceless moments are an opportunity to create a long-las ng customer rela onship
resul ng in brand loyalty at just a frac on of the cost of a paid adver sement. The me spent
merely listening and hearing out a customer share their frustra ons is a priceless opportunity
for a brand to improve, and the customer will appreciate being part of that journey. A visi ng
guest at Universal Studios recently contacted customer service to share their disappointment
with some aspects of the family's rst- me visit to Universal Studios. While the situa on ini ally
seemed like a permanently lost customer, it was quickly turned around by customer service's
me and genuine interest. As a result of how the call was handled, the customer felt the
feedback was not only heard, it was valued. With a deeper emo onal connec on to the
Universal Studios brand, the family already has plans in place to return on their dime and is
looking forward to experiencing Fast and Furious Supercharged! The best marke ng campaign
or incen ve will be hard-pressed to drive this level of brand loyalty.
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