Category: Campaign Creation & Development

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Campaign Creation & Development Creative & Production
Unconventional Marketing Tactics copy 1 scaled
Unconventional Marketing Tactics copy 1 scaled

In a world where ROI and the bottom line rule marketing, sometimes it’s easy to forget about the fun, audacious, sometimes unconventional marketing tactics that probably drew you to the industry in the first place. We would never advocate that tracking your return on investment isn’t critical to the health and growth of your business; but rather, that we, as marketers, love to swing for the grand slam. For us, it’s all about finding the perfect balance between tried-and-tested marketing techniques and a few unconventional marketing tactics and campaigns with the power to disrupt the market and break through the clutter. Here are a few of our favorite awesome, unconventional marketing tactics.

1. Work for free:

When you pose this idea to your financial planning analyst, you may want to put a little marketing spin on the verbiage, but we’re just going to say it: you can get something for nothing. Offering a free consultation, inviting customers to try your services or products before they buy, doing pro-bono work, or giving high impact lectures (gasp!) for free can attract prospective customers who might have otherwise been on the fence. This technique works especially well for products that can’t be sold as a necessity, require customer education such as consulting or dietitian services, or are new entrants into the market. If you’re stuck on what might be of value to your target audience, lean on your marketing agency or advertising agency to do some research about what “hooks” – whether it’s features, face time with the CEO, or freebies – would get them in the door.

2. Take advantage of the halo effect:

It stands to reason that if you can be guilty by association, you can also look incredible by association too. The phenomenon in which a person or product enjoys increased brand association or a boost in perceived customer value thanks to alignment with another, more powerful or popular brand is called the “halo effect.” Established brands releasing a niche product sometimes use this to attract loyal customers to new markets, but any company can take advantage of this trend. On the local level, find charitable organizations, popular public figures or tastemakers, or trendy venues where you can host an event and start making connections. Most people and organizations are willing to exchange in-kind marketing collateral such as: access to shared email lists or exclusive discounts for your cross customer base when there is a mutually beneficial fit. This technique can scale all the way up to the national or global level depending on how dedicated you are. A good marketing agency will likely have pre-existing contacts and ideas on what might be a good alignment, so start there.

3. Build a memorable brand:

Do something quirky. Make mistakes. Be human. Even the most corporate, buttoned-up organizations can benefit from moments of humanity. Recognizing that there is a time, place, and audience who responds to this type of marketing and balancing it against more conventional messaging and imaging is key. Perhaps you limit the funkiness to your Snapchat or Instagram feed, or maybe you run simultaneous campaigns that target both sides of the same coin. A great example of an organization that does this well is Geico. Ask any millennial or hipster and they can probably cite several of the silly “Switch to Geico – it’s what you do” advertisements featuring everything from an addled Tarzan, to a dog stealing spaghetti from its owners’ plates. None of these ads mention the comprehensive asset protection or excellent customer service Geico has built a reputation on. That information is reserved for prospective customers looking for a quote or surfing their online space. What these ads do is disrupt a mature, saturated market and raise awareness that then drives prospects farther down the funnel and into exploration mode. Trust us, they are laughing all the way to the bank.

4. Everyone loves a themed party:

Think: product launches, fundraisers, new menu launches, release events, and more. The opportunities to host an event are near endless. Although the upfront cost and work of hosting an event can seem inhibitive, your marketing agency will help you offset this pain point and set measurable goals. Events often serve the dual purpose of raising brand awareness and generating leads. The trick is to host an event that speaks to your audience. Too often, organizations jump on an opportunity to attend an event without a clear understanding of who is actually in attendance. They generate leads by bribing unsuspecting bystanders to exchange contact information for freebies, but the quality of these type of leads is often low … people will do anything for a free t-shirt, right? Instead, get crisp on the type of customer you want to attract. If you are launching a new line of skincare products, consider hosting a spa party. If you’re releasing the newest issue of a community magazine, go for the hottest new venue in town. Everything from the theme to the event programming should speak to the people who would truly use your products or services.

5. Blog, blog, blog:

And then blog some more. This is such a simple, low-effort marketing technique with tremendous potential. All you have to do is consider the amount of amateur marketers and online celebrities who are consistently making thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, garnering huge followings, and receiving coveted brand endorsements to see the potential in blogging. Blogging is still often overlooked in the marketing mix because it is sometimes hard to quantify the return on investment and requires nurturing to build a readership. That said, it only takes one person to find a niche topic that attracts prospective customers and brand partners (see above and remember that halo effect) to start a blog. Any good digital marketing agency or content marketing agency can support your in-house blog writing to ensure your content is relevant and consistent. If you aren’t ready for the full commitment, consider writing guest blog posts that are popular among your audience to test the waters and build out a larger blog program from there.
These unconventional marketing tactics are not only fun – they are effective and are an excellent compliment to your traditional marketing campaigns and initiatives. It really is okay to think outside the box.

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Campaign Creation & Development Creative & Production
resort content marketing scaled
resort content marketing scaled

Resort marketing still continues to largely hinge on a flawless content strategy: you have to have the photos, the reviews, the descriptions, and some seriously intriguing copy that makes website visitors want to become real visitors. In addition to the obvious benefits of engaging and converting web traffic, content marketing can generate even more traffic to your resort website by boosting SEO rankings and viral traffic.
Here are some tried and true industry insights that’ll be sure to help pump up your SEO rankings and generate more traffic to your site.

