Creating a space for brands to reward personal achievement

With the rise of trends and technologies such as SoLoMo, geofencing, retargeting and couponing, customers are overwhelmed with advertisements of all kinds, anytime they go online or use their smartphone. Brands are looking for ways to reinvent their branding and marketing strategies in order not to annoy customers. One of the best ways to do this is turning the interaction with the brand into an experience that has added value for the customer - compelling content, social recognition, rewards... Everest, a new San Francisco based startup, has developed a platform that helps people accomplish their dreams. “With this in mind, we wanted to create a way for premium brands to help us in this endeavor” Everest co-founder Victor Mathieux told l’Atelier.

An ecosystem based around personal achievement...

On the Everest platform, users create a “Dream” - running a marathon, learning how to speak Japanese, going on a trip around the world... They then design the path they want to follow in order to achieve this dream, by adding and scheduling a number of steps. The mobile app guides users through their journey by sending reminders, and helps them document their experience with pictures, notes etc. Users can also connect with the community to share best practices and seek for advice from others. Aside from personal dreams, users have a list of branded challenges they can choose to accomplish. As Victor Mathieux puts it, Everest lets brands “help unlock human potential.”

… In which brands have a role to play

The startup developed a robust advertising model, based in the idea that branding can be extremely powerful if it feels authentic and positively impacts people’s life. “This came to fruition in our challenge platform, where brands can issue relevant challenges complete with exciting rewards.” For instance, NorthFace has created a challenge entitled Climb Mount Washington with a friend or two. Users who complete it get a 20% discount on backpacks. “By finding key touch points, the brands are able to help people achieve something” Victor Marthieux says. “This profound action helps build the evangelism they desire.” Everest is working with brands like NorthFace, Quiksilver, AirBnB, charity: water, Livestrong, Samasource, and others.