Avoid cross-promotions that don’t make sense for your brand!
We have all seen them. Promotions for products and services that crudely attempt to turn a non-related event into, “The perfect opportunity to buy a product!” There is of course the local car dealer that insists, “Buying a car during the 4th of July is the perfect way to show your support for our Troops!” Or the department store that intimates that the best way to truly honor our forefathers is to, “Buy a mattress during our amazing President’s Day Sale!”
Case in point, the above ad is a poster for an promotion that Burger King is running in Japan. In honor of the launch of Microsoft’s new operating system (Windows 7.0), Japanese burger enthusiasts can now order a Whopper that features SEVEN meat patties! Get it? Because it’s Window 7.0! What better way to celebrate the seventh version of a computer's operating system than to offer seven charbroiled patties of meat?
At Esparza Advertising, we work closely with our clients to finds meaningful cross-promotions that will increase their sales AND enhance the story of their brand. Here are three important questions you should ask yourself before you consider tying your brand into an event or promotion.
1. Does this event/promotion have any intrinsic relevance to my brand? Consumers are smarter than you think. If they perceive your brand is only using an event as a veiled attempt to peddle your wares – they will be turned off.
2. Who is the target of this event/promotion? Are they truly my customer as well? Just because someone is excited about the launch of Window’s 7.0 doesn’t necessarily mean they want to eat seven hamburgers to celebrate it. (I myself typically only eat 4 hamburgers before a new computer operating system launch.)
3. Finally, would someone at this event/promotion actually do what my brand is asking them to do? Many brands fall into the trap of believing that just because they are telling their target to do something – they will just go ahead and do it. The best litmus test for deciding if your cross promotion is not the right fit is just to ask yourself – would I do this? Trust your instincts. If you hesitate to answer that question – chances are your potential customer will too.
In the case of this mighty Japanese tower of meat, one can only assume that the marketing executives at Microsoft either failed to ask themselves the above three questions - or were just very, very hungry.
Case in point, the above ad is a poster for an promotion that Burger King is running in Japan. In honor of the launch of Microsoft’s new operating system (Windows 7.0), Japanese burger enthusiasts can now order a Whopper that features SEVEN meat patties! Get it? Because it’s Window 7.0! What better way to celebrate the seventh version of a computer's operating system than to offer seven charbroiled patties of meat?
At Esparza Advertising, we work closely with our clients to finds meaningful cross-promotions that will increase their sales AND enhance the story of their brand. Here are three important questions you should ask yourself before you consider tying your brand into an event or promotion.
1. Does this event/promotion have any intrinsic relevance to my brand? Consumers are smarter than you think. If they perceive your brand is only using an event as a veiled attempt to peddle your wares – they will be turned off.
2. Who is the target of this event/promotion? Are they truly my customer as well? Just because someone is excited about the launch of Window’s 7.0 doesn’t necessarily mean they want to eat seven hamburgers to celebrate it. (I myself typically only eat 4 hamburgers before a new computer operating system launch.)
3. Finally, would someone at this event/promotion actually do what my brand is asking them to do? Many brands fall into the trap of believing that just because they are telling their target to do something – they will just go ahead and do it. The best litmus test for deciding if your cross promotion is not the right fit is just to ask yourself – would I do this? Trust your instincts. If you hesitate to answer that question – chances are your potential customer will too.
In the case of this mighty Japanese tower of meat, one can only assume that the marketing executives at Microsoft either failed to ask themselves the above three questions - or were just very, very hungry.
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