CONTENT MARKETING MEETS SEO RANKING: 

We’ve all heard the same ole’ song that content is king – well, it is. Strong, relevant, and consistent website content boosts your SEO ranking on two fronts, branded terms (i.e., your resort name) and non-branded terms like geo-specific data (i.e., Jamaica resort, tropical hotel, etc.). Working with a marketing agency to develop a better understanding of the right terms for your brand, which is always based on your search budget and competitive set, will give you a crystal-clear roadmap to success. Use those terms to tag your photos and build out your property descriptions, and as search engines crawl your site, having these terms in your copy will ensure your resort appears relevant and pops up when tourists are searching for related terms. Of course, the more your resort appears in search results (and the higher it ranks), the more traffic will hit your website. Within your site, you can also link to deeper pages within your web ecosystem or link outwardly to relevant website authorities such as bloggers and review sites to encourage better search rankings. Although SEO efforts aren’t as tangible as other agency marketing efforts, they can absolutely make or break how much traffic your website receives. Which in turn, has a huge effect on your business. And remember, you multi-million dollar resort and its respective website are only as good as the traffic that finds it.

OUTWARD BOUND – CONTENT MARKETING AND VIRAL TRAFFIC: 

Although it can feel incredibly time consuming, blogging is one of the single most important content marketing strategies to boost traffic to your resort website. By actively blogging about relevant content related to the resort industry, you become an authority on your travel destination. Blog as a guest expert on other sites, publish your posts in an email newsletter, share them on social media, get the word out. The more shareable your content is, the more likely it is to be … well … shared. If your in-house team is too small, consider working with a content marketing agency to generate and post blog entries. Not only can these agencies write on your behalf, but they can help you determine where to post your content and who to reach out to, ultimately ensuring your articles are seen. Regardless of your budget, most agencies will work with you to build a successful strategy. A good rule of thumb is that you should post at least one to two articles per week that include approximately 500-600 words and several instances of your primary keywords. The added bonus of creating highly shareable content is that it also supports your SEO strategy. And that my friends, is what we call a two-for-one.

We can’t stress enough that content helps potential customers understand your brand and drives new visitors to the top of your exploration funnel. Keeping this content up-to-date is important to ensure your site stays relevant to both your audience and search engines. Your website is never “done” and there is always more content to be written, fresh news to share, and new traffic to entice by updating your content on a regular basis.  So get to writing – go ahead, unleash your creativity – and don’t plan to stop!

Click here to see how we take on the world of content marketing.

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Campaign Creation & Development Creative & Production
marketing millennials scaled
marketing millennials scaled

The holy grail of marketing to millennials has been debunked! Not that you should be surprised – millennials love to break (bend, change, or influence) the rules. Slapping a few digital ads on social media and running deep discounts to hook and book today’s largest emerging consumer demographic is no longer enough. To create a successful millennial marketing campaign that will engage and grow this audience, it’s important to understand what they value and how they like to interact with brands. On the flip side, it’s equally – if not more – important to understand what doesn’t work for this group. As the Baby Boomers retire and Generation X continues to take a backseat to the very visible, loud and proud “x, y” generation, unpacking the marketing psychology that drives millennials will become increasingly important. We’ve debunked three of the most common millennial myths that plague brands and drive this critical demographic away.

Marketing to millennials myth 1: They are cheap and narcissistic

With the advent of “cheap chic” fashion trends, thanks in large part to popular discount brands like Target and H&M, it’s not surprising that the general population believes millennials are overly consumed with the appearance of wealth and trendiness (minus the price tag). A solid marketing agency often translates this into either discounts and rebates, or campaigns that imitate luxury brands while visibility toting their lower prices. Although many millennials struggled to find post-graduate employment after the recession in 2008, they are bouncing back with the economy and finding themselves with a sudden influx of disposable income thanks to booming startups, fast-paced tech agencies, and non-traditional employment opportunities. Almost 50% of millennials are more willing to buy a product if it supports a good cause. The critical emphasis on this research is that millennials are not only more willing to buy a product that contributes to a greater cause in some way, but to actually choose it over more expensive alternatives that don’t support similar initiatives. This type of research suggests that millennials are neither cheap nor narcissistic, but in fact are more than willing to pay for the right product and the right brand.

Take Love Your Melon, for example. They are able to charge a premium cost for a simple product because they speak to millennial ideals, not their vanity or bank accounts. Love Your Melon is an apparel brand dedicated to giving a hat to every child battling cancer in America as well as supporting nonprofit organizations that lead the fight against pediatric cancer. Pretty inspiring, right? Love Your Melon has built their business on millennials and their mission is the reason why they’ve been so successful at it. Maybe it’s time to consider ditching the promotion in favor for a buy one, give one (to a community in need) campaign.

