Is Your Coffee Profanely Good?
I don’t even drink coffee, but this tempts me to try some to make sure I still don’t like it.
Mystery Engages
Appearing to tape over some key vowels really gets your mind moving… “did someone have to censor this ad?” or “was it a mistake?”
Making people think about something or feel like they are breaking a rule will always engage them.
At the Enterprise 2.0 Conference last week in Boston, I was talking with a new friend about how she got some stickers from one of the vendors but was told “not to tell anyone or give any away”. Even though she saw right through the reverse psychology, it still got her talking about them. Be clever, be mysterious, and engage the mind.
Risky? Yes
Yes it will still piss some people off, and it is a risk, but some of the best marketing takes big risks. It goes up to an edge, implies gratuity, but does not cross over. It messes with you a little, and if you are not too uptight will likely make you laugh.
They are obviously not marketing to a family audience with this sign, they want to shock the poor tired schmo that is walking by, trying to drag himself through another long, dry day. The sign alone, while subtle at first, might just smack the tired off your day. Imagine what the coffee will do. It does not send the wrong message for the audience they are after.
Cocky Can be Cool
Most ads are careful. Most ads are safe. When an ad or branding steps our of the normal, it gets noticed. Most ads are not cocky, this one is, and it makes you wonder why. It is no universal solution, but it is fun when done well.
Does your brand take risks with its marketing?
image via Shiny Things
Giving a Voice to the Neglected
The power of word of mouth travels fast when the story is compelling. This is a very pure concept. Whether it is a mom complaining about a brand she once had trust in or a citizen protesting his country’s election results, the tools of the social web have leveled the playing field. And it is a beautiful thing to behold.
It is no longer an elite few that chooses what media we consume. We all see that daily. The value of a compelling story can project it around the globe in seconds. These same tools that allow many us an amazing marketing channel can be even more powerful as the amplified voice of the neglected.
The power of social media constantly surprises me. When it is adopted as the voice of a cause as powerful as finding a lost child or championing democracy, we should all take pause.
Is social media creating a better world? Yes, and giving a voice to those who deserve to be heard the most is a big piece of that story.
PCWorld – Iran Protests, Tech Tools at Work
CBCNews.ca – Twitter emerges as news source during Iran media crackdown
Tt=elegraph.co.uk – Iran protest news travels fast and far on Twitter
UPDATE (16:33 EST 6.16.09): Twitter’s Biz Stone reacts to allegations that Twitter delayed scheduled downtime, in support of the Iran protests, at the request of the US State Department. I though this quote from Biz was relevant “the open exchange of information is a positive force in the world.”
Make Them Dance
Whether they know why or not, if you make them dance, you are half way there.
The video below is of one solitary guy dancing at an outdoor concert, obviously being filmed because his dancing was far from ordinary. By the end of the 3 minute video the awkward dancer has caused a full on riot of viral dancing. It is truly amazing to watch, and as others have said, a great metaphor of social media and viral marketing.
The lesson? Be remarkable and passionate about what you do. If it is genuine, others will watch, some will join in, and the movement will grow.
