Miss Piggy, Apple And Muses

Many of you know that there is another Muppets movie headed our way...  You've seen some of the movie trailer spoofs, certainly.  And, if you're like me, you're wondering if you should tell your friends you want to see it and wondering how many times you can see it without losing your street cred.

Like a good actress, Miss Piggy has been a part of the PR machine (read this) in advance of the premiere which includes a feature in InStyle Magazine.  Here's an interview of Miss Piggy from InStyle's Facebook page below.  Hilarious and full of her trademark sass and jambon de vivre...  I mean, joie de vivre.

Memory Lane

Now, I didn't share all of this with you so that we can end the week in a fit of giggles (though that's admirable).  Remember this Sesame Street post from a few months back?  My love of Sesame Street, and The Muppets, is constant because they always find ways to say they acknowledge me as a longstanding fan.  Or, more significantly, they're successful at getting me to feel that they are acknowledging me though I know they are addressing everyone.

I'm still a customer no matter my, ahem, age because they treat me as if how I feel about them still matters to them.  Both Sesame Street and The Muppets are successful because they always want us around.  They deliver things to us as adults to reinforce the connection we had with both as children.  It's frankly the reason why Marc Jacobs, Brian Atwood and others are willing to create outfits for Miss Piggy.  It's an affinity beyond the business transaction.  They don't discard us so we don't discard them.

Muses and Musing

Why the special relationship?  It's because we are their constant yet everchanging muses.  As society and we have changed, so have the ways they engage with us.  What's the most remarkable thing about this ever evolving and ever constant love affair between Sesame Street, The Muppets and their customers?  It's that Jim Henson passed away in 1990.  Yup, it's been that long.

And so, it gets me thinking about another creative genius that's been on our minds of late and the impact his passing has on the company he built.  I've seen many suggest that Apple can't succeed without Steve Jobs, among other predictions of its demise.  I can appreciate why people would put forth the argument...  but I think the predictions of its demise are a bit drastic.

I go back to that Miss Piggy video, other Muppets tidbits and of course lovable characters like Elmo, Grover and Big Bird that still thrive without Jim Henson's touch.  They thrive because those who carry Jim Henson's legacy understand the concept of customer as muse.

Steve Jobs succeeded because we were his muses.  He was always inspired by how we live, what we do, the ways we engage and he created things that were complementary to how we were evolving...  not unlike how Sesame Street and The Muppets relate to us as we get older and older.  The trick for our friends at Apple, I believe, is to see that the magic didn't reside in Steve Jobs so much as it resided in his muses.

Sappy?  Maybe.  But, it's my two cents.  Please share your thoughts below and, if you've enjoyed this post, please share with friends.  I'm thankful.

Parissa Behnia
Idea Chef

678Partners@gmail.com
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What? Xerox Does More Than Copiers?

I'm totally loving these Xerox commercials and I'm sharing a sampling with you.  Feel free to watch one or all (thought I do hope you watch all of them) and then let's chat.

Subject Matter Expert

One thing I particularly love is that Xerox is giving credit to each of its clients: Virgin America, Marriott and Ducati for being very good at what they do.  And, Xerox gives them further credit because they want to focus on doing the things they are good at as opposed to the things that, to them, would be distractions.  So, these very smart businesses delegate to Xerox, which is the business process subject matter expert.

Why is this clever?  It's clever because by showcasing its clients, Xerox brings the attention back to themselves.  The best in airplane travel, hotel and motorcycles would of course select the best in outsourced business processes and perhaps their competitors would want to also.  Xerox uses their client examples as de facto examples and endorsements of their services.  It's a lot like someone saying, "But enough about me...  what do you think about me?" 

Spending = Earning

What?  Yes, spending = earning.  At least, that's what Xerox is suggesting here.  In this awful economy, we've all heard how cash rich companies are these days and they all cut their budgets where and when they can.  So, it can be rather a tough sell in the B2B space to outsource functions that can reside in-house because the norm is to decline spending on anything other than things that drive (profitable) revenues.  

Another reason why this is cleverly done because it is, like the subject matter expert point, delivered ostensibly focused on the client but really all about Xerox.  When smart subject matter experts, like Xerox client Virgin America, outsources its call center to Xerox, it earns money because it's training its focus on making flying an enjoyable experience...  When they do that, they'll have more customers who will tell their friends and...  well, you get it. 

Net net: when delivered from the point of view of the client, it becomes less of a sales-y pitchy thing.  It's saying, "Virgin America, Ducati and Marriott are already doing it, so you can do it, too.  Jump on in... the water's fine!"

Who knew?

The best thing about these commercials?  A lovely (and funny) education on how they serve their clients without sounding to education-y.  There is value in teaching but there is danger in being too professorial.  By using humor, they've escaped professorial and they've created memorable.

What say you?  I'd love to hear your thoughts so please do share below and, if you've enjoyed this post, please share with friends.

Parissa Behnia

Idea Chef

678Partners@gmail.com

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