Anti-Experience

There is so much emphasis now with companies to create a consumer experience [see also experience design and a great article at Core77]. It is no longer enough for them to sell a product, from store display, to employee interaction and purchasing, then finally opening the box, it all has to carefully thought out and constructed. How much can be controlled though before it becomes to much?

I have become interested in stream of recent articles, in various media, that start to report on people [as consumers and employees] rebelling against the artificial experiences created in interesting ways that I like to call, the Anti-Experience [though, its still an experience, all be it often more funny and hilarious than the one intended].

Listen, watch and read about Anti-Experiences:

Babies Buying Babies from This American Life Matchmakers podcast.

Jackie Mason on Starbucks lack of a real experience.

Wendi Aarons' reaction to a backfired brand experience.