Brands are part of our habit loops!

Based on the "The Power of Habit, Book by Charles Duhigg".

Habit is a cycle of cue-routine-reward. A cue is the trigger that gets the routine activated hoping to satisfy a specific reward. When we think about habits, we might automatically think about our personal habits (eating, drinking, exercise habits,…) but what might not come into our mind is how companies & organizations are taking part in shaping our collective habits.

When launching a product/service, our indirect objective is to make it top of mind, and that translates into making it a "habit". For consumers, it becomes a decision that they don’t consciously make every time but somehow feel like it’s the first thing that pops into their mind.

Although that might sound simple, it takes a bit of reflection and strategic thinking. An example that showcases the habit loop in the customer experience is Cinnabon.

When thinking about their shop location strategy in malls, they always stay away from food courts. What triggers the consumer to buy a Cinnabon is the smell. If located in a food court, the smell may be hidden or diluted by other smells and so decreases the effect of the cue on our purchasing decision, stopping the habit loop from playing (routine = buy a Cinnabon, Reward= happy and satisfied).

When creating a customer experience, these details should take part in the strategy. The habit loop is an efficient tool at our disposal.