State of liminality

I read this brief description of liminality and liminal states. It seems to be a good way of describing the University students I encounter. As they transition from school or college, to the world of full-time employment, University life can be challenging, ambiguous, uncertain. It may not be until several years after graduation that many of them "get it", in terms of what we were trying to teach them and hoping they would deduct for themselves. Some of my students who come back from their placement year certainly have experienced the transformation identified in the post-liminal state and are more able to apply the theoretical concepts to case studies and real-life examples.

I suspect consumers go through a similar experience when they encounter new brands or product propositions. As they let go of their prior understanding of existing brands, they may take some time to understand and appreciate the benefits of the new brand. But this model suggests, once that understanding and integration has taken place, the basis for brand loyalty is created.

Gandy's Flip Flops

I came away from a presentation yesterday, feeling inspired and impressed by the passion and tenacity of co-founder, Rob Forkan of Gandy's Flipflops. He gave an exciting talk at Portsmouth University about the art of the possibile, about the power of self-belief and about how people can survive and blossom in adversity.

Check out their website to find out more about the company. Several things struck me about meeting Rob and Richard, a recent Portsmouth University marketing graduate. Firstly, the importance of being driven by what inspires you. The Forkan brothers appear to be highly motivated by what they do and how this fits into their plan to make a difference in society. I am sure, after long, frustrating days, the temptation to abandon the project may have crossed their minds. But I got a real sense that there is something very strong that drives them forward.

Secondly, their business idea is incredibly simple. They sell flip flops. That's it! And yet, they have created a gap in the market, by developing a unique brand, imbuing the humble flip flop with a degree of trendiness and creating a palpable buzz around everything they do. The brothers were not put off by the fact that flip flops are almost ubiquitous and are a relatively cheap, semi-disposable form of  footwear. Nor were they put off by the fact that, in the premium end of the market, there were already some very long-established brands (such as Haviaianas). They just got on with creating a brand anyway.

Thirdly, the power of networking. They seemed to be outstanding at meeting people, making a connection and leveraging those connections. It was also interesting to hear they had received unsolicited approaches from the media and retailers who had heard about the company via their own contacts.

OK, enough of the eulogy. I think this team will go far - not just in flip flops. If they can apply the same degree of passion, creativity and ingenuity to other products and services, we will definitely be hearing a lot about them in the future.