Here’s a little thought experiment I did on paper while flying from Dubai to New York. I think it’s important to visualise our thoughts. You never know what our toughts might turn into. This one is a bit obtuse, but might be worht a close look.
Tag: Advertising
Dubai series: Hijack Advertising
The photo below is on the car of the guy I am staying with in Dubai. Have a look at the wheel cover on his 4 wheel drive, of which there are more than sedans on the road in said location.
You’ll notice that it has a cover on it for ‘Danube’ which happens to be a building materials company. Funny this is ‘Michael – the car owner’ doesn’t work there. He told me one day he returned to his vehicle to find it placed on his spare wheel. I asked him if it annoyed him, and he proceeded to tell me, it doesn’t worry him as it protects his wheel, and it is a bit of a hassle to remove. Yep, he hasn’t got around to removing it yet…
Subsequently I noticed these on many cars in Dubai. Seems the other owners of the hijacked cars haven’t bothered to remove theirs either.
It’s an interesting piece of advertising and media invention. It is giving an item of value to the hijacked, that is the wheel cover, but on the same token it’s very interruptive. If the cover get’s thrown away, it becomes a costly exercise for the advertiser. I’m not sure it would be tolerated in a western market, but it’s innovative non the less.
Entertainment is not Advertising
This is clearly a very ‘entertaining’ piece of advertising:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riVFSIYUnh8]
The above piece of film is just awesome, entertaining, memorable and even worth ‘talking about’. But here’s how that discussion will flow….
“Have you seen that awesome ad with the little kittens doing the Ninja, break dancing stuff… it is so cool.”
“No I haven’t seen it, what’s it for?”
“Not sure, I think a car or something, it’s just the coolest thing, the cats just look wicked, I wonder how they did it. I love it.”
The above conversation says it all. Great entertainment value, but little brand recognition, or call to action. This piece of advertising can therefore never be ‘Radvertising’.
Startup blog says: Advertising should sell, entertainment is at best, ‘a bonus’.
This is awesome…
So after the last blog post I had a quick response from Cheng Lau on Twitter.
I was a bit confused at first but just followed my instinct and clicked. Then I was WOWed! It makes the point much better than I did.
Thanks Cheng!
A few steps forward
I saw this auction sign board while walking in my local village. A real estate agent who has the night light powered by a solar panel. The first I’ve seen of it’s kind. I was surprised.
It’s not a huge innovation, it may even cost them more than a standard electric powered light does, I’m note sure. What I am sure of is this, it moves them and ‘us’, all a few steps forward. To using better and smarter technology.
I felt good about it, good enough to be writing about it here. So the question is this:
What small things can your startup do to take it’s brand, and us all a few small steps forward?
Network Vs Internet – You decide
Just saw this amazing grab from the film ‘Network‘ circa 1976. Watch it, then think about the opportunity of the internet and our ‘own’ global communication channels we’ve been gifted. Then start something, anything, start something which makes the world a better place. Do this and the money will follow you.
[youtube=http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=MTN3s2iVKKI]
Cast the media net wide
When aiming to generate media coverage for our startup or business. We often get one thing wrong. The thing we get wrong is related to our training as marketers.
We are too targeted. We are too fussy on who’s right for our product.
Answer – the right media vehcile is the media vehicle who’ll ‘cover it’.
In fact we need to do the reverse and cast the net wide. In fact cast the media net as wide as possible. What needs to be targeted is ‘the message’. The message needs to be written for the forum. But, in truth most of us have way more messages in our business than we have bothered to think about, or even invent.
The message or pitch is all about them, their readers and their viewers. The bait has got to be right as well. So before you pitch – work out how many angles you’ve got and you’ll be surprised what you can dig up. Especially for startups – who can exchange at a minimum, a few learning’s from the battle field, some business insights.
Here’s my example of Media angles for rentoid.com
Altruistic – Helping people
Business methods
Making Money from idle assets
Saving money – rent instead of buying stuff
Web news – first of its’ type
Startup stories
Technology used
Ecologically sound (no we don’t mean carbon offset)
Green message
Making the web physical connect – going beyond virtual
Helping the financially challenged
Temporary needs
Temporary residents
Reduce storage requirements / household clutter
Virtual organisations / outsourcing
Vicarious living (renting things you can’t afford) ….
There’s more, but you’re bored already. I’m just showing what’s possible. And if you have your doubts check out the rentoid media page here, of which not a cent has been paid for.
How many ‘media angles’ does your startup have?
Steve – rentoid.com