Helping consumers navigate in a digital age: Amsterdam Concert Hall

Post by Anne Charbonneau, brandgym Managing Partner based in Amsterdam
The world we live in seems to become more complicated day by day, with all of us bombarded with multiples sources of information. Smart brands harness the power of digital technology to play the role of “navigators” that simplify the process of making decisions. Yesterday I came across a great a great example of a brand playing this navigator role in a surprising place: the website of Amsterdam’s most famous Concert Hall, The Concertgebouw.
Simplifying choices
Like many good ideas, this one is quite simple. When you click on the “Concert Compass”, you are asked a series of simple question such as “Do you want an intimate concert or a big one ? With voice or instrumental? Modern, baroque or romantic?”
Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at 15.34.44
At the end of a few steps, a selection of concerts customised to your tastes comes up, ready for you to book online. Nice and simple. The choices you have to make are simple and instinctive, and each box is simply visualised.

Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at 15.36.33

Start from customer reality

The Concertgebouw has built on a real customer truth: most people have no clue how to pick a concert from the 100 or so offered in the yearly agenda. This is particularly true for the younger customers who are classical music novices, that the concert hall needs to recruit, given the ageing profile of concert goers. It is critical for this classical music venue to engage with and recruit  this younger audience and help them find what they like in a way that is relevant to them.
Execute beautifully 
The process is simple, not like those 20 question processes you’re often asked to answer online in a customisation process. Every time you make a choice, a nice short piece of music of the style you picked plays up, making the process very experiential and fun
In conclusion, The Concert Compass is a lesson in “beautiful simplicity” and engagement that many consumer brands could learn from when creating digital apps and tools.