Elf on the Shelf Marketing Tactics

December 23rd, 2011, by admin

Have you heard about the “adorable” Elf on the Shelf? The story is that he sits on your kids’ shelf, keeps an eye on them and reports back to Santa when they’re being good or bad. The little Elf is constantly on the move (thanks to some stealth moves from Mom and Dad) to remind kids they better behave. Rather than just saying “Santa Claus is watching you,” parents are taking this concept to a whole new level that quite honestly, verges on creepy. Similarly, personalized marketing campaigns are highly valuable, but when taken too far, these mailers can invade your customer’s personal space. Here’s how to avoid crossing that fine line between connecting with your customer and creeping them out.

First, there’s a difference between utilizing your database and abusing your database. Recently, our Agency Manager received a Direct Mailer from a pharmacy that was far too personalized. The mailer specifically mentioned her last five medical prescription purchases in an effort to sell her more, but it only succeeded in invading her privacy. An alternative here would’ve been noticing her last purchases had been for allergy medicine and creating general copy that read, “Breathe easy with our spring discounts.” This type of mailer is still targeted but it doesn’t make your customer feel like you’re watching them, like that aforementioned little elf.

Next, if you’ve ever received an email that starts with “We noticed you read our last email…” then you’ve been hit by Elf on the Shelf Marketing. Knowing who clicks through your emails is a great way to customize information to a highly targeted audience, but that information should stay internal. Thanks to advancements in technology, it’s easy to see who’s reading and clicking through our e-blasts, but divulging this information makes readers feel uneasy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly no Ebenezer Scrooge, and I do like customized and creative marketing tactics — but there has to be moderation. And when it comes to the actual Elf on the Shelf, I feel like he would’ve given my kids nightmares rather than persuaded them to behave.

Contact us today to start an effective Direct Mail marketing campaign!

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What is Movember?

December 13th, 2011, by Caitlin

When it comes to groundbreaking fundraisers, a month-long event called ‘Movember’ created a worldwide marketing movement to promote and raise money for men’s health. What began in a bar in Melbourne, Australia is rapidly growing into an international charity raising upwards of $174 million since its inception in 2003. Inspired by the women’s health movement, Movember uses key strategic components (and the glory that is the mustache) to raise awareness and funds from around the world. Here’s how:

Building a Solid Brand. Creating a consistent and recognizable logo and imagery have been key pieces to the Movember branding process. Visually, these components have an old-world, masculine feel that tie in with their message promoting men’s health. When it comes to their verbal standards, the tone is clever and concise and directly speaks to their target audience (community members dubbed Mo Bros and Mo Sistas). Plus, their website is easy to navigate achieving three primary goals: it informs the audience about the cause, persuades the community to get involved, and encourages interaction through games, tips, and more.

Social Media Strikes Again. According to Donny Killian, the US manager for Movember, the organization actively assists the community to spread the word, he explained, “We support our Mo Bros and Mo Sistas throughout their Movember journey by providing the tools and resources for them to have meaningful conversations, educate others and above all have remarkable experiences throughout the month. Our community is very active on Twitter, Facebook, forums, blogs and, of course, in-person.” As men start to grow their mustaches, they use these social media outlets to raise awareness, track progress, and to ask for donations.

Unleashing the Power of the Mo. Going beyond wearing a pin or a t-shirt to promote a cause, the mustache itself turns Mo Bros into walking-talking billboards. Killian went on to say, “Our research found that each Movember participant speaks to an average of 61 people about men’s health and our cause during the month.” This means that during the 2010 campaign, the 448,000 global participants personally informed 23 million people about Movember and its key health messages.

Thanks to solid branding, social media outlets, and providing a unique way to spread awareness, Movember is changing the perception of men’s health, increasing chances for early detection for prostate cancer, and creating a new model for organizations of its kind.

Click here to find out more or to make a contribution to Movember!

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