Experience and Memories are the two feelings which matter the most to any human. Isn't it? While experience is a short-lived one, memories are long-lived and are the most impactful ones. Now, why am I emphasizing the importance of these two at the beginning? Continue reading till the end of the analysis to know 'why'.
The Foundation :
It is that successful people have that ability to connect with anyone in any situation. It may sound effortless, but it is a soft skill which many people lack. As we all know, most of the conversations happen at a coffee shop or while travelling; Initiating dialogue is not everyone's passé in this digital world and it looks like Indigo has identified this, explored an opportunity and doing its bit to help passengers strike a conversation.
End Consumer :
Not every individual is the same; their perception and situation differ. As detailed in the 'End Consumer Categories' section of our earlier analysis, passengers may fall into any of those main categories, and this analysis stands valid only if a passenger availed water from these inflight cups[currently discussed] offered by Indigo, and yes this story will make sense to those passengers with cognisance skills.
Oh! let's be gentle, and do not take those users into consideration who are - busy, least interested to observe any of their surroundings, bound to their own world.
The Cup :
If we carefully observe the water cup[Image below], we can notice the below details.
Spot the lie [logo-Dotted Plane]
1. The last man to walk on the moon made his trip in 1972.
2. If pieces of the same type of metal touch in space they will be permanently stuck.
3. When one goes to space, they come back half a foot taller.
[Answer] logo - [Eco-Friendly][Recycle]
Costs Matter : Yes, IndiGo might have just offered the water to passengers in those simple plain cups and reduced printing costs, but it didn't, and instead tried things differently. It is obvious that there must be a reason which made them take this decision despite the incurring costs, else who does even care for just a small water cup which would be crushed after having the water and collected at the end?
Consumer Engagement : Strike the Right Emotion
So, how is the engagement happening?
The concept of printing on paper cups is nothing new, and no there isn't any marketing angle involved. It's only the 'Consumer Engagement Aspect' that we have seen and nothing else. Before I elucidate, let me put forward the three scenarios[not exhaustive] in which things fall in place and work in favour for the engagement to happen.
Scenario1: Solo traveller
Scenario2: Min 2 - at the Max 3 passengers[family, friends or colleagues] in a row [A,B,C]
Scenario3: Encounter someone sitting next who is flexible to have a conversation with a stranger
I'll explain the two scenarios which I encountered, including my personal experience in an IndiGo 6E flight.
Scenario2: We are a family of two, travelling from Hyd to Mum. Having nothing much to talk after we had settled, we are on our thoughts. The Airhostess served the breakfast and also offered us water in cups. Then something printed on the cups grabbed our attention. Initially, we thought its some marketing promo, but no sooner we realized it's a quiz kind of game we both got interested in it.
Here is the summary[transcript] of how the quiz (on the cup) paved the way for our conversations:
1. Oh, we knew Neil Armstrong, should check who is this last man after we landed. 1972... Counted how many years earlier this happened before our birth. Technology evolution, many more to achieve.
2. Discussed - the amusing characteristic of Mercury - liquid metal (collected from broken clinical thermometers during childhood days), Gold and soldering tin-lead.
3. Discussions on the topic height.
All this happened for some quick 15-20 minutes, but it helped us recollect some good old memories, have meaningful conversations, gain some knowledge.
Scenario1: Have observed a co-passenger(2D Seat : solo-traveler), who after having water, crushed the cup and placed it in the magazine holder. After waking up from a nap, he noticed something on the cup, just like how we did, smoothed it, read it and then placed it back in the holder wearing a smile. We never know what's on his mind, but it's evident that this cup has made some difference.
Conclusion: So, how is this going to Help Indigo much?
Maybe not financially much, but this small act, which although targets a limited audience, will help IndiGo achieve consumer engagement that enhances the consumer Experience, that in turn helps consumers make great travel Memories. In a marketing perspective, the message on these paper cups convey the brand directly and also quickly catch the attention of the passengers. In the end, these cups act as catalysts for airline brands.
Consumer [Engagement > Experience > Travel Memories] = Happy Customers :)
I feel experience and memories are interconnected, as beautiful experiences create amazing memories to cherish! Amazed by these simple gestures from brands, we need to wait and watch how long does this marketing innovation can stretch!
Note: Based on Personal Experience. To drink water on a flight or not is out of the scope of this story.
