Do Stunts Like This Buy Brand Equity?
I ask this question in all seriousness, instead of my usual snarky way. First, here's the article:
http://adage.com/adages/post?article_id=146164
The promoter in me says, "Great. We get a bunch of people to show up in their underwear for free clothes, the news covers it, we get lots of free brand exposure and people will coming shopping."
I'm not even against the whole public nudity thing and how it might affect the brand, because clearly their brand must represent young and wild people. So good on them there.
But I'm starting to wonder how much these cheap stunts really buy us. A sales blip and then forgetfulness? Has that all advertising has become?
http://adage.com/adages/post?article_id=146164
The promoter in me says, "Great. We get a bunch of people to show up in their underwear for free clothes, the news covers it, we get lots of free brand exposure and people will coming shopping."
I'm not even against the whole public nudity thing and how it might affect the brand, because clearly their brand must represent young and wild people. So good on them there.
But I'm starting to wonder how much these cheap stunts really buy us. A sales blip and then forgetfulness? Has that all advertising has become?
Tags: adages, brand+equity, brand+exposure, nudity, promoter, stunts
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by M.M. McDermott on -
Some brands ARE cheap stunts. That's become their identity. Before I clicked through, I figured it was an American Apparel gimmick. If I didn't know clothes were involved, I would've pinned it as a GoDaddy stunt.
Sure it's a heavy hit and a quick fade, but if a brand can find a way to build stuff like this into their efforts consistently, whether as an recurring stunt or an add-on to an existing campaign, then you've got more potential for staying power.
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Permalink Reply by Danny Starr on -
I think these types of stunts might be reaching the top of the effectiveness curve simply because they becoming really common but I do like a number of things about this event. One is that it would be something that would be likely to spread organically through the people who hear about it and their friends. I can just see all kinds of media being generated in the line "I'm here in my boxers waiting for free clothes from X". I also like the idea that they walk away with an outfit (or a discount on an outfit) because that then leads to more media being generated "look at my new outfit" or something of that nature that might continue for a while afterwards.
I think the younger audience is pretty hard to reach through traditional means like buying ads around them because they tune that stuff out but if you have something they really want (like a free outfit) then you're in... and the underwear in line thing is just some added gravy on top.
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Holota on -
Perhaps, but isn't the potential downside of a stunt like this particularly frightening? Streakers, groping, sexual assault, etc? It's certainly an attention getting stunt, but I'm not sure how smart it is for the company in the long term.
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Permalink Reply by Danny Starr on
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Sure but those are risks you take anytime you do anything with a group of people involved, no matter what they are wearing and not matter what their ages are.
Up here in Canada, Cancer fundraisers hold an event called the underwear affair where people do a run in their "underwear" which is often not REALLY people running in their boxers but still, same idea.
I think you have to push boundaries in order to get noticed and this an example of that.
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