We meet on the occasion of the Future Living Award 2016. We managed to answer the question "How will our needs change over the next 10 years?"
Above all, we are pleased with the response – we received over one hundred exceptionally good-quality entries, and with the fact that we inspire creation and set imagination in motion. An important goal of the competition is also to realize that the technology of the future will not only satisfy our ever-new needs, but above all will enable us to survive. That is why we should already be identifying opportunities and threats, and treating technology as a tool. Personally, I am also pleased that most projects take social aspects into account and try to tackle challenges such as: humans versus the technology of the future.
And is advertising household appliances a challenge?
It is a really big challenge, because washing or cleaning are not universally liked activities. However, technology can make them simpler and definitely less time-consuming. So we focus on the emotions associated with using the latest technologies, the effects of our appliances' work, and the benefits related to saving time. The technology offered by the Siemens brand is presented in the context of enjoyable cooking and coffee tasting.
What tools does your marketing activity for the Siemens brand rely on?
We operate across the entire marketing area, from campaigns on television and in the press, through online activities, to direct contact with our consumers during events, cooking demonstrations, and product presentations at the Home Inspiration Center, the Siemens brand showroom.
What kind of communication should appliance manufacturers focus on?
Above all, on dialogue with the consumer through real benefits. I would avoid artificially created, far-fetched concepts, because the market verifies that quickly.
Is a brand like Siemens interested in cooperating with famous faces? I must admit I have not come across a Siemens ad on Polish television with a celebrity… the only exception was the campaign featuring Marek Kamiński.
Our strategy does not focus on showing famous faces, but on communicating technology, also through emotions. Marek Kamiński's participation in the campaign for the first edition of the Siemens Kocham TO! competition was not about communicating the advantages of household appliances, but about encouraging consumers to pursue their passions. We are extremely pleased with his trust in our brand and its values, all the more so because he rarely takes part in any commercial projects.
Why did you decide on your first TV campaign in Poland so late? It appeared in April last year and concerned the premium line.
Our campaign is carried out in line with a global strategy that currently puts broad communication to the end customer in the foreground. Television is only part of our activities; we also conduct intensive online, PR, and social media communication. Communication for premium brands follows somewhat different rules than communication for mass brands. It requires a very precise definition of the target group and the channel of reach. Television is not always the most effective medium for this type of communication. However, introducing a new innovative line of ovens equipped with sensor technology to the market is a good moment to present the offer to a broader group of recipients.
Buying household appliances is a family decision. What influence do men have on the purchase, and what influence do women have?
We do not buy household appliances on impulse; it is usually a considered purchase that we prepare for over a longer period. We read opinions, ask friends for advice, and look at appliances directly in the store. The purchase decision is made together, but women pay more attention to design – the colors and aesthetics of the appliance – while for men the parameters and the latest technological solutions are more important.
And finally: if you could choose only one, the most necessary household appliance in life, what would it be?
The most necessary appliance is the one we cannot replace with the work of our own hands. We can do the washing and the dishes ourselves, but we cannot cool or heat food ourselves. Therefore, I would choose a refrigerator and a cooktop. However, when it comes to the most important appliance that helps with work and saves time, it is definitely the automatic washing machine, which in the 20th century revolutionized the lives of women around the world.
