SERVICEPLAN GERMANY

By transforming a point of sale into a point of experience, O2 invites its customers to dive deep into the brand world of the telecommunications company. Here, music, VR experiences, digital art and interactive installations merge into a multisensory realisation of the O2 philosophy, leading at the very same time to a stringent continuation of the brand’s can-do stories.

Interview with SERVICEPLAN GERMANY

Red Dot: At O2, the point of sale has become a point of experience. Does a brand need to be experienceable in order to meet with success in this day and age? 
SERVICEPLAN GERMANY: We are operating in a saturated market and are in a highly competitive market environment. Products and services are interchangeable. Therefore, we have to make a difference through the brand. We don’t just achieve this through pretty images or advertising. Our brand has to attract attention and hold meaning. It must stand out from other brands and evoke positive associations and reactions in people. We achieve this primarily through emotional brand experiences that are perceived with all of the senses.

In the O2 Studio in Berlin, the shop function is combined with a digital AI exhibition, music, VR installations and storytelling about different people. In addition to technical expertise, to what extent do companies need to convey social competence or an understanding of the lives of the target group?
Customer centricity is absolutely vital. With knowledge about lifestyles, needs and purchasing behaviour, we can tailor products and services to the target group at every stage of the customer journey. Our employees play a crucial role here, because they are usually the first point of contact with customers – above all, the most direct contact – and thus the most important ambassadors of our brand. They play a decisive role in how people perceive us and our brand.

How fine is the line here between hitting a chord with a young target group and still remaining authentic? Gen Z is very critical on this point ...
This is a fine line, because today the young target group is no longer only interested in why the product is the best or what discounts are available. It is much more important that we support them cooperatively and transparently, and that we respect and acknowledge their values. In an age when the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds are blurring, we make the brand tangible at precisely this point and thus build a personal and emotional connection. We achieve this primarily through authentic storytelling. This is how we manage to connect emotions and experiences positively with our products through our can-do stories.