What are the best ways to grab an audience’s attention? The Internet! The internet! Yes, we know. But how do we end up on the Internet? What’s the concept that we film or gift as a campaign incentive that goes viral and reaches millions?
There are so many tricks of the marketing trade, it can be difficult to keep them straight. But in this industry, we’re all professionals, and we’re all competitive. So we learn the tricks. We practice them. We don’t let a campaign fly without their inclusions.
In 2016, it’s safe to say we’re all practicing and utilizing SEO marketing services. But when we’ve checked the boxes and we’ve mastered the education of Google Analytics, what’s next? How do we take our brand to the next level? We get funky. In a marketer’s softer term, we get creative.
Let’s back up a minute because is getting funky really a show-stopping tactic? Always. Take yourself back to a night- any night- you’ve spent at a dance floor, whether constructed beneath skylights or popped up impromptu in your best friend’s kitchen. If you’re like most people, the fear of being the dancer thrown into the circle’s spotlight is absolutely terrifying. What move would you do? The sprinkler? The robot? Are there any options that aren’t absolutely mortifying?
Now flash to the person who does choose those cringe-worthy moves. What’s the crowd’s reaction? Booing and hating? Never! It’s heads tilted back and laughter spewing toward the sky. It’s total recognition of bravery and cluelessness and before you know, everyone is busting out these ridiculous moves.
Brands are all competing on the same stage, and if we want the spotlight, we’ve got to take humorous risks. Let’s look at some campaigns that mastered this concept:
- Hakuhodo Kettle Tokyo “shell we move?” campaign that featured specially designed homes for real, live hermit crabs. The stunt went viral! The floating Suumo, a home matching service, rose to the top of the industry.
- Groupon’s Andrew Mason looked to win the favor of Mayor Bloomberg by gifting him a pony, a gimmick that would undoubtedly find its way across the world in no time. Although the stunt was ill-researched and thus without desired result, that’s the kind of creativity that the marketing industry must aim to find.
- Half.com is an otherwise ordinary endeavor, a textbook rental company. This company won Ebay’s attention and financial backing when it convinced Halfway, Oregon to rename itself to Half.com.
There are countless more campaigns like these and limitless more to be imagined. If you need help brainstorming new and audience-capturing marketing strategies from a digital marketing agency, reach out to EM360 Digital! We’ll have you laughing – and leading- in no time.
