Latest news with #DigitalExperience
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Becoming Essential: How Brands Can Thrive In The Vibecession
Ray Lansigan is the Head of Strategic Intelligence for Publicis Groupe, Digital Experience. getty In recent years, what's known as a 'vibecession' has become a defining characteristic of consumerism. Encapsulating the divergence between rational economic thinking and emotional behavior, this catchy term reflects a contemporary twist on the complex interplay between consumer sentiment and spending habits. For example, the phenomenon of 'girl math' has gained traction as shorthand for how consumers of all genders and ages rationalize their spending decisions. Recent data shows a significant drop in consumer sentiment, and current trends like #deinfluencing and #NoBuy challenges further cement the reality that people want to spend less. For marketers, understanding these aspects of behavioral economics is crucial. If consumers are caught in rolling waves of spending anxiety, how can brands leverage behavioral economics to their advantage? The answer may lie in embracing essentialism. Essentialism is a philosophical theory about how we as people interact with objects. Our brains are wired to seek out something's essence or inherent nature, and that extends to the products we buy. For brands, essentialism is an avenue for well-crafted storytelling that emphasizes the importance of focusing on what truly matters, choosing quality over quantity, and ensuring that time, energy and resources are dedicated to purchases and investments that deliver value over time. When done well, this approach can foster loyalty and establish brands as an essential part of their consumers' lives. By identifying prevalent key consumer behaviors and the emotional connections that consumers seek with products and experiences, marketers can go beyond meeting their consumers' needs. Many Gen Zers and Millennials treat the immediate, emotional ROI of spending as a form of self-care. Nearly 60% will make a purchase to soothe themselves after a bad day. But retail therapy isn't exclusive to younger generations. Baby Boomers exhibit similar behaviors when it comes to products and services related to wellness and longevity. Marketers who understand this mindset can effectively position their brands as partners in the pursuit of fulfillment and well-being. Consumers are beginning to frame one-time purchases as cost-effective, long-term investments. For example, the popular salon chain DryBar's signature 'Blowout' service averages between $55 and $70 per visit. Depending on how regularly a consumer engages in this service, they may decide that the cost-per-daily use value of buying a hair tool worth hundreds of dollars is more financially sound. Brands can leverage this insight and encourage consumers to do the mental math of dividing a price tag into smaller dollar amounts tied to each use. Customers need some form of psychological permission before they spend money on something. Offering initiatives like store credits or loyalty programs align with this need because people perceive them as "free money." Targeted campaigns that display points balances along with stacked discounts can bring consumers off the sidelines and into the purchase funnel. Consumers' willingness to turn aspirational purchases into a reality has contributed to the growing popularity of buy now, pay later (BNPL) services. This form of credit allows people to take financing strategies once reserved for mortgages or phone plans and apply them to everyday purchases. In the context of economic uncertainty, BNPL is an effective lever for showing consumers that they can control a product's affordability by dividing the payments over time. Existing customers are high-value targets, and brands can engage with them more effectively by using owned channels to transform transactions into experiences. For example, loyalty program points create a positive feedback loop of repeat purchases and increased brand affinity. In a 2024 Epsilon survey, 55% of respondents said they frequently sign up for these programs when given the chance, and 74% agreed they feel more loyal to a brand when their experience is positive. In times of declining consumer sentiment and increasing uncertainty, marketers must align their strategies with consumer needs. Here are three key recommendations to essentialize your brand: • Leverage Micro- And Nano-Influencers: With an audience that tends to max out at 100,000 followers, micro- and nano-influencers possess unique authority within their focus communities. Because authenticity is key, they get creative when highlighting a product's importance, utility and value. Engaging with influencers at this level can be a powerful method for conveying your brand's emotional ROI. • Innovate For Affordability: With rising costs top of mind for consumers, make your product or service more accessible and palatable. Using BNPL platforms can help defray financial costs and overcome pricing barriers. • Optimize Your CRM Program: Effective targeting minimizes waste and builds consumer loyalty. Through first-party data and direct channels like cart abandons, direct mail and site retargeting, you can focus on lower-funnel activity with existing customers. When paired with a strong value exchange and an intuitive UX, a tuned CRM program creates a virtuous cycle that benefits both your brand and the consumer. By embracing essentialism and maximizing emotional ROI, brands can become indispensable to consumers. By fostering lasting engagement and loyalty, marketers can strengthen their brand's presence in the current economic climate while laying the groundwork for continued success in an ever-evolving marketplace. Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
