— A Brand Strategy Fusing Digital and Real — While digital initiatives continue to evolve, companies are once again recognizing the importance of real-world experiences. It is true that a URL functions as an information gateway, but many brands are beginning to understand that what moves a customer’s heart is the “moment they actually experience it.”
Case Study 1: Nike’s “Nike Run Club” While strengthening its online sales, Nike is deploying real-world events called the “Nike Run Club” all over the world. Participants can join running events while actually trying out the latest shoes and wear, allowing them to physically experience the brand’s philosophy: “Moving people forward through the power of sport.”
Looking at the numbers, Nike’s digital sales ratio reached about 26% of the total (in fiscal 2022). Yet, the reason they do not stop holding real events is that experience is the strongest means of fostering brand attachment. 👟✨ Related Article: statista “Nike brand’s direct-to-consumer revenue worldwide from the fiscal years of 2009 to 2025″
Case Study 2: The Experiential Value of the Apple Store The Apple Store is another great example. Detailed information about iPhones and MacBooks can easily be looked up via a URL. However, the tactile feel, operability, and sense of security felt by actually visiting a store, touching the products, and conversing with the staff cannot be obtained from information on a URL alone.
Furthermore, Apple Stores hold free daily sessions called “Today at Apple,” providing experiences where users actually utilize the products. As of 2023, with over 520 stores deployed worldwide, they function not merely as sales hubs but as “places for brand experience.” 🍏 Related Article: Apple Hong Kong “Today at Apple Causeway Bay”
The Value That Cannot Be Conveyed by URL Alone What can be understood from these case studies is that the value of a brand cannot be fully conveyed by a URL alone. While URLs are convenient as windows for providing information, if there is no “real place” where people can actually experience things, it will not resonate deeply with customers’ emotions.
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URL → Information gateway
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IRL → The moment you “feel” the brand
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The synergy of both → The power to enhance trust and attachment
In short, by balancing digital and real, and providing a place where customers can actually try, feel, and engage, the information waiting beyond the URL resonates more strongly and persuasively. 😊
Summary Many brands today place great importance on how to design real-life touchpoints. The more digital technology evolves, the more the value of the real world—called “experience”—stands out. Being conscious of both the wheels of URL and IRL is an indispensable perspective in future marketing. (To be continued) 👉 You might also be interested in our past articles: The Formula for Advertising Success: Abstract × Concrete (Part 4): The Seeds of Marketing 56