Have you tried such a creative tactic in the market? Share it with us
Creativity in marketing has many dimensions–it could be the result of an innovative and unique idea, it could refer to a clever way of reaching out or it may have to do with deriving maximum bang for the buck with a small outlay. In some other cases, it would be linked with drawing intelligent insights from limited market information to take the right business decisions – thus, creativity can have many hues and shades in the context of marketing.
Most often, clients ask us how they can embark on a marketing program when they have limited resources in terms of money or people. Our take is that marketing is less about throwing big money or recruiting large teams- it is more about conceptualizing ideas and programs that are interesting, different and smart, and executing them to perfection. Jay Conrad Levinson, whose interview is featured in this edition of Confluence, reiterates the same views in his various books and articles.
In alignment with this thought, we present below a few ideas and or programs that are easy on the marketing budget, yet have made an impact:
Google and their logo
One does not need to look too far for the first example- Google’s use of its visual identity is quite simply amazing. And here is why- they have a simple font based logo, but see how well they use it- they capture the imagination of an already well-hooked visitor base through innovative explorations of their logo.
Learning–in an online environment, your visual identity can be exploited creatively for reinforcing your brand.
Online Marketing tools
Google’s Pay per Action scheme allows advertisers to only pay for ads when a customer makes a pre determined action. First, you create an ad and define the action that you want a user to perform when they visit your site, such as signing up for your newsletter or purchasing a product. Then you set the amount that you are willing to pay when this action is completed. Finally, you install conversion tracking code on your website to verify when an action has been completed.
Once you complete these steps, publishers in the Google content network can choose to place your ads on their website. You only pay when a user clicks on your ad, visits your site, and completes your desired action. Pay-per-action ads complement your current campaigns by providing a new pricing model that extends your reach. Such a tool can be a useful add on for companies embarking on email marketing programs.
Sign board & SEM
Japanese Company NTT Docomo’s recent hoarding ads are simple and direct and just urge people to search specific keywords in a search engine, with the hope that the results will bring them to the company's site. The sign ads are simple, and usually show a keyword typed into a search bar. This one says "Docomo haken" which means “Docomo staff”, and is designed for recruitment of temporary workers.
Japanese mobiles are increasingly able to read web pages, so commuters can plug the terms in immediately, on seeing the sign board and do their search! “Search me” ads are another way for people to interact with the real-world environment by using their mobile devices, and Japan has been leading the world in this regard.
Speaking of Japan, mobile phones and alternate uses, here is an interesting bit of information-
Did you know that in Japan, there are more emails being sent through mobile phones than from PCs? And, that there is an entire industry called mobile gaming? Creative marketing is also about offering new solutions or services that leverage an existing idea in an entirely new way.
QR Code
Initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR Codes are now used for inventory management in a wide variety of industries. More recently, the inclusion of QR Code reading software on camera phones in Japan has led to a wide variety of new, consumer-oriented applications, aimed at relieving the user of the tedious task of entering data into their mobile phone. QR Codes storing addresses and URLs are becoming increasingly common in magazines and advertisements in Japan. The addition of QR Codes on business cards is also becoming common, greatly simplifying the task of entering the personal details of a new acquaintance into the address book of one's mobile phone.
Thematic Marketing- Green Marketing
Green marketing is a great opportunity. In the West, companies including Walmart, GE and Honda have announced their environmental and ethical policies. The Financial Times has predicted a ‘wave of eco marketing’, with the majority of big brands and companies jumping in to get noticed. Green marketing is about having joint objectives- marketing objectives and green objectives. Technology companies can come up with many different ways to be eco-friendly and leverage this across their marketing initiatives.
I conclude this article with probably the most pragmatic and easy on the wallet marketing idea- word of mouth.
Word of mouth marketing has been exploited in many different ways by companies–but Bzzagent, a US based marketing firm, has created a business model out of this idea! Bzzagent has created a platform that allows people to experience new products and services, share their honest opinions about them with people they know and report those activities and opinions so that marketers could directly see the results. This community thus brings consumers and marketers together to organize and track honest word of mouth. BzzAgent has grown to become the world's first WOM media channel.
In sum, marketing is as much about innovation and creativity as it is about dollars. Creativity in marketing can manifest at any stage from concept to execution- successful brands are those that have blended the right dose of creativity into their marketing efforts.
