Promotion
Argh! ‘Tis ’bout th’ target
While every little thing has the potential to make a difference for a brand, some things don’t. It is the brand manager’s job to decide which is which.
My anti-virus often has pop-ups. Sometimes, it tells me that my virus definition is updated. Sometimes, it tells me that there is a problem! The other day, it told me something totally unexpected.
It told me that the official Talk Like A Pirate day was just around the corner, and it gave me the option to switch to Pirate English.
Wha….?
It was interesting enough for me to post on my Facebook. Lo and behold, one of my good friend clued me into why my anti-virus told me about Pirate English. (First, a little background, I’m referring to the Avast! Anti-Virus program.) The word “avast†is actually a pirate term!
Avast: A term commonly used by pirates and pirate wannabes. Means cease and desist.
Arr, avast lest ye want yer captain te chop off ye balls!
UrbanDictionary.com
Now, it all makes sense! Maybe…
The Pirate English pop-up certainly reinforce the name. However, the pirate heritage was never something that they invoked in their marketing. (If they did at one point, they don’t anymore. Today, their branding is very clean, modern, and tech-savvy.) So, this reference to Pirates made little sense to people like me, who knew nothing about Pirate English.
However, let’s think about this differently. I, a girl in marketing, is probably not their target market. My Facebook friend who knew all about Pirate English, a geek in technology, is probably exactly who Avast is targeting. In fact, if it weren’t for him and people like him, I would have never installed Avast on my computer.
All in all, this was a cute touch in the program. It generated enough interest for someone like me to post on Facebook, which may ultimately raise awareness of the product. So, in the end, it all comes down to costs. Brand Managers allow inside jokes in promotional details all the time. It helps reinforce the base and keep the core consumers interested and amused. As long as it didn’t cost much, it’s a nice touch to reference the pirates, even if the pirates aren’t part of their everyday branding effort.
P.S. For those of you didn’t know, today is the official Talk Like A Pirate day. If I was more talented, it would have been appropriate to have this post written in Pirate English 
Alas, I’m not that talented. Thanks to an online translator, I got a decent headline.
Photo credit: Stéfan Le Dû
Related articles online
- “Sunday, September 19 is International Talk Like A Pirate Day.” and related posts (weeklyworldnews.com)
- Talk Like a Pirate Day 2010 (whiteboardblog.co.uk)
Nivea’s New Year’s Eve
It’s estimated that as many as one million revelers gathered at Times Square in New York City to usher in the New Year. Nivea was once again the sponsor of this event. As one of that one million revelers, I wanted to comment on the impressive execution of Nivea’s effort.
Prior to New Year’s Eve, Nivea had set up photo booth at the American Eagle store. I didn’t realize how effective that could be, until I saw the line at the store of people waiting to get their photo taken! These pictures could then be sent to friends and family as a photo postcard of sort for people’s trip to NYC for New Year. That’s great viral marketing!
At Times Square itself, a very dedicated team of promoters blanketed the venue. There were blue balloons everywhere. Blue party hats, that came with a free sample and a BOGO coupon to a local drug store, were also passed out. As you may have saw on TV, it was a sea of blue. I know I wouldn’t forget that sea of blue any time soon. Nivea was also branded the countdown clock on the television broadcast on NBC. All together, I could only imagine the number of impression Nivea got. This hasn’t even taken into account all the photos that was taken by the revelers, and would now be share with friends and family all around the world. Those blue party hats went into the suitcase of many revelers and they would now be on display at homes around the globe.
But as with any great promotion, it was not a one time deal. Nivea is following up with a cause marketing campaign that encourages people to upload their kissing photo.
This was a great example of what a comprehensive marketing campaign could look like. Of course, I couldn’t truly evaluate how successful this campaign is because I don’t know how much it costed Nivea, and how much sale they got from it.
But, regardless, most businesses won’t have this kind of funding. However, something like this could easily be executed at a community level. But, take a lesson from Nivea and learn that sponsoring a major community event is only one element of an integrated marketing campaign. Find ways to involve your consumers before and after the event to make your message relevant and viral!
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Up In The Air
Up In The Air, staring George Clooney, opens nationwide on Christmas. I previewed the movie and enjoyed it. My friends gave it just okay reviews. See for yourself, and give your own ratings.
But, why am I writing about a movie on this blog? Because I thought it was great movie for product placement. Unlike James Bond movies where each product flashes in front of you for mere seconds, the products in this movie were an integral part of the movie. They really sold it. I think it was one of the best movies for product placement since the Italian Job.
What products were featured? American Airline, Hilton, Travelpro, and Hertz. Just to name a few.
Travelpro is a line of luggage. This movie showed again and again how great these luggage moves. They spin. They roll. They go everywhere with ease. All the cool jetsetters use them. Way better than the old clunky suitcases you may have at home (in fact, there is a scene dedicated to this point).
Hertz, it gets you in and out fast. If you’re a Hertz loyal customer, you can get in and out in seconds. No long lines. In fact, they will “move mountains†to get you the car you want.
Hilton hotels have plush soft beds, and comfy little robes and slippers. Hilton hotels offer all the comfort of home and then some, well, at least to a guy that travels for a living. Of course, don’t forget about the Hiltons HHonors program! It’s a great promotion (George Clooney said it, not me). Plus, you get to skip the lines and get the preferred VIP treatment! Loyalty pays.
Talking about Loyalty, let’s talk about the featured star: American Airline. American Airline can take you everywhere! It satisfies even the needs of someone who travels over 340 days and 300,000 miles a year! And once again, loyalty pays. If you’re a loyal customer, you get to use exclusive lounges, be greeted by a custom greeting, and even, if you’re really really really loyal, get your own dedicated customer service phone line. Ahh, I want to join AAdvantage now!
Ahh, product placement… when done well it’s integrated into the story line, while leaving you with a good impression of the brand.
Photo credit: American Airlines, originally uploaded by anneh632.
Related articles online
- Up in the Air: George Clooney becomes a frequent flyer (gadling.com)
- EXCLUSIVE: The Product Guy “Up in the Air” (tpgblog.com)
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Jeannie Chan is a Brand Manager for a Fortune 500 consumer goods company. She considers herself a marketer, a traveler, and a foodie. Jeannie lives in NYC. 