Marketing to millennials myth 2: The best way to reach them is social media

Marketing to millennials has long hinged on social media campaigns, pop up or in-app advertising, and digital outreach. However, this hyper-connected generation finds great satisfaction in discovering the world when they are unplugged and engaging with it. This is an untapped territory for brands looking to break through the clutter. 48% of millennials say they would (and could) happily function without their smartphone or digital devices according to Retailing Today. While many millennial myths want you to believe that this generation can’t (and won’t) interact with a brand unless it’s bombarding them online, many millennials discover brands at the top of the funnel when they’re unplugged, exploring, and experiencing. This type of organic discovery leads to deeper brand loyalty and longer lifetime value. We aren’t suggesting getting rid of your digital marketing campaigns, we’re just simply advocating that you add in a few guerrilla or grassroots tactics that reach this audience in the real-world environment they so crave in today’s hyper-digital world. Think: Coca-Cola’s happiness phone booths or Redbull’s partnership with extreme sporting events.

Marketing to millennials myth 3: They can be somewhat transactional

One of the most deadly millennial myths results from the culmination of the previous two myths. Marketing to millennials should, first and foremost, hinge on expressing your brand’s value proposition and ideals. Contrary to popular belief, millennials are not transactional shoppers. According to Medallion Research, millennials are not nearly as concerned with money and status as they are with relationships and experiences. This dovetails from the idea that millennials are not cheap or narcissistic. They don’t care about the product, they care about the brand and lifestyle it’s associated with. When selling consumer packaged goods or services, this may seem difficult to surmount, but when you step back and look at the success of Apple’s “Think Differently” campaign, it becomes clear that products – whatever they may be – are simply an expression of this generation’s values. So make sure your brand values speak loud and clear. As was the case with Apple, you may need to expressly spell this out for the new generation. But, the results will be well worth the effort.

Simple, right? Marketing to millennials really comes down to two things: Say something about your brand and make sure it’s authentic they’ll sort out the rest.

Contact us today to learn how we can help you reach your target audience!

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Campaign Creation & Development Creative & Production
doritos dog commercial 2
doritos dog commercial 2

People all around America celebrate the Super Bowl in approximately one of three ways:

1. The over zealous football fan throws a party for all of his best friends. He smears paint all over his face, wears his favorite (“lucky”, probably smelly) jersey, stocks the refrigerator full with beer and makes so many chicken wings it seems impossible that they will all be eaten (but don’t worry, they will be).

2. You have the neighbor/friend/spouse etc. that knows nothing about football. But they follow the crowd, go to the party for the free food, and pretend they know why, exactly, grown men are running into each other.

3. The best people (we like to include ourselves in this category) may go to the party, or they may not. Favorite game-time snack and beverage in hand, these people watch the game patiently. Anytime now, they think. Leaning forward in their seats, they hush everyone in the room. A commercial break has finally arrived. It’s Super Bowl ad time, and the real game is about to begin.

The Super Bowl, with one of the highest ratings in all of U.S. TV history, the lure of high, and often engaged, viewership is too strong for advertisers to ignore. The Super Bowl has seen some of the best – and worst – ads in its 50 year history, creating a great database of success stories for advertising during both the big game and every other day of the year. Alas, let’s take three lessons from the game changers of the ad industry and answer the question, “what should we do for our next ad campaign in 2017?”

DO: Involve your consumer

Doritos’ ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ campaign is one of the best examples of this idea. A 10-year campaign, Doritos made the risky decision to outsource their most important ad dollars of the year. The ‘Crash’ campaign consists of consumer-generated content, something that was nearly unheard of — and hard to swallow by the Doritos marketing team — until 2006 when the strategy turned out to be a success. Widely accepted among consumers, the amateur home-videos shined a light on the potential creative of everyday consumers and created valued engagement and connection between the company and its most-valued target audience. In its 10th and final year, Doritos’ ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ campaign is sure to be a highlight of this year’s game day.

DO: Try new things in your ad campaign

A must watch in any intro to advertising course and widely considered one of the best ads ever, Apple’s ‘1984’ broke boundaries. The ad, a play on George Orwell’s popular dystopian novel, was the first of its kind and set the standard for Super Bowl advertising to come. Despite the fact that the ad almost didn’t see the light of day and faced much pushback from Apple executives, the ad made a lasting impact on both the industry and the consumer. Long gone were the days of mediocre Super Bowl advertising. Apple, a pioneer on many fronts, also became the pioneer of high-quality, large scale ad campaigns. The ad only aired one time but created a buzz so strong that people are still talking about it more than 30 years later.

DO: Use social media as a supplement to your ad campaign

Volkswagen’s ‘The Force’ is possibly one of the cutest (aww) ads ever, featuring a little boy dressed as Darth Vader attempting, with little luck, to use the force on any and all things around his house. Surprised, he is (see what we did there), to find his powers work on his parents’ new VW, aided only by the remote control start his dad secretly uses from inside the house. While this ad did wonders to capture the consumer and hit a solid 10 on the cuteness scale, that is not the reason it caused buzz in the advertising industry. VW had only bought a 30-second spot in the Super Bowl, but they were convinced their best work was the full 60-second version. With no way to air the 60-second version during the game, VW made the decision to post ‘The Force’ on Youtube days before it was set to air on TV. Up until this time, Super Bowl ads were kept well under wraps and locked behind bulletproof glass (maybe not, but seems likely) to prevent early viewing and what was considered a loss of impact. VW’s early release of ‘The Force’ opened the door to social media teasing and an entire new layer to the Super Bowl ad campaign frenzy.

