Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Post #6: Street Smart Promotions


This post can be thought of as the climax of my three-part series the humanization of brands. No ad, after all, could be more human than the one above.

The nuanced and entertaining practice of street advertising has been a part of the American business environment for over a century. The concept is simple: advertising that speaks and breathes can reach customers directly and in a manner specifically tailored to them.

While print and digital advertising contains messages designed for broad market segments, human street ads can adjust their message instantly as the target customer changes.

For example, the Little Caesar's brand rep above can say "good afternoon, ma'am" to a passing young lady, give a passing group of a high school kids enthusiastic high-fives, and tell a man carrying a Burger King bag that he could have received a better deal, and a better meal, at Little Caesar's.

While these ads do run the risk of being perceived as gimmicky, they work on a small scale. They show that the sponsoring firm is fun and friendly. Well, ok, except for this one for the Amsterdam Torture Museum.

Overall, live street ads help a business embed itself in the community. Consumers form an emotional bond with the goofy brand rep outside and the gooey pizza inside.

For small-market franchising with a tight budget, that news is cheesy and delicious.







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