Tahawul Tech
07-02-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
'Liferay DXP empowers organizations to deliver frictionless customer experiences' – Moussalam Dalati, Liferay
CNME Editor Mark Forker sat down with Moussalam Dalati, General Manager of Middle East, Africa and France at Liferay, in a bid to better understand the mission statement of the company and how its Digital Experience Platform was empowering its clients to deliver seamless and frictionless customer experiences. Moussalam Dalati has been a major force in the success of Liferay across the Middle East and Africa marketplace over the last number of years. Dalati has spent the last 20 years in the technology sector, and has developed a reputation for being an astute business leader with a candid ability to help organisations leverage the capabilities of disruptive technologies to transform the way their business operates. In a world that is completely digitalised, the only currency in circulation is that of customer experience. Many commentators have said we now live in an 'experience economy' – and due to our dependence on all things digital, our tolerance for poor interactions with an application, or a service is extremely low, so if companies want to stay relevant and competitive then customer experience is the only show in town. Liferay has positioned itself as a real leader when it comes to delivering digital transformation for their customers across the Middle East region. The jewel in their crown is the Digital Experience Platform (DXP) that has been credited with being a huge catalyst in your success. Dalati kickstarted the conversation by elaborating on what the unique capabilities of the DXP are. 'Liferay DXP is an all-in-one platform, encompassing content management, digital experience management, portal, B2B commerce and integration capabilities. This eliminates the need for multiple point solutions. DXP is built on a robust open-source foundation, and offers flexibility, customization, and a large and active community for support and innovation. Liferay DXP prioritizes customer experiences by providing tools for personalized interactions, omnichannel engagement, and data-driven decision making. It seamlessly integrates with various enterprise systems and technologies, enabling businesses to leverage existing investments,' said Dalati. Dalati added that the company believes in continuous innovation, and that it is simply not in their nature to stand still and rest on their laurels. He also stressed that their mission statement as an organization was to deliver what he described as 'exceptional' digital experiences. 'Liferay consistently invests in research and development, introducing new features and capabilities to address evolving customer needs and market trends. Our mission is to empower organizations to create exceptional digital experiences that connect with their customers, drive business growth, and transform their operations. We want to build strong customer relationships by delivering personalized and engaging digital experiences. We want to drive business growth by leveraging digital channels to reach new markets and increase revenue,' said Dalati. Liferay has drawn acclaim from independent analysts for its ability to deliver 'seamless digital experiences'. Dalati explained how Liferay harnesses technology to remove the friction that traditionally exists from a B2B, or B2C perspective. 'We create tailored experiences for different customer segments, partners, and employees, offering relevant information and streamlined workflows. We facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among internal teams and external partners. In addition to this, we automate routine tasks, such as order processing, contract management, and service requests, improving efficiency and reducing errors,' said Dalati. Dalati highlighted the importance of fostering that omnichannel engagement in order to deliver that 'personalized' experience. 'We deliver consistent and personalized experiences across all touchpoints, including websites, mobile apps, social media, and physical stores. We leverage data to provide relevant product recommendations and personalized offers, enhancing customer satisfaction and driving conversions. We guide customers through every stage of their journey, from initial discovery to purchase and beyond, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience,' said Dalati. One other feature of Liferay's product portfolio that has garnered significant praise is their low-code development capabilities. Dalati explained how Liferay DXP empowers and enables teams to build and tailor solutions rapidly without compromising on quality, or scalability. 