Once upon a time sales promotions were made from cardboard. They were flat, two-dimensional and lacked engagement. In short, promotions were boring. Thankfully, the promotions industry has outgrown its awkward years.
Thanks to an influx of technology and the social interaction that it facilitates, sales promotions are now smart, connected, participatory events with multi-media campaign support. For example, Frito-Lay recently crowd-sourced new product development via a consumer-generated content promotion called “Do Us A Flavor.”
Note how the old meets the new in this promotion. A “submit your favorite recipe” contest with a one million dollars prize is old as the hills. The pun headline too. What’s new is the amplification through social media, the social voting mechanism and the “15 seconds of fame” granted to, or forced upon, the winner.
One of the primary obstacles in promotional marketing is people tend to believe they will not win. I think a focus on the winner helps break down objections a bit. Knowing that the winner of Lay’s recent contest is a librarian from Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin, helps others see themselves in her $1 million richer-shoes.
If only they had thought of “Cheesy Garlic Bread flavored potato chips” first!
Previously on AdPulp: Promotions Continue To Mutate Into Consumer Generated Social Motions | Location-Based Promo Makes Perfect Sense For Big City Daily