Well, your 12 month countdown begins NOW! We hope these lessons from these game changers will help drive an awesome 2017 campaign.

For more info on how the experts at BIGEYE create Ad Campaigns, click here.

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Campaign Creation & Development Content Marketing Creative & Production Influencer Marketing Media & Analytics
BlogHeader 1200x600 c default
BlogHeader 1200x600 c default

Social media is a powerful, organic force that can make or break a brand –  or even set the tone and personality of an organization. One of the most overlooked facets of social media management is its power to enhance your customer service strategy. According to Nielsen’s Social Media report, 67% of your audience uses social media to seek advice, share a review, or make some noise (aka complain). Did we mention that 33% of social media users also prefer this type of customer care to complex phone prompts or sitting on hold for 45 minutes? Yeah, we weren’t surprised either.
If you aren’t already using social media monitoring to integrate customer service into your social media strategy, we’ve put together our top eight reasons to jumpstart your social care team.

1. Social care drives social media strategy:

If the heart of social media strategy is about creating authentic brand experiences, then it should be easy to understand how a personalized social media experience might satisfy your customers’ need to feel heard. Social media is a proverbial platform or soapbox for your customers to cheer for, or on the flip side – to chastise your brand. When you use social media to monitor your clients’ satisfaction and respond to issues openly in an arena where they arguably have more control than you do, you are setting your brand up for resolution more quickly because the audience knows they are being taken seriously.

2. Multi-channel care supports flawless social media management:

You know the value of multi-channel sales: some people like to talk on the phone, some people prefer to read information online and digest it before making a decision, and others flock to social media to choose the solution their peers recommend. The same applies to customer service. Multi-channel care allows your customers to seek the type of help they need. If they feel best calling in – let them. But if they prefer to interact with you on the fly as they are checking-in at their favorite lunch spot – why inhibit the conversation from evolving naturally? Letting your customers communicate with you how and where they want to do so is a small gesture that reminds them that you care about their needs.

3. Anticipate your customers’ needs with social media monitoring:

Good social media monitoring allows you to understand and anticipate your customers’ needs. By listening to what your customers are saying on social media and adapting your self-service portals accordingly, or addressing hints of poor service experiences before they blossom into full-scale issues, you can cut back on the volume of care required of your customers. This can save you costs on call centers or service fees and – more importantly – create and maintain a satisfied customer base. After all, keeping a customer is a lot easier than finding a new one.

4. Set your own benchmarks. Against yourself:

Social media monitoring also helps to ensure that you remain honest with yourself. With such a wide variety of monitoring tools from word cloud generators to social media attitude aggregators, it takes very little effort to gauge and track sentiment toward your brand. If one of your goals is improving customer satisfaction, use social media to get a quick pulse on how you’re measuring up to your expectations. It’s easy to blame slow customer service evolution on complicated or expensive measuring tools and unreliable or qualitative feedback. Social media monitors make it quick, simple, and (hopefully) painless. In other words, no more excuses.

5. Time is money:

Most consumers expect a one day turn around when sending emails to a customer service account. And in a world filled with endlessly high call volumes, they also expect service calls to take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. It’s safe to assume that when a customer is reaching out about an issue, waiting does not positively impact the situation. Good social media management that supports your care team can alleviate this pain point in two ways. First, it frees up your customers to multi-task in a pleasant online environment while they wait for a response. Second, it frees up your team to respond to and resolve multiple issues at once on an as-needed basis. We like to think of it as instant gratification at its finest, and on all fronts.

6. Create brand advocates through social media management:

Turn an issue into advocacy. If your social team responds to customers who are self-selecting social users in a speedy and thoughtful fashion, those same public complainers may quickly turn into public brand cheerleaders, touting your individualized service experience, responsiveness, and transparency when dealing with issues. That makes you look like a rock star and allows prospects to see how much you value your customers. This same audience of consumers understands that brands make mistakes. After all, they’re (run by) people, too. How a brand handles those issues is the real question. From that perspective, your customer support must to be included in your social media strategy.

7. Control the conversation by setting the tone:

In the customer service world, it isn’t always what you say – it’s how you say it. Social care gives you the opportunity to respond in a tone that matches your brand, eliminating costly and time-consuming coaching, training, or any errors associated with maintaining call centers. If your brand tone is casual and cool, your social media responses can instill that same sense of calm in unhappy reviewers. If your brand tone is formal, a white-glove approach via customized social posts during and after an issue might be just what your clients need to restore their faith in your organization.

8. Because there’s no reason not to:

And last – but not least – why not? Whether you use an agency to take care of your social media management or DIY tools such as Hootsuite, responding to customer service issues and formulating a seamless follow-up plan around your customers’ needs has never been easier, more efficient, or less expensive.

It’s easy to think of social media as a place for top-of-funnel brand explorers to find information or happy customers to engage with your brand. But that would be missing the other 33% who just need a little social love, which is why we believe social media monitoring is a key component when providing flawless customer service and care.

To develop the perfect social media monitoring strategy for your business, contact our team of digital experts today to get started!

