There are more ways than 1 to skin a cat as the saying goes. So too, paid advertising is not just a simple matter of laying down some bucks to get the customers in.
Bird dogging
For example, one of the most popular forms of advertising is bird-dogging. Bird-dogging is having your customers become loyal ambassadors for your product in ways you can’t personally do.
It’s said that Wayne Newton, in his heyday was one of the earliest proponents of bird-dogging. The astute Mr. Newton would occasionally offer a free show just for the cab drivers in Vegas and their families.
So for the rest of the year, when tourists asked the cab drivers what were the best shows in Vegas to go to, the universal choice by a mile was Wayne Newton.
Many car salesmen do the same thing, by offering a $100 bounty for each referral friend they sell a new car too.
Free Giveaways for charity
Toms Shoes was once a shoe factory in an apartment. Today it’s worth an estimated $300 million dollars. Tom’s secret? For every pair of shoes customers buy, Tom’s gives away a pair to poor, shoeless children in other countries.
Not only did the idea catch on, but Tom’s uses connected TV advertising to encourage us all to be heroes. To see an example of a Tom’s commercial, go to Toms for One Another commercial.
Make fun of yourself
The famous Budweiser Wassup ads barely got the nod from Budweiser, but they broke the mold for authentic reactions. See the Budweiser Wassup ad here. Note that it has been viewed over 3 million times.
Advertise on TV
Connected TV advertising is more affordable than ever. Research shows that more people are watching TV now than ever.
Create a viral activity challenge
By now everyone has heard of the ice bucket challenge. Like it or hate it, it inspired new ways to have fun. Create a challenge of your own, whether it’s an ugly dog or cat contest, women finding the cleverest use for decorating a bra, or an ugly toe contest.
People just love to get away from their everyday, run of the mill activities, and get involved.
Have kids create your local advertisements.
People underestimate the brilliance and cleverness of kids, particularly when they get a little older. Consider running a contest for the top 3 advertisements in your product category and restrict entrance to kids 8 to 13 or so.
Not only will you wind up with some very clever advertisements to run, but getting dozens of kids involved in your project but their parents will remember you at purchase time.
Have a really fun family event
Of course you can invite your employees to dress up in clown suits and their best Halloween costumes, but why not get the community involved. Invite the local fire department or police department to participate.
Firefighters and policemen are people two and are in need of the town’s recognition they deserve. Let the kids enjoy dunking the police chief with a dunking booth, and rent a dozen ponies to give free rides to the kids. Trust us, at purchase time, people will remember.
Get the local seniors involved
Many seniors would love to be grandmothers and grandfather again for a day. Invite a bunch of lively seniors to tell stories to the young ones, and show off their prized memories or photos from 50 and 60 years ago.
Ultimately, advertising has changed from the passive audience of yesteryear. Today people want to be engaged, and these are just a few of what are a fountainhead of ideas for subtle, anit-hard-sell advertising.
