Branding & marketing: American Express launches MembersKnow.com

American Express is a brand associated with prestige, luxury, and wealth (or at least money :-)). According to the company, their cardholders are big time travelers compared to those who don’t have AmEx cards.

It makes sense, then, that they would launch an upscale community travel site that’s exclusively available to American Express cardholders, right? And that’s what AmEx did.

As branding and marketing evolve, companies are and will need to change how they reach customers. Tops on the list is what I’ll call ‘tangential branding:’ creating experiences that incorporate your brand into the associated lifestyle of your customers. You company isn’t driving the brand. You’re understanding who your customers are, what they like and dislike, what they think about your brand, and why they choose (or don’t choose) to incorporate it into their lives.

In the case of American Express, the choice is obvious: travel and dining. With Starbucks, it’s cool coffee-house music from around the globe. With Scion, it’s independent movies and DJs that spin rare grooves. It’s all about understanding what else your customers are into and developing experiences where your brand is a part of — but not central to — the experience.