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Campaign Creation & Development Conversion Optimization Creative & Production Media & Analytics Video Production
blog header 1200x600 c default
blog header 1200x600 c default

Just because cable and network broadcasting subscriptions are dropping, doesn’t mean people aren’t watching videos and rich media. In 2016, Google announced that more then 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube per minute. That’s right, we said per minute. Last year, that number was only 300 hours per minute. In other words, that’s a 200% annual increase in video production. In addition to user-based video hubs such as YouTube or Vine, streaming video sites such as Netflix, Hulu and PrimeVideo are all on the rise. There is no sign that video production is decreasing – it’s just being consumed in a different way, which is why videos for businesses are becoming such an integral part of the marketing mix. If you’re still on the fence about the value of a strong video marketing campaign, here’s our two cents on the matter:

Videos drive engagement:

Studies show that you have less than 3 seconds to grab your consumer’s attention. So yes, first impressions seriously matter. Three seconds isn’t enough time to read detailed copy about your customer service and product features, but it is ample enough to allow viewers to become drawn into a powerful video showcasing your brand values in a way that makes your audience want to learn more. Good video production will engage your audience and hold their attention longer than text or static images ever could. In a recent study by Implix, companies found that people were 96% more likely to click on an email if there was an introductory video embedded in the content. If the very act of showcasing a video can drive double-digit engagement, imagine what watching compelling videos for businesses has the power to do.

Conversion, conversion, conversion:

We’re not shy. We know your main goal is to drive business and conversion, which is why we love videos. According to Forbes, more than 90% of retail consumers cite video as a key part of their purchase process and that they are 64% to 85% more likely to buy a product after watching an informational video. E-commerce sites such as Zappos and Amazon rely on videos to showcase their products in a real-world setting, while hotels and tourism sites use video to show off their venues and unique experiences, and business service organizations employ video production to explain complicated products or add service value. No matter what industry you’re in, video can capture your value proposition and translate it in a way that drives consumer engagement by building trust and clarity.

Videos help people do business with brands they like:

It’s no secret that the general public trusts social media, user reviews, and viral content more than carefully curated ad campaigns and polished publicity stunts. While this isn’t surprising, the shift has thrown marketers into a tailspin over the past decade. Are marketers becoming obsolete in a world where consumers have the power to oust bad brand behavior and share their real-life experiences with your products? No. But we do need to start communicating with our audience from a place of authenticity and transparency. Corporate video production is your chance to show your brand’s personality from a genuine perspective that allows your audience to choose if your value proposition resonates with their needs. Whether you’re working with user-generated videos or a professional video production company to craft your media, there is something deeply humanizing about watching other people just like us on film. And at the end of the day, most people want to do business with people and brands that they truly like.

It’s okay to be trendy:

Whether you’re a YouTube or Netflix junkie – or neither, the internet has exploded with video content. And each episode of your favorite sitcom and trendy YouTube tutorial usually comes loaded with a video ad. ComScore estimates that more than 45.4% of internet users view at least one video per month. If your audience isn’t watching your viral video that just hit 1.5M views, they could at least be watching the video ad you ran before their next funny dog clip. People are self-selecting video content as a primary way to learn about brands and communicate with each other. Corporate video production gives you the unique opportunity to take advantage of this trend and get in on the action while it’s still a relatively new and emerging media.

The trick to successfully driving video marketing campaigns is to target the right audience at the right place and at the right time. A strong video production company or social marketing agency can help you define your strategy and begin building your voice or help you find tools to serve and measure your audience’s needs. From there, it’s a simple matter of being you and letting your brand shine. Video production can be as simple or as complicated as your budget or taste allows, and it can be as inexpensive or cost-intensive as you’d like. It’s one of the most flexible marketing tools we have at our disposal as well as one of the most efficient. In all honesty, we can’t think of a reason why producing videos for a brand don’t just plain make good business sense.

Are you ready to put video to use when engaging with your prospective audience? Contact our team of video production experts today – we’ll show you how video can align perfectly with your existing branding efforts!

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Attribution Modeling Campaign Creation & Development Conversion Optimization Creative & Production Digital Targeting Services Media & Analytics Media Analysis & Measurement
chipolte blog header wFilter
chipolte blog header wFilter

Let’s get controversial. You’ve probably heard the saying, “no news is good news.” You’ve probably also heard the saying, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” But when your company is the target of bad press – such as fast-food behemoth Chipotle’s recent scandal, thanks to the “Chubby Chipotle” smear campaign running in the New York Post – which maxim do you stand by?

The reality is, there’s some truth to both statements. If you suddenly find your brand at the center of unwanted attention, take a step back and remember that your response can radically influence how the public weathers the news. If we were in Chipotle’s shoes – this is what we’d do.

1. ENJOY THE CLICKBAIT:

First and foremost, publicity equals free advertising. We hate to be reductive, but in terms of raw numbers, an article in the New York Post is the public relations equivalent of a $300,000 ad campaign. Even though the article questions Chipotle’s ethics, a feature in the Post means more people will be surfing to the Chipotle site and thinking about their products. And when your burrito brand is at the top of mind, it’s also more likely to be the go-to dinner spot after a late workout at the gym. Clickbait – those scandalous headlines that blur the line between journalism and gossip while begging to be clicked – may not always yield the best online traffic, but they do increase visitors, have the possibility to go viral, and keep people talking about your brand.

