The selfie bandwagon

Sometimes there’s a product or service that seems outrageous but for some reason, the public falls in love with it. A recent example is the selfie stick.

GIGA SelfieThe stick itself is part of a larger trend of people taking selfies, and Tourism Australia is taking advantage in its new “The GIGA Selfie” campaign.

The oversized selfie service is part of the upcoming campaign that’s trying to attract more Japanese tourists to Australia (the Japanese market is Australia’s sixth largest in terms of tourists). Tourists stand on a specific spot and use an app to set off a distant camera. Afterward they can download a short video that begins as a closeup but expands to reveal the surroundings.

This weekend will be the first opportunity for tourists to take the highly anticipated selfie. Future locations will be announced through social media outlets.

For companies, there’s no shame in jumping on the bandwagon in your marketing campaigns. Not only will the public be aware of the trend, but they may be more willing to use it.

Be the best strategic storyteller

A recent poll by PR News and Nasdaq Media Intelligence asked which of Fortune’s 2015 Most Admired Brands succeed best at telling humanizing stories that drive positive awareness. The results were the following: one-fifth said that Apple is the best at doing this, with Coca-Cola in second. Other companies that ranked high were Walt Disney, Southwest and American Express.

Are you looking to share your brand’s story? Here are a few tips:

  • Share stories about your customers rather than employees
  • Use social media and your website to tell your story
  • Stay away from op-eds and radio when sharing story

So why is Apple so successful? It has found ways for consumers to buy its products without ever ‘advertising’ the actual product. Instead, Apple tells a story that engages everyone and makes them feel a connection.

For example, here’s an Apple commercial demonstrating its FaceTime app:

Buick’s all about creating impressions

If a car company gave you the opportunity to test drive a car overnight and included a company-themed yoga workout, mix-at-home company fragrances and a “company meditation map,” would that make you more likely to buy one of their vehicles?

That’s what Buick hopes, as its “24 Hours of Happiness Test Drive” marketing campaign was released last week. The company hopes this idea not only shows their interest in their consumers but creates an impression that Buick trusts their shoppers.

Typically a brand for an older demographic, Buick is now targeting a new generation of buyers and combined that with the trending topic of wellness.

This campaign notion reminded me of the quotation, “if you’re not innovating, you’re going backward.”

So ask yourself, how are you/your company innovating and constantly improving to the ever changing demands of today’s society?