Experiential Marketing and Tim Hortons?

 

#TimsDark Booth seems to be the latest in a list of commercials by Tim Hortons promoting Dark Roast coffee using experiential marketing. I thought this was a good opportunity to examine current uses of experiential marketing.

 What is Experiential Marketing You Ask?

Experiential Marketing is when consumers form a personal connection with a brand by being engaged in a brand experience.

 

 

#TimsDark Booth creates curiosity among the public the black box is located across the country with only the words, “get into the dark” written on it. People are asked what they think dark roast would taste like, often giving negative reviews without having tried the product before. By trying Tim Hortons dark roast coffee in the dark, the consumer is able to focus the experience solely on taste.

Check out the video for #TimsDark Bus below:

 

 

What about Other Examples?

Molson Canadian uses the tagline  as the backbone to the company’s marketing efforts. This ad portrays various people attempting to open the Molson Canadian beer fridge saying I am Canadian in different languages. This ad shows multiculturalism in Canada while consumers are interacting with the product.

 

Gaining access to the Molson fridge becomes a challenge where consumers must interact with each other and the branded Molson fridge in order to receive the product. The main purpose of Molson’s experiential marketing is to get people invested in what is being sold.

Click here to find out why The Globe and Mail thought this ad was effective.

CHECK OUT THE CANADIAN PASSPORT BEER FRIDGE VIDEO BELOW

 

 

Why is This Important?

Companies are able to interact with the consumer on a personal level while promoting the brand image and its core values. In the end, Experiential Marketing is a good way to gain customer retention and build brand loyalty.

 

Have you participated in an experiential marketing campaign?

NOT SO Effective Marketing – Part 2

In part one of this blog I talked about how Kelsey’s FAILED to promote a weekly Girls’ Night Out event and FAILED use adequate branding on the building. Now I will explain what I would do if I were running this promotion.

WHAT I WOULD DO

If I were running a company and focusing on branding instead of saying “How many?” I might have the hostess say “Welcome to Kelsey’s, enjoy your lunch, don’t forget to ask your waiter about our Girls’ Night Out promotion.” Just in that one sentence the brand name was repeated and the promotion got promoted.

If I were running this promotion, as a waiter, I would be sure to tell the customers about the upcoming Tuesday Girls’ Night Out. Especially since we were four college girls out to lunch that day. We were the perfect target demographic and an opportunity to sell us the promotion and have us invite our friends, was missed. I would not only give facts about the promotion but I would encourage the guest to come back on promotion day. I would push the value of the promotion as well as the lifestyle elements based on having a good time.

 

As the customers pay I would once again remind them about the promotion by saying, “thank you for dinning at Kelsey’s, I hope to see you Tuesday for Girls’ Night Out.” It feels informal and personal but still pushes the promotion and the brand. You really want that promotion and the brand to resonate with the customer while obtaining brand recognition and loyalty. As its not like this would cost the company any money, its just words! These words could make Kelesy’s a whole lot more money.

WHAT ELSE WOULD I DO?

Well for starters I would add some sort of sign to the back of the building, as it is seen by many cars daily. I would add a logo to some of those recognizable blue awnings at the side of the building. I would have window decals promoting Tuesday Girls Night Out. I would put the wait staff in colourful promotion shirts. I would use direct mail to attract local residents and students in Kingston. And finally I would have a printed sign in the lobby giving more information on the weekly event.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF REVIEWS

 

With many people researching customer reviews on sites like Tripadvisor and Yelp before choosing a restaurant, it is integral to provide an excellent guest service every time. Customers will start judging a restaurant before they are even in the door. On Tripadvisor Kelsey’s is rated number 248 of restaurants in Kingston and 270 of places to eat, with the majority of reviewers stating Kelsey’s is either average or terrible.

Check out the Tripadvisor page here.

Effective…Err…NOT SO Effective Marketing

So a few weeks ago I went out shopping on a Saturday with my roommates to the RioCan Centre. After a while we decided that we needed to get lunch. Wanting a restaurant in walking distance, I saw the signs of a few well known chains like Montana’s and then I saw this.

 

 

 

While the composition of the banner is eye catching and the promotion is clearly stated, I seemed to notice one major flaw. There was no signage to tell me what company or brand this was. This banner was at the back of the building that overlooked a major parking lot with interconnecting roadways that went through the outdoor complex.

Here’s why branding is important:

• Creates brand loyalty

• Creates brand recognition

• Differentiates brand for competition

• Gives employees direction

 

What I Did Next

So I walked around the side of the building and still didn’t see any signage. My roommate pointed out the blue awnings and said that she thought It might be Kelsey’s. But there was nothing on the building or in the many windows. When we got around to the front of the building and saw that it was Kelsey’s.

I found it hard to believe that there was only one sign on the building stating the name of the restaurant. Especially given the buildings location. And the only time the Tuesday night promotion was advertised was on a banner on the backside of the building. The promotion was not advertised on the side or front of the restaurant, on the windows, the doors, the lobby, by the hostess or by our waitress.  There was absolutely no personal selling involved. In addition to not having any signage in the restaurant supporting this promotion the hostess and waitress did not talk to us about it.

The only thing that told us about the promotion was a menu insert that stated the exact same thing as the outside banner.

 

What would you do to sell a weekly promotion?

 

This is part one of two, click here to see what I would do if I were in charge of this promotion!

 

CIBC Sponsorship Inspires Women

 

While on YouTube I came across an ad playing before my music video. It caught my eye and I decided to watch it instead of clicking the very appealing skip ad button in the right corner my screen.

The CIBC Run for the Cure ad pulled on my heart strings. At first I thought this is a really cool video interviewing why women participate in the run.

Then it went to a whole other level.

