Consumers are tuning out and turning off advertising. That’s no surprise. So, how do you break through the clutter?
I’m a big proponent of Surprise Marketing…touching consumers through unique and creative marketing activities where they don’t expect it, where it adds something special to their normal routine. I’m not talking about obnoxious marketing and advertising and coating the world with your ads and messages, but rather something well-placed, thoughtful and valued by consumers.
Here’s a great example from KFC:
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/03/23/daily60.html
In their home town of Louisville KY and in a few other cities to be named later, KFC will have street crews fill potholes and make street repairs. A message in chalk will state: “Re-Freshed by KFC.”
This is the kind of marketing that is appreciated by consumers and will spark tremendous buzz. And, what’s more, this is an awesome example of how corporations can combine marketing with a real offering to consumers that they’ll value.
What better way to reach out to consumers than to thoughtfully capitalize on the current economic crisis?
Could this be the start of a new kind of marketing? Corporations repairing and building infrastructure for the marketing opportunity? A company can buy naming rights for sporting venues, why not bridges, roads and highways?