2. DON’T FORGET TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE:

That said, we aren’t suggesting that you ignore the gravity of the situation. Take a step back from the immediate impact of the article and ask yourself if the situation is really going to turn customers away. If you’re a loyal Chipotle customer and you see the Chubby Chipotle ads, you may be tempted to surf onto the Chipotle website and join the conversation. If you’re anti-Chipotle, you might want to do the exact same thing. The article doesn’t reveal anything most Chipotle fans or fast-food followers don’t already know, so it may be safe to assume that this story will line tomorrow’s waste bins and little or no response is needed. If you were in Chick-Fil-A’s shoes back in 2012 when they were brought to task over their religious intolerance toward same-sex marriage, this may be a different story. Only your target audience, the severity of the article or accusations, and how brand loyal your followers are can answer that question.

3. DECIDE IF YOU NEED TO RESPOND … AND HOW:

If a response is needed, recognize the power an influx of online traffic and social media attention has on this situation and your brand. You’ve just increased your reach and given yourself an organic platform to handle the situation with grace, uniqueness, and class. A well-timed article, blog post, or Facebook campaign could turn a scandal into a sensation and validate the values your brand stands for. No one likes to be criticized, but a memorable response can make or break the public’s reaction to even the worst faux pas. For example, on August 6, Vanity Fair ran an article chastising Tinder for supporting an unhealthy “hook-up culture.” Thirty-one rapid-fire Tweets later from one of Tinder’s employees, and the abashed dating site went from zero to hero. The company never admitted whether the response was planned or not, but the results prove our point entirely.

We feel for you, Chipotle. But when life gives you lemons  … we recommend that you make a big ol’ burrito with all the fixin’s.

Is your brand in need of some repositioning to positively impact consumer perception? Contact our team of brand strategists today to learn more about how we can help!

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Campaign Creation & Development Content Marketing Creative & Production Direct-To-Consumer DTC Marketing Entertainment Food & Beverage Photography Tourism Hospitality Convention
shutterstock 274687205 1200x600 c default
shutterstock 274687205 1200x600 c default

Social media, travel, and review sites can be a great testament to your business’s credibility, customer service, amenities, and experiences. The problem is, most people only write reviews when they’ve had a shockingly horrific experience, or were completely blown away by something. But how do you encourage the masses of happy, satisfied customers in between those two spectrums to write reviews? A great place to start is with a well-devised approach- be it in terms of marketing your restaurant, or promoting your hotel, resort, or tourist attraction.

The formula is simple. Whenever you make a request of your customer – whether it’s asking for an email address or seeking a review – you must be certain that you give them something of equal value in return. Simple campaigns that exchange real value for real reviews will bring your existing customers closer to your brand, while in turn, generating new reach within your target audience. Here, BIGEYE shares the following quick and easy recommendations – in case you were in need of a little added inspiration:

For restaurants and bars

If there’s one thing you need to know, it’s that locals are truly your best friends. Use this to your advantage by employing restaurant marketing strategies that encourage local reviews. Attract your seasonal audience by engaging restaurant review sites such as Yelp and OpenTable. Host “locals’ nights” and offer a free appetizer to anyone who writes a review. Invite reviewers to preview new menu items or cocktail variations on the house … in exchange for a review, of course. Chances are, your reviewers will want to come back for more … tell their friends … or maybe even spread the word to those random tourists they bumped into on the street.

While some restaurants and bars host trivia night. Take things to the next level with your approach to restaurant marketing by hosting your very own branded “social media night.” Tweet-ups, meet-ups, and other social gatherings are hugely popular. Get people in the door by offering discounts, free bites, or some form of entertainment. Plan these activities on your traditionally slower evenings to boost business you wouldn’t otherwise have  – and to encourage all your guests to review, post, and Instagram away. Possible prize offerings may be awarded for tweets and reviews, or simply let people generate their own buzz around your business.

For hotels and resorts

Offer customers a deep discount or give them one night free for a good review. Chances are, your guests will stay longer than one night, and will be so pleased with their “free” vacation they’ll be more inclined to make up the difference in food and beverage costs or on-site amenities. If you’re worried people will “game the system,” put straightforward terms and conditions around the offer to limit one freebie per household. (This will ensure that the reviewer was a visitor within the past six months.) You’ll get a great review  – and some extra business in the process.

Another option is to create a brand ambassador program. Use a point or discount system to reward guests for meaningful social media posts, photos, and reviews. This strategy may promote quantity over quality, so consider using an “application” process that asks potential brand ambassadors why they’d be a great fit, and what unique social media skills they bring to the table.

For tourist attractions

Most travel destinations boast a host of unique activities. You can’t miss swimming with the dolphins in Mexico. Wine tasting in France or Surfing lessons in California. And most of these activities are prime photo opportunities. But as you might have experienced for yourself, even the most seasoned selfie-taker has trouble capturing these moments from the perfect angle. At the end of each activity, guests begrudgingly head toward the photo stand, where professional photography of their adventure is on display. Sneakily, some guests may attempt to covertly snap a copy on their phone, while many visitors simply choose not to purchase these photos on principle. If you offer one digital copy in exchange for a review (which can be easily emailed after the review is verified), you are creating a currency your customers genuinely value. There’s no overhead cost to you, and consequently, plenty of opportunity for gain. 