SPOILER ALERT: WATCH HERE 

 

I balled my eyes out while watching this ad. Every single woman in charge of some aspect of the interviews was a breast cancer survivor.

 

“Today, we were truly ‘all in this together’ as more than one hundred thousand Canadians united across the country for the CIBC Run for the Cure,” says Lynne Hudson, CEO, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

October is Breast Cancer ACTION Month and I have seen many stores, restaurants and local shops in Kingston promoting breast cancer awareness.

But this was an interesting take on an emotional subject. None of the merchandise I have seen evoked such strong emotions as this digital ad. I hold the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation close to my heart after seeing loved ones battle this life threatening disease.

With the annual run taking place on Sunday October 4^th, #CIBCRunfortheCure trended number one on twitter.

The cause and event marketing is the core of this ad and the sponsorship looks to elevate the CIBC brand. Fundraising events for causes like the CIBC Run for the Cure support life saving research.

As a title sponsor CIBC not only provides a sponsorship to a brand, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, but also to a cause the Run for the Cure. According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation website CIBC has been a sponsor for 18 years. I think this proves that CIBC is a social responsible company trying to find a cure.

 

Check out the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for a Cure sponsors page here.

 

 

Steer It Up for Local Foodbank

 

As I have previously blogged about the Steer It Up campaign I thought I would examine if the campaign is effective. For those of you who don’t know Steer It Up is a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the purchase of a new van created by the Partners in  Mission Foodbank with support from Spark Production House and Enactus at St. Lawrence College.

Why the New Van?

The current van is ten years old and a lot of money is spent on maintenance, repairs and fuel. The If the fundraising goal of $50,000 is raised the van will be named the CareVan. The CareVan will provide more space for pickups and improve fuel economy while maintaining lower repair costs.

Why Crowdfunding?

When asking yourself if this campaign is  effective, ask if the method of funding is effective.

Crowdfunding is a way to get many people to donate to contribute to a larger cause. It creates a sense of community within the contributors, and support to the cause. Crowdfunding this cause is effective because people are more likely to donate if they receive perks for their contributions.

The Use of Partnerships

Supporting partners Enactus and Spark Production House are groups associated with St. Lawrence College. There are 7,000 students at St. Lawrence College. By having these connections to the college the campaign is viewed by a large number of students and faculty. These students and faculty not only donate themselves but they share this information with their connections.

What you Get When you Donate

As crowdfunding rewards vary given the amount donated you can choose how much to donate based on the reward given. Some of these rewards include:

• Your name on the side of the van
• A digital badge to post on social media
• A printed copy of Recipes for an Empty Wallet
• An electronic copy of Recipes for an Empty Wallet
• Your logo on the van
• Shout outs on social media
• Facebook and Twitter sponsored posts
• One shift riding in the van

The verdict

Crowdfunding for the Steer It Up campaign is effective

In just two weeks the campaign has raised over $25,000. Thats  half of the $50,000 goal. St Lawrence College in itself is a community but it is also part of the larger community of Kingston. The partnership between Enactus, Partners in Mission Foodbank and Spark Production House allows students to become active in their community while supporting a worthy  cause. Partners in Mission Foodbank provides an important service to Kingston and the surrounding area. An area that we live in and interact with on a daily basis. By donating small amounts contributing to a larger cause, crowdfunding gives you the sense of community. Therefore Crowdfunding the Steer It Up campaign resonates with the audience of the Kingston area community.

 

So check out this campaign video created by Spark Production House

 

DONATE TODAY!

To Vote or Not to Vote

With an upcoming federal election, I have to determine if I will vote. If I decide to vote, then I must figure out why I am voting and who best supports my political views.

The Right to Vote

As a democratic society, in Canada we are given the right to choose if we want to vote. Statistically in every federal election many Canadians choose to exercise this right and do not vote. I find myself asking why people, myself sometimes included choose not to vote. While some people say its because they do not follow politics others say that they simply don’t have time on election day. But with all candidates debates and advanced polls the excuses seem pointless.

Is There Truth in Election Marketing?

Then there is the election marketing. It seems to break all the rules. Political comments are usually taken way out of context and skewed in a way that only really benefits the campaign that paid for it. The baseless accusations mount and clouds your judgement. Its hard to even know who means what they say and if they will follow through with the promises made.

My Thoughts

From personal experience I can say that sometimes I find that there is a disconnect between the federal party leaders and the local representatives. I have gone to a local all candidates meeting and have been surprised by how the representatives present themselves and the issues in relation to the party views promoted by the federal leader. So then I am faced with a challenge. Do I choose the local representative that seems to care more about the issues in our local area, or another federal party whose platform I identify with most, even if I don’t think that candidate is right for Prime Minister?                  

So really from now until election day the hard work is mine. I have to become informed and make a decision that is right for me, knowing that as Canadians we have to responsibility to make a change and let our voice be heard.

For more information regarding the October 19th election you can visit the Elections Canada website here.

Will you be voting?

Steer It Up Crowdfunding Kingston

What is Steer it up?

Steer It Up is a crowdfunding campaign created by The Partners in Mission FoodBank with the support of Spark Production House, and Enactus SLC. The FoodBank has been supporting the Kingston Community for the last 30 years thanks to your continued generous support.

What We Need & What You Get

The campaign is aimed at raising enough funds to support the Kingston and Area FoodBank purchase a brand new van in order to fulfil the rising demands.

The expenses:

• 2015 RAM PROMASTER – HIGH ROOF 159 IN
• Vehicle sticker wrap
• Processing and licensing
• Crowdfunding fees

Crowdfunding campaigns are famous for its perks, and this one is no different. The FoodBank prides itself on being a nimble not for profit and having little overhead. Therefore our Perks follow what we believe in.