Frictionless is not the same as distinctive - efficiency without emotional connection builds no brand affinity
WarningBrand & Creativity
Frictionless is not the same as distinctive - efficiency without emotional connection builds no brand affinity
Frictionless is not the same as distinctive. Some experiences get the job done but do not connect people to the brand emotionally, so they build no positive association and no affinity - efficiency without difference.
Source
Be Distinctive Everywhere: The Experience Edition 2026 - Jones Knowles Ritchie x Kantar (2026)
Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) x Kantar
p. 12; JKR x Kantar
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StatWhere brand equity is actually builtStatImproving customer experience makes a brand 2.5x more likely to significantly grow market shareStatDistinctiveness, experience and product factors drive 62% of what makes a brand different - communication only 20%StatMeaningful Difference accounts for 94% of a brand's pricing powerStatA shared belief gives brands 9x higher volume share, 2x higher price paid, and 4x greater odds of growing value shareStatAffinity nearly doubles repeat purchaseStatConsistency compounds into growthStatThe most distinctive brands more than doubled the growthStatOwn product experience and word of mouth score highest on brand impact; print ads, OOH, online ads and sponsorship score lowestPrincipleBrand experience is the moment a brand's promise comes true - in every interaction, from a phone call to an unboxingPrincipleThe distinctiveness test for any brand experience: could a competitor have offered this same experience?PrincipleThe Distinctive Experience Cycle: a shared belief drives Expression, Participation, Experience and Validation in a loop