Photo: SunChips Canada Facebook
Score one for the Frito Lay Canada Sun Chips team.
After their US cousins abandoned most of the compostable packaging because of consumer complaints about noise (consumers really want to go green, huh?), the marketing team up north got creative to stay the course.
The clever marketing campaign leverages social media (YouTube, Facebook) to engage consumers directly in a friendly, easy conversational tone. Continue reading
Outrageous Ads Sell Cars for NJ Dealer
Here’s your marketing question of the day: How do automobile dealers differentiate themselves?
Excluding more rural geographic areas, there are usually multiple dealers selling the same auto brand within a 30-minute to 1-hour driving radius. This lets consumers shop for the lowest price.
So what can a dealer do beyond talking about the nebulous better service benefit?
Photo: Brad Benson - NY Daily News
Former NFL star and Super Bowl winner Brad Benson has an answer. It’s clever and powerful advertising.
Benson is the owner of NJ-based Brad Benson Auto Group, which sells the Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands. Being a former Garden State resident, I remember Benson’s unique advertising style, which leverages current events, politics and celebrity actions to create memorable, attention-getting radio ads. He sometimes runs traditional television commercials as well.
I was reminded of Benson because he recently made national news with a radio ad that offered Florida Pastor Terry Jones a new car if he stopped his Quran burning plan. Listen to the spot, which is part of Benson’s International Idiot Award series.
Here’s a short story about Olive Garden and wine. It’s a good reminder that marketers need to make their products and services approachable, easy-to-understand, and sometimes even fun.
The “When You’re Here You’re Family” people really mean it, especially when it comes to wine.
Photo: Olive Garden
See, you can get a free taste before your order. Yes, that’s right. Depending on state laws, you can get a free 1 oz. taste or pay a nominal fee (e.g., $.25 in New Jersey).
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, wine columnist Lettie Teague gushed enthusiastically about her experience at a New Jersey Olive Garden with her friendly waiter, Lamar, who initiated a wine conversation and encouraged the sampling. Teague went on to say that “show, don’t tell, after all, is as good a motto for wine as it is for life.”
It’s also a good mindset to keep in mind for your marketing and sales teams, although “show and tell” is probably an ideal combination.
Wine, like any other product or service, shouldn’t be mysterious or hard to understand. Yet, that’s often the case, typically because there’s a communication disconnect between experts (i.e., producers and members of the distribution chain) and consumers, in this case, the wine drinkers. When I was a brand team leader at Unilever, we used to joke about this phenomenon and we had an expression to use when someone got carried away with too much inside knowledge: “You’re talking to yourself.”
This happens a lot in the wine business, where few people know about the denomination of origin system that governs most of the wine-producing world. Fewer still have any clue about specific areas within a growing region or even individual chateaus or bodegas. And beyond the basic grapes (e.g., Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay) many are hard-pressed to have enough knowledge to feel comfortable with an in-store buying or restaurant ordering decision. Yet, the experts carry on as if they’re talking to other experts. Suffice it to say, making the wine buying/ordering process easier, more comfortable and fun should be a critical goal for the industry.
Marketers need to do the same thing.
Olive Garden gets it and that’s why they have the wine sampling program. They’ve figured out an easy way to eliminate perhaps the number one inhibitor for wine purchase and consumption – lack of knowledge, which results in fear and inaction. Instead, you get a friendly greeting and an offer you can’t refuse. If you’re thinking about wine with your meal, sample and then decide. Depending on state law, the risk might be zero. Nope, this one’s not for me. Ahh, this tastes great and I’ll buy a glass or maybe a bottle for the table.
Obviously, point-of-decision sampling is not a frequently available option. But influencing the decision-making process is always an option, and that’s where the strategic and creative marketing comes into play. Figure out how to communicate so your customer gets knowledgeable, comfortable and then persuaded that your choice is his/her best choice.
Keys to the “show and tell” approach are being able to de-mystify, personalize and dimensionalize the message to customers in meaningful ways. Doing so will probably also strengthen your differentiation.
For example, instead of another “fact sheet” print ad detailing all your wonderful features and benefits (put that PDF document on your Web site), consider producing a short video of an internal team member speaking in his/her own words about why the product/service is so great. Here’s one example of this type of video marketing.
When it comes to marketing and selling, ”talking to yourself” is not the way to go. Instead adopt the “show and tell” mindset and figure out how to use this concept to bring your products and services to life for customers.
Harvey Chimoff adds value with marketing. He leverages a special blend of pragmatic strategy, vision, organization, and action to drive business results in B2B and B2C operations. Contact Harvey at hchimoff@gmail.com.
Posted in Differentiation, Promotions/Tactics, Strategic Marketing
Tagged Olive Garden wine marketing
What’s the marketing connection between Netherlands lingerie, Brazilian hamburgers and US chicken?
Dutch company Lingerie Totaal created a clever online, interactive promotion that helps guys get just the right stuff for their wives/girlfriends. It’s tame in terms of international marketing, where companies can push the boundaries that we’re accustomed to here in the US. What really stands out for me, though, is the strong marketing that underpins this effort. The Kliktease idea reveals a deep understanding of consumer behavior, both for the woman who wants her lingerie gift, and for her sometimes shy, confused man who doesn’t know how to proceed.
Next stop is Brazil, where Burger King devised a cool, personal marketing “Whopper Face” promotion that directly tied to and reinforced the chain’s famous “Have it your way” positioning. Using a hidden camera and printer, unsuspecting customers had their pictures taken while placing their orders, which were then printed on their food item wrapper. Needless to say, there were some surprised reactions.
And then there’s the Cluck-U chicken. Yes, that’s right.
Source: ADWEEK
The 20-unit chain (MD/NJ/PA) offers a “healthy, delicious alternative to traditional fast food,” where “patrons can choose from a variety of Chicken Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads, Chicken Pieces, Clucker-Spuds and Clucker-Bees.” In what ADWEEK magazine described as “Marketing 0.0,” this chain apparently gets great effect from a fully decked-out chicken mascot encouraging visits to the local store. Founder and CEO J.P. Haddad revealed that “twenty-five percent of what we bring in is because of those chickens.” In a deep psychological analysis of the American consumer, Haddad explained the coupon dispensing effectiveness of a person in a chicken outfit versus the average Joe: ”The chicken is one of our most effective tools” because when it comes to coupons “people will take them from a chicken.”
Headline For Marketers: Cast your idea net far and wide for inspiration that can help drive your business. Make sure that your promotions tie to your marketing strategy and positioning. Sometimes, consumer insights can point the way forward. Other times, leveraging technology can do the trick. Or, it may even be the case that some plain old P.T. Barnum is the answer.
Harvey Chimoff is a cross-functional marketing leader who leverages a special blend of pragmatic strategy, vision, organization, and action to achieve marketing and business results. Click here for more information or contact Harvey at hchimoff@gmail.com.
Posted in Promotions/Tactics
Tagged Burger King Brazil, Cluck-U Chicken, Kliktease, Whopper Face
CMO Strategy from Ad Age Sales & Marketing Management Adweek Marketing
