June 4, 2012
Tommy Bahama: Storyteller
Tommy Bahama knows the value of a good story.
"If anything, our brand is based almost all on storytelling," Doug Wood, president and chief operating officer recently told RetailWire. "There is no Tommy Bahama. … When the company was founded, it was really built up by a story, and what we’ve done over time is we’ve kind of built out the story with the idea that the purpose of the company is to enable the world to relax. … So we talk about it all the time, but you also have to do it casually because if you look like you’re trying too hard, that’s not very relaxing."
The art of storytelling is not just a one-way communication.
"The internet really gives you a way for people to interact with your brand that candidly wasn’t there three to five years ago," said Mr. Wood. "In the world of e-commerce and the internet and social media, the way you do it now is you have to allow your guest to interact with you. And stories is one way; reviews of products is another way; Facebook is another.
"It’s fantastic for us because we’re not even involved in the discussion — you’ve got fans talking to fans. All we’re doing is setting up the environment for fans to talk. Sometimes they’re telling you stuff that isn’t always good, but it’s actually really good for us because we probably wouldn’t have had a chance to hear that if we wouldn’t have actually set up the environment for them to talk to us."
One of the ways Tommy Bahama has gotten its customers talking is through a joint program with Major League Baseball. Now in its third year, Tommy Bahama has created collector’s versions of the company’s traditional camp shirt with a unique graphic developed for select teams, including the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. The company makes and individually numbers between 250 and 1,000 shirts, depending on the team. This year, in a new twist, customers were asked to tell their favorite stories about the team they love. All then vote on their favorite stories with the winner getting a free collector’s shirt and a $500 Tommy Bahama gift certificate.
"People are so emotional, so into what they’re writing," said Mr. Wood. "Some are funny, some are sad, but all of them are really reminiscing about some experience they had at the ballpark or at the game. And they’re just wonderful. We’ve had a lot of fun with it, we’re always trying to think of new ways to engage with our guests."
Tommy Bahama is looking to create a deeper connection by asking customers to tell their story for its "Make Dad’s Day" promotion. People get to share their favorite story about their father with the potential to win one of three Tommy Bahama gift certificates or a grand prize valued at $10,000.
A lot has changed in the 11 years Mr. Wood has been with Tommy Bahama. The company, which includes retail stores, restaurants and a wholesale business, has expanded into new categories as it and customers have built on the Tommy Bahama story. The company, which started out as a men’s brand, now sees women’s wear as the fastest growing piece of its business.
Tommy Bahama has also moved from simply a summer brand to one that connects with consumers year-round. Today, its number one selling item is a reversible half-zipped sweater that retails for $98. The company has also embraced denim, which was not part of its original resort wear heritage.
![[Image: Tommy Bahama Interview]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxIDEiIHdpZHRoPSIxIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEiIGRhdGEtdT0iJTJGcHVibGljJTJGaW1hZ2VzJTJGZGlzY3Vzc2lvbnMlMkYxNjA1NyUyRnRvbW15LWJhaGFtYS1zdGlsbC5qcGciIGRhdGEtdz0iMSIgZGF0YS1oPSIxIiBkYXRhLWJpcD0iIj48L3N2Zz4=)
Click to listen to the podcast of RetailWire’s in-depth interview with Doug Wood, president and COO of Tommy Bahama in iTunes.
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Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions: What role does/should storytelling play in retailing? What lessons can others take from the stories that Tommy Bahama tells as well as those that its customers tell it?
Poll
Story is important to any retailer or brand. The human brain is wired to understand and respond to stories. Retailers and brands can connect with consumers through their stories. Without a story, the retailer/brand is simply a cold corporation.
Consumers should be encouraged to interact with the brand through the story, building on the brand image.
Storytelling, or word of mouth, has always been critical to retail success — and often retail failure — and always will be. People generally trust their circle of friends and acquaintances to provide input to a greater extent than the retailer themselves. Although the communication medium continues to change from face to face, to telephone, email, blog, text, social network, etc., the principle remains the same.
Storytelling has had significant impact on retailers as varied as Walmart, Tiffany’s, Nordstrom, Costco, Starbucks, Wegmans, Wawa, Zappos, and many others. As social media continues to become part of the fabric of our lives, storytelling will be increasingly important.
Everyone loves a story, and better yet, to be associated with a thought or aspiration that a brand can provide a way to express it. Retailers have the opportunity to move from selling items to providing a feeling of “better than” for their shoppers.
I think storytelling is increasingly an important part of retailing — not that it hasn’t always been, just that the stakes are even higher now than ever before. However, outside of the specific Father’s Day example above, I find that retailers’ perceptions of the stories they tell are often way overblown — that consumers are more often missing what the story is, either because it’s too subtle, or the story is told in the wrong medium and the shopper misses it.
That’s what makes the two-way nature of the conversation that is possible today so much more important. Because if you’re missing the mark, you’ll know. Your customers will tell you.
I think the hardest part is learning to be a good listener of customers’ stories.
Doug Wood addressed Nikki’s point in our interview.
“Some stuff you don’t like to hear, sometimes they’re telling you stuff that isn’t always good, but it’s actually really good for us because we probably wouldn’t have had a chance to hear that if we wouldn’t have actually set up the environment for them to talk to us.”
