CHAT BACK: Curiosity makes a comeback

Why shouldn’t we stick forks in plug sockets? Half the joy of being a kid is being able to explore the world around you for the very first time...and to learn from your mistakes.

I’ve often thought it’s this thrill of the new that turns some of us into shopaholics. The joy of a sleek metallic phone with added whizzbang, or the pleasurable shock when we first see ourselves in the mirror wearing something straight from the pages of a glossy magazine.

They make us feel young again, or at least feel something, in a series of days when we can often feel nothing. Discovery is triumph. It’s these pleasure buttons that present real opportunities for brands to engage and subsequently shine.

Of course, the most rewarding discoveries are the things we learn. Sod trigonometry and the 12 times table, true joy lies in the new tricks and techniques we pick up over time, or simply the glistening nuggets of useless trivia that woo us, tweak us, or simply make us smile.

But it’s tough for a brand to say something new every time. Especially in the age of social media when people expect you to say more things, more often, on a one-to-one basis. That’s why so many brands are zooming in and breaking it down.

They’re focusing on every small drop of detail and making it a hero. It gives them something to say, and for the ever-thirsty consumer, something to drink. Every ingredient has a story to tell. Every employee has a voice. The devil isn’t just lurking in the detail, he’s laughing, dancing and swinging on the asterisk. Let him sing.

I think brands owe it to their audience to reward attentiveness. If someone takes the trouble to read the back of your pack, make it worth their while.

I’ve tried a couple of times to hide a poem in the small print of some financial services literature, without much luck. Once the pointy-heads in compliance see it, the idea is soon choked to death.

The current experts of zooming-in are food manufacturers. What began with a touch of provenance – Proudly made in Australia – is evolving into full-on food porn.

Every aspect of every ingredient is loving divulged in a seductive fashion, with a mattering of evocative adjectives. Trust me, it’s only going to get bigger.

Coles and Woolworths have quite a way to go yet before they catch up with British stalwarts Marks & Spencer, but it’s surely only a matter of time before their premium own-brands go in this direction.

And with such a focus on ethical manufacturing, the same principles may soon make their way into other sectors, from fast-fashion to consumer electronics.

In the UK, the absolute heroes of rewarding curiosity are smoothie-makers Innocent. If you haven’t already, check out their website to get a feel for what they’re about. Their penchant for rewarding the curious sees their packaging completely change every few weeks. Even the underside of the bottles are embossed with quirky one liners virtually guaranteed to make you smile. People lap it up.

In times of high-street homogeneity, a little extra detail can make all the difference. Best of all, talk is cheap.

A few carefully crafted lines in the right place can make shopping for traditionally low-involvement purchases much more interesting. So long live discovery and revelation. Because when brands have nothing to hide, it gives the curious plenty to look for.