Gimmick marketing has been an age old practice of brands to create a buzz in the market. Sometimes this gimmick can fire back but at the same time if a brand can run it well, then that gives it an unbelievable amount of hype and brand awareness.
Examples of gimmick marketing
1. Recently, Virat Kohli and the clothing company Puma staged a hoax on social media. The cricket player’s black eye left onlookers wondering, “What’s the tea?” An unanticipated incident was later used by Puma and Kohli as the main inspiration for the sports brand’s Black Friday campaign this year.
2. Social media went crazy when American rapper and record producer Snoop Dogg declared he was quitting smoking. The news was shocking and quickly went viral on the internet because his music and brand were heavily focused on smoking and his love of marijuana. Subsequently, the rapper revealed his affiliation with Smokeless Solo Stove, explaining his strange admission of smoking. Because of the campaign’s extreme virality, the brand began selling the product under the moniker “The Snoop Stove.”
3. Actress Anushka Sharma also managed to confuse her fans by engaging in an online “feud” with Puma in December of last year. She reposted the image of the actor wearing a yellow Puma sports bra with the caption, “Hey Puma?” after the brand posted it. Since I am not your ambassador, you are aware that you must obtain my consent before using my images for promotional purposes. Please remove it!
Puma’s “brazenness” angered many of Sharma’s admirers, who were then disappointed to learn that the company was appointing her as a brand ambassador.
But why do brands do gimmick marketing?
The capacity of marketing gimmicks to stand out in a crowded market is one of their main advantages. Given the abundance of goods and companies competing for consumers’ attention, a business can stand out from the crowd and gain recognition by using a clever or eye-catching trick. In a crowded market, this can be especially useful for up-and-coming or lesser-known brands looking to make a splash.
“To get eyeballs” is always the aim. Marketers can generate curiosity and excitement about a product or service by employing unusual or distinctive strategies like comedy, time-limited deals, or eye-catching imagery. Increased engagement, brand recognition, and eventually sales can result from this.
How gimmick marketing can backfire?
Like every other thing gimmick marketing also has its cons, let’s decode those –
1. Clickbait articles –
Sensational headlines are used in clickbait articles to lure readers to your main website. It’s a great way to attract new visitors, but remember that the objective is to attract more engaged users rather than just more users in general. If your content doesn’t live up to the hype you created in your headlines, your users will be let down and you will be doing more harm than good to your brand.
2. Guerilla marketing –
Guerrilla marketing is another intriguing and effective strategy, but it’s important to tread carefully. That might be disastrous because you’ll be shocking the public and revealing something they weren’t expecting. Be sure to weigh the consequences if you decide to try something similar. If not, you run the danger of losing people’s confidence and perhaps even getting sued.
3. Misguided contest –
There is a risk associated with contests, but they also promote user interaction and sharing. You might even get user-generated content from them. When you launch a contest, you immediately give users, many of whom are always seeking ways to take advantage of your good intentions, control over your campaign. Provide the most specific instructions you can for your content. Ensure that the strategy includes a content filter and that the contest’s format complies with the requirements set forth by your brand.
Gimmick marketing for small brands
Now if you’re running a small startup or agency and want to use gimmick marketing to sell your product. Then look no further because we have some great ideas for you –
1. Add ons –
Any complimentary item provided in addition to the purchased goods or service is called an add-on. For instance, the kids’ meals at fast-food restaurants might include a little toy that entices kids to ask their parents for the food. Successful add-on gimmicks usually have two things in common: the add-on is less expensive to manufacture and more desirable to the customer than the main product.
2. Special edition –
The release of special editions is a similar ruse. One type of scarcity marketing strategy is the use of special editions, which can give the impression that a customer is only getting one chance to buy an item. Special or limited editions of physical copies of films are frequently available for purchase at a premium over standard editions. These could consist of extras like unique packaging, collectable inserts, and fan content, but the movie’s plot remains the same, and the producer’s expense to incorporate these features is minimal.
3. Selective events –
One effect of special events is to change the emphasis from the product to the setting in which it is sold. Because they might be interested in what the event has to offer, potential customers show up, which could result in more product exposure and sales.
Conclusion
To conclude, gimmick marketing is a great way to attract the attention of the audience and boost your sales but at the same time, you need to remember that there should be a thin line between gimmick marketing and deceiving. Keeping this idea in mind will help you to plan the best gimmick marketing.