I highly recommend listening to the podcast. Doug was extremely forthcoming and discussed much more than we could cover for the purposes of the discussion here.
Every brand should have a story and I don’t mean the kind that customers tell about their fathers. I am talking about the kind of story that causes me to think of those other stories and shop that brand.
When I work with clients, I ask them what image they want the prospect to see when they hear the brand name. What words do they want them to think. Now that we have that down, we need to know next what that consumer wants from us and go do it!
Tommy Bahama has obviously done a great job of utilizing storytelling in their marketing strategy. It’s just another way to create a mood or culture that many people will find attractive. Another successful company that has created a great mood and culture is Starbucks, but they have done it more with the atmosphere in their stores. Anything that you can do to make your customers identify with your products will be a big plus for you. Doing that with very competitive personal items like clothing not only creates sales but can allow you to charge premium prices in addition.
There’s financial glory in understanding the value, emotionalism and subordinately connected storytelling. If you’re a retailer, encourage your guests to interact with you so you can gain their insights.
The more you can build positive conversation about the brand, rather than just pushing the product, the better the true loyalty will be… for retailers and brands.
This is really an example of customer interaction rather than story telling. Tommy Bahama involves the customer, gets them to tell their personal story, which invites others to share in the Tommy Bahama experience. Together this sets the tone and them to the Tommy Bahama brand. However, their price, along with their value combined with their brand is what is the truly success factor in their history, not just the story.
With the ability of customers to be instantly involved in a product or service review, companies have to stay on their toes reference addressing complaints/concerns. For the companies who are not quick to respond to a problem, the fallout can happen very fast.
As the article mentions, allowing customers to interact is a good way to quickly monitor, then fix a potentially negative situation with one customer…before it spreads to others.
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Story is important to any retailer or brand. The human brain is wired to understand and respond to stories. Retailers and brands can connect with consumers through their stories. Without a story, the retailer/brand is simply a cold corporation.
Consumers should be encouraged to interact with the brand through the story, building on the brand image.
Storytelling, or word of mouth, has always been critical to retail success — and often retail failure — and always will be. People generally trust their circle of friends and acquaintances to provide input to a greater extent than the retailer themselves. Although the communication medium continues to change from face to face, to telephone, email, blog, text, social network, etc., the principle remains the same.
Storytelling has had significant impact on retailers as varied as Walmart, Tiffany’s, Nordstrom, Costco, Starbucks, Wegmans, Wawa, Zappos, and many others. As social media continues to become part of the fabric of our lives, storytelling will be increasingly important.
Everyone loves a story, and better yet, to be associated with a thought or aspiration that a brand can provide a way to express it. Retailers have the opportunity to move from selling items to providing a feeling of “better than” for their shoppers.
I think storytelling is increasingly an important part of retailing — not that it hasn’t always been, just that the stakes are even higher now than ever before. However, outside of the specific Father’s Day example above, I find that retailers’ perceptions of the stories they tell are often way overblown — that consumers are more often missing what the story is, either because it’s too subtle, or the story is told in the wrong medium and the shopper misses it.
That’s what makes the two-way nature of the conversation that is possible today so much more important. Because if you’re missing the mark, you’ll know. Your customers will tell you.
I think the hardest part is learning to be a good listener of customers’ stories.
Doug Wood addressed Nikki’s point in our interview.
“Some stuff you don’t like to hear, sometimes they’re telling you stuff that isn’t always good, but it’s actually really good for us because we probably wouldn’t have had a chance to hear that if we wouldn’t have actually set up the environment for them to talk to us.”
I highly recommend listening to the podcast. Doug was extremely forthcoming and discussed much more than we could cover for the purposes of the discussion here.
Every brand should have a story and I don’t mean the kind that customers tell about their fathers. I am talking about the kind of story that causes me to think of those other stories and shop that brand.
When I work with clients, I ask them what image they want the prospect to see when they hear the brand name. What words do they want them to think. Now that we have that down, we need to know next what that consumer wants from us and go do it!
Tommy Bahama has obviously done a great job of utilizing storytelling in their marketing strategy. It’s just another way to create a mood or culture that many people will find attractive. Another successful company that has created a great mood and culture is Starbucks, but they have done it more with the atmosphere in their stores. Anything that you can do to make your customers identify with your products will be a big plus for you. Doing that with very competitive personal items like clothing not only creates sales but can allow you to charge premium prices in addition.
There’s financial glory in understanding the value, emotionalism and subordinately connected storytelling. If you’re a retailer, encourage your guests to interact with you so you can gain their insights.
The more you can build positive conversation about the brand, rather than just pushing the product, the better the true loyalty will be… for retailers and brands.
This is really an example of customer interaction rather than story telling. Tommy Bahama involves the customer, gets them to tell their personal story, which invites others to share in the Tommy Bahama experience. Together this sets the tone and them to the Tommy Bahama brand. However, their price, along with their value combined with their brand is what is the truly success factor in their history, not just the story.
With the ability of customers to be instantly involved in a product or service review, companies have to stay on their toes reference addressing complaints/concerns. For the companies who are not quick to respond to a problem, the fallout can happen very fast.
As the article mentions, allowing customers to interact is a good way to quickly monitor, then fix a potentially negative situation with one customer…before it spreads to others.