Hip Marketing Strategies Pt. 1

I have been on hiatus in the past few months due to my busy lifestyle in Marketing (sarcasm). With the start of fall comes a host of things, which could be considered as a hindrance of a creative mindset. That would include getting back into a routine. Although I have been in the same routine for the summer, as a considerably recent college grad I am still conditioned to be on the “ball” in September.

With an overflowed in box full of countless Marketing, PR and Advertising news and tips, I have a big pool to choose from to expand my thoughts on today’s world of Communications.

As I review things like an HR person looking over résumé’s, I’m going to point out the topics that tickle my creative bones:

1.) HP’s You on You Project

If you have ever seen the Hewlett Packard commercials where they displayed a famous person describing the intricacies on their life without showing their face, you know what You on You is. If you haven’t here’s an example:

HP is using the favorable popularity of their commercials, and using it to promote its brand of creativity. Users uploaded content via youtube with the same style of the commercial and the top 100 post were selected.  Check this link to view the top videos. On September 21st the top video was chosen by none other than my fellow Youtuber’s for a $40,000 grand prize.

My take on it:

I love this idea that brings out the vast creativity of individuals. Even though Apple is killing HP in the market share of creative suites, this is a way to pay homage to dedicated users of HP’s products. I may have a bias because I love these commercials so I wouldn’t be able to have a post of critical element. The only regret I have is I wish I got to this earlier.

I was able to see this one on one of my Chief Marketer website updates through my cluttered in box. It was part of The Big Fat Marketer Blog.

2) KFC thinks outside of the box (And outside of land too)

As KFC maximizes its sponsorship at The 2009 AVP CROCS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP KENTUCKY GRILLED CHICKEN CHICAGO OPEN, they generated a buzz and appetites by serving up their newest value menu items.

The twist is they happened to do it by boat. They had a KFC boat on Lake Michigan, and ended up serving to the local jet skiers and boaters during the Volleyball Championship on the shore of Lake Michigan. I’m pretty sure recreating on a lake could make you hungry, which is why having a sampling of Grilled Chicken Value Box, Mini Melts and Brownie Bites from KFC would help ace that hunger.

My Idea:

I love the idea, but what went wrong for them was the weather. If I was them I would have done one of two things. I would have had that along with an on shore sampling station. Or, I would have had a promotion where the X amount of people would receive a pass to use a rent-able jet ski or boat to go out to the floating restaurant.

I was able to view this one on Chainleader.com.

3) Procter & Gamble finds college students as marketing assets.

Procter and Gamble has found new ways to promote their TAG body sprays, Herbal Essence shampoos, and its PUR water filtration system.

They were able to assign 100 college students as Brand Ambassadors all around the country to promote these products. They left the creative ideas up to the students. The overseeing of the project is done through Repnation which is part of the Mr Youth promotional marketing company. Their only job is to track the progress and the activity of the Ambassadors.

Leaving the students open to whichever way they feel they can be creative is a fantastic idea. A lot of times individuals who work do not always have the time to find out what’s hip and cool, thus sometimes falling short or not being able to hit all of the trendy bullet points. For the most part college students know what the biggest trends are, and they have more spending power than High school kids.  Giving them the opportunity to practice some of the things they might have learned in class, and mixing that with their community learned knowledge is a way companies can save large amounts of money spent on market research on the 18 – 25 target market.

While reading the Forbes.com article I was able to point out one of my favorite ideas. A TAG body spray ambassador, considered holding a stickiest college athlete contest. Honestly, as a former college athlete, I think I knew some people that could have won that contest at my school.

My Idea:

If I were at school, I would take the tag contest I would try to consider the smelliest sports team, and the winner would receive a month’s supply of the body spray. I would also have a contest of the person on campus that drinks the most bottles water. The one that does the most would receive a year supply of PUR water filtration system.