The average person is bombarded by so many different sources of media every day that they simply tune out noise not relevant to them. Companies need to stand out in order to gain attention, which will hopefully lead to more sales. However, there is a difference between standing out creatively and simply standing out without thinking.
Recently, a company called Turtlebeach, which specializes in video game headsets, wanted to stand out. Their message was simple: “As real as you want it to get.” They wanted video gamers to think that by using their headphones their gaming experience would be more enjoyable. So in order to show off how realistic Turtlebeach headphones are, and how they make you feel as if you are living in the game, they sent a gamer into an “Iraqi” war zone and videotaped it for a viral video miniseries. Thankfully, they were in Turkey, not in a war zone, and everybody was in on the act except the gamer who was being filmed. As you can imagine, this marketing campaign came under heavy fire from the public, no pun intended.
Another case of possibly going too far is at this year’s recent South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival. At the event, homeless people were given a wi-fi hotspot to carry around, allowing the public to have internet access anywhere. In exchange, the homeless people were paid and had the opportunity to ask for donations. There were outcries from people, stating the festival and the wireless internet provider were dehumanizing the homeless participants.
Regardless of how edgy and innovative these campaigns were, they drew a lot of attention for the wrong reasons.
Despite these disasters, brilliant creative campaigns do exist. HomePlus grocery store in Korea was facing an obstacle; they were losing out to another big chain due to their lack of stores. Knowing they did not want to increase their amount of stores, Tesco had to think outside the box. Watch the video below to see how they made themselves more available to the busy worker.
Creative marketing is only effective when done right. If you’re interested in a creative marketing campaign, give The Primm Company a call at 757-623-6234.
Source: AdAge