I know, I know. You're probably thinking 'what now'. For those unfamiliar with the trending Netflix Show Bridgerton, it is essentially a modern cultural appropriation on Regency Era England. Think of it like Gossip Girl meets Jane Austin. With 63 million accounts watching it over 28 days, it's one of Netflix biggest successes (bigger than Queens Gambit + The Crown). Upon watching this show during lock down (naturally) I thought to myself this is genius and maybe there's something in this that can apply to retail. Aside from the fact that Sex sells. So here we go... What can Bridgerton teach retail?

You don't need to be original, you need to be a Remix

Often, we search to either copy another retailer - their concept, product, their success, - or we put our sights on the Nirvana which is originality. As a culture we are conservative (umm just check out our delayed reaction to Climate Change or being 4 years behind our NZ counterparts in legalising gay marriage and 12 years behind Canada). So, let's just say that as a culture we are slow adopters (though definitely great compliers) - innovation in retail included. Just walk into any supermarket and if you've travelled overseas recently you can feel the derivative nature of the look, feel and offer. At times it can feel like there are only two paths at times to be derivative or to be original...but maybe there's a path that lies between.

If I look at Bridgerton, what it does so well is it doesn't pretend to be original but neither it is derivative, instead it's a remix. It's taken the best of socialite drama like Gossip Girl (or you could put in place any other socialite focused show) and set it in Regency England. In the process it's made sure it's steered clear of being labeled as a copy and instead its success is in its ability to remix. That means embracing issues of contemporary culture like diversity, and yet still reminding us of the lack of upward mobility that exists within a society such as the early 19th Century England. Are you following? In essence, it shows us that blending two concepts together (that haven't been blended together) is a third path to innovation.

Lesson: Innovation doesn't have to be original; it can be the result of a remix of two disparate ideas being blended together.

Escapism is the Experience

For as long as I can remember (so maybe 20 years of being in and around retail) there has been talk of the importance of experience. From examples of Selfridges to Apple - you can't sit with a retail consultant or visit international retail without it being a core focus. When we say experience though, what do we mean? If Bridgeton can teach you anything it's that what we're after as consumers is escapism - and that is the crux of the importance of experience.

We're living in a world where we have been through some exceptional things - a pandemic, the storming of congress, denial of climate change etc. We live in a world where you flick on the news and it's filled with fear, hatred and anything divisive that will ensure you click on that link, watch that video etc... basically anything that will ensure that particular media company has something to report back to its advertisers. So, what do we do as human beings - we look for a means to escape this.

It's basic cognitive dissonance in action, the way the world is portrayed by the media is actually far from the inherent positivity that actual exists every day. For anyone that has read Steve Pinker's 'The Better Angels of Our Nature’, he decisively proves that we are living in the most peaceful time in the world’s history, contrary to what we are shown there has been massive decreases in violence, decreases in war and improvement in the treatment of children. However, contentment does not sell ad space. This is where we get to Bridgeton. How does it get to become one of Netflix biggest shows...it offers the viewer an escape from the world they're currently living in. A world which is idealised and a step away from the reality of the home, city, and world the viewer sees on the rest of TV. Of course, the romance of the story doesn’t hurt in this respect.

Lesson: Create experiences that allow us (consumers) to step away from the mundane and escape into a world that will relax them and give them a break from their own minds. Escapism is the experience.

Always give a reason to return

This is really the simplest and most important lesson. Bridgeton leaves each episode with the feeling you have to watch the next. (Even at the end of the season it does, so it’s no surprises it has been renewed for another one). Often in retail, a customer shops online or in store and we give them very little reason to return, aside from a generic email which most often then turns into spam (or gets to live its life in ‘Junk’); or just as damning we don't capture any information from the customer and allow the purchase to be a one off.

What Bridgeton + really any great TV show can teach retail is the art of engagement. The holy grail is being binged watched and then having that viewer waiting for the next season. You know the feeling, it's totally emotional - it’s a TV show after all. To be engaged you have totally bought into the story. So, my question, how can we in retail think beyond basic behavioural targeting or EDM spam and think about how we can draw that customer in to consider continuing 'the story' with us.

This means elevating beyond system 2 thinking (i.e. rational stimulus that will get a rational response); and moving to the land of emotion. That could be the packaging the product is sent in, a personalised message, content on how to use that product etc. It might feel soft, but system 1 thinking (which always overrides system 2 btw) is. It is about feelings. Just as each episode of Bridgeton leaves the story half finished, with the viewer wanting to know what happens next - a purchase or brand engagement should aim to do the same.

As a side not, actually one of the worst examples of 'always giving a reason to return' recently, was a purchase made from a certain manchester site where I waited two weeks for it to be delivered only to receive an email (while my goods were still being processed) that there was now 25% off store wide. Two reasons never to return right there.

Lesson: Think of each engagement with the customer like a chapter in a book, what's the reason for them to keep reading.

Ok, that's it. It's probably evident that I have been spending way too long watching TV; but given it has become somewhat of a national past time at the moment it's an interesting exercise to deconstruct why a show is so good and what we can learn from it.