Because most tourist attractions are one-off experiences that come with a premium price tag, providing discounts on future visits may not be the best strategy. Most often, this is due in part to the low volume of repeat customers. Instead, let your guests give the gift of their memories to others. Let them know that when they write a review, they have the opportunity to share a meaningful discount with a friend. This technique perpetuates your business and makes your customers feel good for reviewing you, while also sharing something with their friends and family. That’s what we call a win-win.

Did these strategies peak your interest when it comes to encouraging your valued customers to share more about their dynamic, memorable experience with your brand? To continue the conversation by uncovering additional opportunities to engage with your target audience, and develop repeat clientele through reviews, contact our team of advertising professionals today!

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millenials
millenials

As you are likely aware, rent costs have spiked nearly 15% since 2010, while mortgage interest rates are at new lows after the recession. Yet believe it or not, millennials are still happily paying an average of $1300-$1500 (or more) for rent month after month, with no property equity to show for it. There are many reasons why millennials are opting to rent instead of buy, and to successfully market to this generation, BIGEYE would like to share the following helpful hints to assist you in gaining a greater understanding of those reasons:

Know who you’re talking to:

There are 92 million millennials in the United States. Collectively, they have over 1.3 trillion dollars of student loan debt, may have spent a few years living with their parents or friends when the recession hit, and are bouncing back from 4.7% national unemployment rates. On a brighter note, financial conditions are improving for the 20- and 30-something set, and many are finding themselves ready to cut loose and enjoy a breath of fresh air.

Apartment living can represent that much sought-after breath of fresh air. When older generations explain what the “American Dream” means to them, they often cite owning property or putting down roots. Millennials may include having luxury amenities they wouldn’t be able to afford if they owned a home, such as valet parking, a pool, free gyms or billiard rooms, or a building concierge. Couple these attributes with easy access to food, nightlife, arts, and entertainment in the heart of most urban hubs. American Dream, indeed.

To millennials, the prospect of a 30-year mortgage translates to staying in one place – in one job – for the next three decades. This is a generation that can barely commit to two-year cell phone contracts. Marketing campaigns mapping out this generation’s lifespan aren’t liberating, they’re terrifying. Marketing campaigns that highlight the freedom of renting (or owning a secondary rental property as an extra income stream) – now that’s something.

Speak their language:

Successful property management marketing hinges on your ability to speak this generation’s language. Communicating with millennials the same way you would to the Baby Boomer generation is sure to leave your apartment marketing a little flat. This generation wants to live in locations where homeownership may be out of reach, or they may not be ready to get married and settle down yet – making homeownership a necessity.

The mistake most people make when marketing to millennials is that they assume the Y-generation is unhappy with this arrangement. Goldman Sachs conducted a study that suggests 30% of millennials believe buying a home is important … just not right now. A similar study  shows more than 79% of renters between the ages of 18 – 35 want to buy a home within the next five years. That means these renters are content being, well, renters until then. But what does that mean for property managers?

In highly desirable locations, such as San Francisco, Denver, or New York City, that means it’s an owner’s market. Even if millennials were ready to buy, high down payments, aggressive credit requirements, and staggering debt to income ratios make this prospect difficult. Property managers that give millennials access to apartments with high-perceived value will win their hearts, and since most renters pay up to 30% of their disposable income in rent according to Zillow, you’ll also have access to a large piece of their business.

Vacancy rates are at a 20-year low according to the American Census Bureau, so property marketing that targets exclusivity and accessibility to desirable locations is crucial for success.

Know your niche:

For millennials, you want to highlight value not price. Chances are, they know they aren’t saving as much as they’d like or that their paycheck is going to their landlord rather than their student loan holders. Successful property management marketing ideas highlight the value they are getting – despite the cost.

Since millennials are choosing to marry later in life, play up your apartment property’s sense of community and camaraderie. Talk about the convenience of having an on-site property manager to take care of (and pay for routine maintenance and upkeep). Highlight convenient month-to-month options that let millennials dream about their next job promotion to Singapore or London. Boast your building’s free wifi or cable packages that make working remotely or being an entrepreneur a breeze (working by the pool sounds pretty great to us).

Once you begin to understand a millennial’s version of the American Dream, you can begin positioning your property management marketing around those elements. Chances are, they’ll be substantially different from customers in other generations, but that doesn’t mean this market segment is less valuable. In fact, millennials make up about 36% of the housing market in the United States, making them the predominant generation in the industry.

The long and short game:

The short game for millennials is all about renting. The long game, however, appeals to their desire to buy. The economy is improving, interest rates are low, and sooner or later, millennials will begin tying the knot, having kids, and settling in to their mid-level careers.

Once you’ve proven that you understand them, they will remain loyal to you as their needs change. Some millennials will likely stay in the apartment market, opting to convert their rent to a mortgage payment on a condo or flat in the neighborhoods where they first started their careers and barely scraped by. Others will “head for the hills” – or suburbia – for a little more space and lower housing costs. As they grow, your marketing campaigns can grow with them.