'Liferay DXP's low-code capabilities empower teams to build and tailor solutions rapidly without compromising on quality or scalability by allowing them to do more with less coding. Imagine building applications without writing a single line of code! Liferay lets you do just that. You can configure and customize many aspects of your digital experiences through simple point-and-click interfaces. This means less reliance on IT and faster time to market for your projects. From collecting data to automating approvals, Liferay simplifies complex workflows. You can easily create forms, track progress, and ensure tasks are completed efficiently. This boosts productivity and improves operational efficiency. Liferay seamlessly connects with other systems you already use. This eliminates the need for separate systems and ensures data consistency across your organization. In essence, Liferay's low-code approach empowers your teams to be more agile and innovative. You can quickly adapt to changing business needs and deliver solutions that meet your specific requirements without the complexities of traditional development,' said Dalati. At CNME, we have highlighted the ongoing issue of legacy infrastructure for many established players. Dalati explained how Liferay ensures that integration is both a seamless and painless process, by documenting the steps they take to remove the complexity that is traditionally involved in these types of integrations. 'Liferay focuses on making integrations with existing systems as smooth as possible by using industry-standard technologies. We support common integration methods like APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and web services. This means it can easily connect to most existing systems, regardless of their age or specific technology. For many popular systems, Liferay offers ready-to-use connectors. This significantly reduces the time and effort required to establish a connection. Liferay provides tools that allow businesses to integrate systems with minimal coding. This empowers business users to be more involved in the integration process and accelerates the overall timeline. We design its integrations to minimize disruption to end-users. This means a consistent and familiar user experience across all integrated systems. By focusing on these key areas, Liferay aims to simplify the integration process and minimize the complexity often associated with connecting to legacy systems. This allows businesses to leverage their existing investments while modernizing their digital experiences,' said Dalati. Liferay DXP is now fully available on the Google Cloud Marketplace, Dalati outlined the significance of this in terms of their expansion across the Middle East region. 'In alignment with Saudi Arabia's Cloud First Policy, which prioritizes cloud computing for accelerated digital transformation, Liferay's DXP is available on Google Cloud Marketplace as the only DXP fully available with all its functionalities in the Kingdom. It facilitates a convenient deployment option, leveraging the robust infrastructure of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) in Saudi Arabia, in line with Liferay's commitment to scale digital experiences and accelerate digital transformation efforts. This of course also applies to Qatar and Kuwait where Google Cloud is also present,' said Dalati. Dalati highlighted some of the benefits that Liferay DXP on Google Cloud Marketplace offers to businesses. 'The streamlined setup and automated deployments for quicker time-to-market. We can also leverage Google Cloud's scalable infrastructure for optimal performance and we can benefit from Google Cloud's advanced security features. We can optimize costs with flexible pricing models and reduced infrastructure needs and easily integrate with other Google Cloud services. The ability to offer our DXP solution through the partnership with Google Cloud is a natural consequence of our decision to use Google Cloud's world-class infrastructure and technology. Our joint customers will be able to build digital experience solutions that meet the unique needs of their entire business on one platform, backed by the most reliable and innovative cloud provider,' said Dalati. AI is everywhere, and the momentum behind things like Generative AI shows no signs of slowing down, especially with Wall Street now betting big on it. Dalati concluded a wonderful exchange by explaining to our readers the approach Liferay takes to AI, and how businesses can adopt the technology and infuse it into their own products in a seamless fashion using Liferay DXP. 'Liferay empowers organizations to leverage the power of AI by seamlessly integrating with existing AI/ML models and services. This 'bring your own AI' approach allows businesses to harness the latest advancements in artificial intelligence without being constrained by vendor lock-in or the need for in-house AI expertise. Liferay's robust integration capabilities enable organizations to connect their existing AI models (developed in-house or by third-party providers) with their digital experiences, unlocking new levels of personalization, automation, and insights. Liferay DXP also has a number of AI capabilities that can be used to accelerate content creation, streamline operations, and deliver context-intelligent assistance. These AI capabilities include AI-powered content creation, AI-assisted tools, and AI insights. We utilize AI and machine learning to analyze data and predict customer behavior, enabling proactive decision-making and improved business outcomes. Liferay actively explores and integrates emerging AI technologies, such as generative AI, into its platform to provide cutting-edge capabilities to its customers,' concluded Dalati.
