- Technological innovation- There are social media opportunities such as company pages and ads on Facebook. Small software application or widgets, such as Apple iPhone Apps. And who knows what's keeps updating.
- Hire people who will walk around town with your logo or sales message printed on their foreheads or T-Shirts. Or on their cars.
- And if that's tooooo boring, how about custom labeling bottles of chili sauce for your sales force to give away, if you do in fact have a hot new product.
- How about joint promotions or ad campaigns with other companies? A company that sells bottled mango juice ran a promo with a large distributor of fresh mangos. They placed a small sticker on each mango sold through retail stores. "Bottled version available from Juicy Juices".
- Also in this neighborhood is the exploding field of affiliate marketing
Think of ways to link to the news.- You can always link to a seasonal event such as Chinese New Year, Christmas, Ramadan, or back to school.
But do so in a fresh way. Avoid the tired old, "celebrate the new year" type of theme by giving your ad a twist, something of interest.
TVC visual track: Mr.Wong, smiling, answers the phone, just says, "Yes, we can take you," and hangs up. This happens time and time again, as the phone rings immediately after he hangs up.
TVC voice over: "Chinese New Year Won't Be The Same For The Wong Family This Year, Thanks To Their New Toyota Maxi Van".
Or look for an event that is more original. Like the rainy season. A blue moon. Or the anniversary of Neil Armstrongs first step on the moon.
Link your ad to a topic currently in the news, perhaps fringe news.
"We're here at the Star Trek Convention to demonstrate our advanced online banking services."
"Arabs and Jews both agree: our chocolate bars are the best. Whew!"
Think of different media.
- MP3 downloads, podcasts, web video.
- Create a set of collectibles, such as custom designed stamps or stuffed toys.
- Take a look at an advertising specialties catalog, for such things as customized umbrellas. "Talk to me about storm insurance."
Link your ad to a person in the news.
Some years ago, a highly successful executive at one of the major automobile makers, John DeLorean, decided to launch his own car company.
Unfortunately, he ran low on cash and was caught selling a huge amount of cocaine. A week after his conviction, one of the companies selling this guy's car ran an ad headlined, "Buy a new DeLorean and get five pounds of coke free". The photo in the ad showed one of the shinny new cars next to several packs of Coca Cola.
Take the product to the people, in an unexpected way.
Example: to demonstrate that its off-road SUV was waterproof, a car company placed a new model in a mall, and filled it with water and fish, turning it into an aquarium.
Creative tip: Suggest a product re-design or an improvement to the service.
Creative tip: Create a list of all media options, beyond traditional advertising, to solve the client's real problem. That might include social and ambient media.
Consider partners and affiliates.
Example, a woman's lingerie maker teamed up with a chain of hotels to offer a prize drawing. The headline read, "Put this bra on and you could be taking it off in one of New Zealand's best hotels". Which proves, once again, that clever offers can involve strange bedfellows.
Example: A fruit drink company put stickers on fresh mangos and papayas distributed to stores with the message, "Just as fresh as Annisa's Juice". So how about a distributor or manufacturer for a promo partner?