When advertising no longer talks at you but actually does something for you, then it becomes a service. Samsung places charging stations in airports and road warriors get the fuel they need to carry on the battle. The longer the program runs, the longer everybody wins. Samsung gets meaningful exposure, airports get happier travelers and consumers come to recognize Samsung as a helpful & reliable “mobile” resource. The exchange of value is crystal clear.
That’s why I’m only lukewarm about a new program from Kraft as reported by MediaPost:
In the Windy City this month, frozen commuters and holiday shoppers will be treated to heated bus shelters and samples of Stove Top’s new Quick Cups instant stuffing, courtesy of Kraft Foods.
“Stove Top Stuffing is all about warming up families with hot, delicious meals when the temperatures drop,” said brand manager Ellen Thompson in a release, “and we wanted a stand-out way to demonstrate this to consumers this holiday season.”
This is a thin a commitment to Marketing as Service as you will find. Only 10 bus shelters are being heated and only in Chicago. 49 other markets will just see bus shelter ads. So really, this is a insincere stunt that Kraft hopes will inspire lots of PR. And perhaps it will (which may be enough for them.)
Imagine for a moment Kraft committed to bus shelters in cold cities the way Samsung has to airport terminals. Commuters would be thanking Kraft by the bus load and telling all their friends how the kind folks from Glenview warmed them up on a frigid morning. Cities would be competing to get the Kraft bus shelter program as a way of encouraging and rewarding the use of public transportation.
Okay, maybe I’m dreaming but I’d bet on this approach versus 49 markets worth of bus shelter posters that get the cold shoulder treatment from ad-weary consumers. Marketing as Service has the potential to transform the way consumers interact with and perceive your brand. And to quote one genius at self-promotion, “that’s hot.”
Great post, Drew. Marketing as service is indeed the way to go, but it needs to be authentic. The Kraft initiative, as you say, is pretty thin. I’m more on the B2B side, and we’re inundated with similarly thin efforts to provide “value” to potential buyers in the guise of alleged thought leadership content and events that are really warmed over sales and lead generation pitches. And the downturn is pushing many marketers even further away from actual service in the direction of the harder sell. But the opportunity is absolutely there if you use a little creativity and have a little faith in the power of reciprocity from grateful customers and prospects.
Drew —
I just read your post, and had this thought: What about the OTHER bus shelters? And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who saw the deficit first. Thus, I think this is going to have a negative effect in the end, as residents of other parts of the city feel slighted. To your point, if they had gone all out in just one smaller city, and heated all the shelters, the result would have been staggering. In fact, I would bet some cities would even offer to partner with them to make sure all their shelters were included. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Alan
Rob–the irony of the hard sell is that it makes selling hard. Whether B2B or B2C, people are involved and as such appreciate a two-way exchange of value vs a one-way sales pitch. Even a “consultative” sales approach if done properly can fall into Marketing as Service.
Alan–hadn’t thought of the smaller city domination approach. You’re right, that would have been a PR bonanza.