Millennials are also poised to become some of the biggest buyers in the second and vacation property market. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) noted a staggering drop in the average age of vacation home purchasers. The market that used to be saturated with retirees with an average purchase age of 61 has plummeted to 43. As millennials watch their siblings turn a profit on vacation properties, and sites such as VRBO.com, HomeAway.com, and AirBnB.com make vacation rentals more accessible as a secondary source of income, millennials will flock to these opportunities as a way to – you guessed it – further harness their own financial freedom.

Millennials are very different from other generations, but understanding and marketing to them isn’t as difficult as you think. After all, everyone wants a beautiful space to come home to at the end of the day – no matter what generation you’re in.

Ready to develop a marketing strategy that resonates with your target demographic, including millennials? Contact our team of experts today to schedule a consultation!

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marketing3 1200x600 c default
marketing3 1200x600 c default

Contemporary retail marketing is a brave new world. While some basic principles remain when it comes to implementing effective retail marketing strategies, others have evolved to acknowledge and appeal to the new breed of consumer. Does your business have what it takes to succeed in today’s dynamic landscape? Let’s take a closer look at three critical components of the 21st century retail marketing mix.

1. It’s not you, it’s them

And by “them,” we mean your customers. While the retail marketing mix involves a number of elements — those trusty, oft-cited “six P’s.”  People, product, price, place, promotion and performance should all be focused in one clear direction: your customers.

It goes without saying that your customers are your business’ most important constituents, but a shocking number of retail enterprises fail to put them front and center when it comes to developing and implementing retail strategies. Here’s the cold hard truth: the more customer-focused you can make your retail business, the more success you can expect to achieve.

Lucky for us, we have more access than ever toward understanding our customers. From tracking in-store footfalls to online conversation rates, the ability to known and learn from customer behavior yields actionable insights into their wants and needs so you can stop wasting your resources on what doesn’t work and instead focus on results.

We’re living in an era of “YOU-tility,” and retail organizations are not exempt when it comes to satisfying the contemporary consumer. One common goal shared by today’s successful retail enterprises? To add value across all of the P’s.  This can mean anything from implementing point of sale solutions for on-the-go customers to targeting promotions to reach a particular demographic via their preferred means of communication, all without bothering the rest with irrelevant promotional materials.

2. Consistency is key

We can all agree that a retail organization which only emphasizes sales is destined to fail. Why? Because retail success also relies upon providing extraordinary customer service every step of the way. Want to gain an inside edge on the competition? Don’t settle for delivering what your customers expect. Instead, strive to exceed their expectations. After all, the ultimate goal is not to make a single sale, but to develop lasting customer loyalty, along with the potential for a lifetime of sales.

Because consumer shopping habits have changed, so must your marketing efforts. This means incorporating a complete range of omnichannel marketing methods in order to leverage technology into sales. To maximize your efforts and ensure that your message reaches your target audience in the most meaningful way, your business needs a compelling online and offline presence.

Today’s consumers expect the businesses they support to be transparent, accountable and responsive. While these may sound like trendy buzzwords, they’re a very real part of any successful retail marketing mix. This means every communication you send — whether in-store or via digital methods  — is aimed at reinforcing your brand sensibility across all touch points.

And don’t forget about email. While most people think social media and apps have overtaken email as the ideal means of communicating with consumers, email is still an important way to cultivate and engage consumers. In fact, a recent Inc. article decreed email marketing to be “vital for businesses of all sizes,” for a variety of reasons including its low cost, mobile reach, and impact upon both online and in-store sales.

Consistency also means establishing expectations for your staff and reinforcing these expectations so that organization-wide operations are coordinated, streamlined, and cohesive. Every team member should be working toward the common goal of satisfying customers through a well-communicated strategic plan.

3. A new kind of location, location, location

The traditional marketing mix has always emphasized location. After all, you’re not going to make any sales if access to your storefront is limited by a poor, inconvenient or incongruent location in terms of your brand and target consumers. And while your physical storefront remains an important concern today, it’s far from the only concern. Why? Because not only are today’s customers more mobile in terms of where they shop, but they also have access to endless e-commerce options. Shopping is no longer about geography. In fact, today’s consumers can get nearly everything they need without stepping foot inside a brick-and-mortar location. In order to keep up with the evolving retail mix, your e-commerce site is as important as your physical storefront when attracting paying customers.

Forrester Research’s report, U.S. Cross-Channel Retail Forecast, 2012-2017, predicts that by the year 2017, 60 percent of the country’s total retail sales will involve the web, and a full 10.3 percent will be online purchases. Unless you’re willing to forgo your 10 percent, creating an inviting, accessible, compelling and brand-centric new “location” — ie. your online storefront — is a must-do.

While finding the correct retail marketing mix takes some time and effort, it can serve as the difference between standing out from your competition and blending in with the rest. Keeping these three things in mind can help you maximize your retail marketing mix efforts in order to enjoy optimal results across your business, brand, and bottom line.

Are you a retailer in search of ways to set your brand apart in a bustling industry? Contact our team of strategists to schedule time to “talk shop” with us today!