Friday, December 14, 2007
Nontraditional tactics are clever and produce results
A recent article on PRSA online reports about the findings of a comprehensive survey of media usage among consumers and communications professionals. The findings?
Advice from family and friends is the No. 1 source consumers turn to when making a variety of decisions — ranging from purchasing consumer electronics to planning a vacation — and advice from an expert rates highest when making medical decisions and purchases based on a product’s environmental impact. Despite the strong evidence that friends, family and experts play a key role in influencing decisions, only 24 percent of communicators report having a word-of-mouth program in place.
The takeaway? Communicators must focus on individuals and not just broadcast to the masses.
Most nontraditional approaches are focused on brand ambassadors connecting with a very specific target audience such as students at a college campus, guests attending an awards show or beach goers in southern California.
Our team has partnered with a company, Trashtalk, to coordinate Segway street teams for clients such as Bruegger's and the WNBA. Other recent campaigns include:
--Over five consecutive weekends Segway street teams distributed 100,000 restaurant branded sarongs and 125,000 coupons at beaches, malls, concerts and other events in southern California.
--57 college students at 24 campuses drove branded vehicles and distributed cases of Coca Cola's new ready-to-drink coffee, Planet Java.
--Completely wrapped two New York City buses with real clothes to demonstrate how much a small bottle of All laundry detergent can clean while distributing 75,000 coupons in 12 days.
--Curly's selected two soccer moms in seven markets to wrap their personal vehicles for two months to promote the product to their peers and attend sampling events.
Not only are these campaigns extremely creative and laser focused on a specific consumer but they also personalize the communication and create dialogue.
I don't know about you, but I would be much more influenced by my buddy in the flashy wrapped car. I wouldn't hesitate to try the product she was personally recommending.
Advice from family and friends is the No. 1 source consumers turn to when making a variety of decisions — ranging from purchasing consumer electronics to planning a vacation — and advice from an expert rates highest when making medical decisions and purchases based on a product’s environmental impact. Despite the strong evidence that friends, family and experts play a key role in influencing decisions, only 24 percent of communicators report having a word-of-mouth program in place.
The takeaway? Communicators must focus on individuals and not just broadcast to the masses.
Most nontraditional approaches are focused on brand ambassadors connecting with a very specific target audience such as students at a college campus, guests attending an awards show or beach goers in southern California.
Our team has partnered with a company, Trashtalk, to coordinate Segway street teams for clients such as Bruegger's and the WNBA. Other recent campaigns include:
--Over five consecutive weekends Segway street teams distributed 100,000 restaurant branded sarongs and 125,000 coupons at beaches, malls, concerts and other events in southern California.
--57 college students at 24 campuses drove branded vehicles and distributed cases of Coca Cola's new ready-to-drink coffee, Planet Java.
--Completely wrapped two New York City buses with real clothes to demonstrate how much a small bottle of All laundry detergent can clean while distributing 75,000 coupons in 12 days.
--Curly's selected two soccer moms in seven markets to wrap their personal vehicles for two months to promote the product to their peers and attend sampling events.
Not only are these campaigns extremely creative and laser focused on a specific consumer but they also personalize the communication and create dialogue.
I don't know about you, but I would be much more influenced by my buddy in the flashy wrapped car. I wouldn't hesitate to try the product she was personally recommending.
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