Unconventional marketing methods can be hugely successful for your products. Through media such as social platforms, there are many you can use to your advantage. Some can attract the right attention, and others, the wrong! However, when it comes to a product launch, all that matters is the right people find the marketing appealing. Each demographic responds differently to varying types, from viral marketing for TikTok users to leveraging successful influencers.
Scenario-Based Market Research
Before you go spending your budget on a fancy marketing campaign, you first need to understand the market to target. This is a core concept of successful marketing and a nifty way to increase the chances of a good return on investment. Otherwise, you are just wasting money! Scenario analysis helps with market forecasting and allows you to highlight specific factors. These include demand, supply, and how much profit you can maybe make from your product.
For example, imagine you are producing a new product that educators will likely use. An invaluable part of market research would be to understand the target audience and how they use the product in a classroom setting. There are services that will sell educational simulations so you can gauge the interactions with your product between teachers and students. Simulations are as close as you will get to a real scenario with invaluable real-time data.
Unconventional Marketing Methods Includes Viral
We’ve all heard of viral videos, and going viral can mean huge results for an ad campaign. Some examples include Cadbury’s gorilla, the “Share a Coke” campaign, and Oreo’s Dunk in the Dark. It’s not easy to get an ad to go viral, but there are some commonalities to consider:
- Laser-focus the content of an ad campaign on a specific demographic.
- Get as creative as possible with a strong team and stronger visuals.
- Make content easily shareable and research the best times to share.
The target audience is the main focus of a viral ad campaign. The audience must see the appeal of the ad and connect emotionally for them to engage and, more importantly, share!
Controversial Ambush Marketing
Even at the most successful company, you won’t have an unlimited marketing budget. Every dollar counts, and an ROI is essential for pleasing the higher-ups. But what is considered a good ROI? A 5:1 ratio, or $5 back for every $1 spent, is considered a good return on investment. However, with strategic marketing and a bit of luck, certain campaigns can go beyond 10:1. An influential yet controversial method is “Ambush” or “Guerrilla” marketing.
The aim of ambush marketing is to keep the cost as low as possible while maximizing impact. And one way to do this is to essentially hijack the ad campaign of another company. A perfect example is when paint company Rona placed a paint can ad under Apple’s iPod ad that featured dripping effects. Trolling is also popular, as when Burger King placed an ad before showings of “IT,” stating “never trust a clown,” a clear reference to its competitor, Mcdonald’s.
Marketing by Generating Buzz
Online marketing is a vital tool these days. This includes social media, which can help generate a lot of buzz around a product launch. Buzz helps build excitement for a product and gets the interested audience, well, even more curious! While it sounds easy, it can be a challenge.
Study the target audience
The audience is key when it comes to buzz. You must understand who the product is for. Getting this right includes the audience in the campaign, who will generate more buzz for you.
Use social media to your advantage
Social media is a valuable digital marketing tool for pretty much any campaign. But with clever use of hashtags you can focus an idea into an easily shareable and relatable word or phrase.
Gradually roll out a compelling story
The most successful buzz campaigns rely on a compelling story, which isn’t easy. Sticking to the brand identity, using humor, and studying the audience’s motives will help develop a story.
The marketing of a new product is among the most critical steps, yet some companies fail to recognize this. Without proper methods, such as generating buzz, the product will likely fail. If there is one method you can rely on when all else seems unlikely, it’s audience anticipation!
Subversive and Stealth Marketing
As humans, we take in all kinds of data on a daily basis. On a subconscious and unconscious level we are marketed to constantly. The pioneer of subconscious marketing, Edward Bernays, popularized the method with large companies. For example, he had women pose with cigarettes during the Suffragette movement for articles headlined “Torches of Freedom.” This associated cigarettes with popular movements and boosted sales significantly. Today, we are bombarded!
There are ads everywhere, and we don’t even notice most of them. Thirsty? You grab a Coke. Hungry? A burger sounds pretty good! You are exposed to stealth marketing tactics all the time. The research firm Yankelovich conducted a survey in 2007 and found we are exposed to over 5,000 per day. Today, that figure is likely to be substantially higher given our access to smartphones. These days, stealth marketing supplies users with ads through social media.
Influencer Unconventional Marketing Methods
Working with influencers is no longer an option if you want your product or brand to be noticed. Some of the best have hundreds of millions of followers, and that’s figures TV could never reach! However, working with an influencer isn’t as easy as a phone call, so try these:
- Get cozy with an influencer by gifting them products and deals for their audience.
- Collaborate with an influencer on various projects that are relevant to their niche.
- Get to know the influencer you want to work with and build a solid relationship.
Most influencers, especially the most popular, are very selective about who they work with. It will take more than a proposal to get them on your side. Your brand and product must align with their values, and be somewhat related to their niche. Make time to get to know them well.
Marketing Through Stunts
Companies like Red Bull are well known for stunt marketing. This is because when it works, it is very effective. For example, Red Bull hosted a New Moon party that saw base jumpers in wingsuits crisscrossing the LA skyline. This caused something of a stir as people began reporting UFOs! Stunt marketing works because it often crosses inventiveness with creativity. It also works on a very human level where people can appreciate the humor of the ad campaign.
However, although stunt marketing is effective, great care needs to be taken. Some of the outlandish things that some publicity stunts have done border on the illegal side. Others have simply failed miserably. Snapple’s giant popsicle is a good example. The largest ever popsicle began melting in the New York sun, causing chaos in the city. The liquid caused a hazard on the busy east 17th Street, and the police had to intervene. Be very careful with stunt marketing!
Summary
Understanding how customers will interact with a product through market research is the best start before using any unconventional marketing methods. Yet one of the most powerful is by generating buzz for a product, and online campaigns work well for this. Other methods that work well include ambush marketing, stealth and publicity stunts. However, you need to be careful when planning to use stunt marketing as it can go very wrong if it isn’t well thought out well!
