You have a big product (service) launch and you want to spread the word. Your product is absolutely phenomenal and most importantly, it does what you promise. You just need to get people to listen to your message. Ideally, you’d like a captive audience because you know that if people listen to your ‘pitch’ you’ll move product as fast as Kanye.
You just need help getting people to listen to your message.
New York City is the marketing capital of the world. There are billboards and all sorts of creative advertising all over the place. The problem is that there are too many advertisements and no one really pays attention to them.
So how do you get people to listen to your message? Here is an in idea for those with deep pockets.
As a New Yorker, I’m always walking briskly. I won’t stop for anyone. Not even cabs. No one does.
But, the one thing that always makes me stop (and everyone else around me) is a big movie trailer truck. I always become insanely curious and always wonder who and what are they filming and so does everyone else.
I think next time Proctor & Gamble or any major company wants to get the word out about a new product they ought to get a big movie truck and they’ll have a large crowd of people that WANT to be there and WILL listen to anything.
Then, I’d shoot a commercial. But, I’d make sure the actors were talking on some sort of megaphone. I’d also ask crowd members if they wanted to be in the commercial. “Wait a second, I can be on a nationally televised commercial?”
And the people that don’t jump all over that opportunity? Well, give them a free sample or a business card or whatever you want. 1000% they will go home and at least check out your website because they have an emotional connection to your product now.
This small cost compared to a large scale television commercial would generate incredible buzz. And don’t forget your taxpayer dollars will be hard at work to pay the NYPD to make it even more chaotic; only making people more curious to know what is going on!
Do this in areas like Times Square or Penn Station or Union Square or Grand Central and it’s a winner. You won’t reach as many people as a TV commercial would but I guarantee that the tens of thousands of people that hear your message will tell their friends and also be a lot more likely to buy the product.
It’s amazing what a camera guy and a guy with a microphone can do. Last Tuesday, I was shooting my first ever fitness video in Battery Park for Conde’ Nast and people couldn’t stop staring. “Who the hell is that?”
I won’t lie though. Most of the people gawking were probably staring at the co-host who was wearing a very flattering workout getup.
If you try the movie truck bit let me know.
It’s as certain to work as, well…
Action!