When we talk about disruptive marketing, we don’t mean the traditional “louder works harder” marketing once used by our advertising ancestors. We mean deviating from the norm, breaking down barriers and showcasing beautiful work that sets our clients apart.
It may sound like a buzzword, but, in truth, it is much more than that.
It is about more (or different) than interrupting people to show them your brand and why you’re the best. It is about changing the way that they think about you and changing the way that you do business. Growth, innovation, and connections are all synonymous with your strategy and your profitability.
When users are scrolling through their news feed, you have 8 seconds to catch their attention before you’re buried deep in their timeline of baby photos and cat videos – and you can forget about competing with cat videos.
It takes something truly innovative that stands out from the noise online and encourages your audience to stop and think about you. At the heart of your strategy, the desire and courage to shake things up will inspire you to bridge those gaps and boost engagement online.
Today’s consumer is more aware than you think. They aren’t buying your product the first time they hear about you, and they aren’t falling for the same old routine anymore. Use the power of storytelling, maintain consistency, and talk to your audience straight from the heart.
You have to stand out from the crowd, and if you push the envelope in all of the right ways, you’ll achieve your goals.
Communicate to your audience in a way that resonates to them.
This is an older example, but a viral disruptive marketing campaign that came out of Spain in 2013 really nailed it. It was an anti-child abuse campaign called “Only For Children” by the ANAR Foundation that placed a big outdoor ad on a public sidewalk that featured a young boy’s face. However, while most adults just read a message about awareness, lenticular technology was used to shift the image for anyone under 4 foot 3. When the message shifted, the boy in the image was shown with bruises and cuts, and text appeared that said “if somebody hurts you, phone us and we will help you.” It was meant to speak out to children who were victims of abuse at the hands of adults, even if they were walking with their abuser.
Why is this relevant? It changed the way that people looked at this campaign, at the world, and at the issue of child abuse, and it communicated directly to its audience in a way that they could understand. Essentially, it disrupted the norm and caught enough attention to go viral.
Now, if that’s an effective campaign from 5 years ago, imagine the amazing things we can do now. Every day, there are new tools and resources coming out to help make our lives easier as marketers.
Here’s the bottom line: you don’t have to do something crazy or put your entire company’s reputation on the line.
You just need to do something different. You want your brand to be that connection in someone’s mind. It’s the Kleenex Effect: your brand will become synonymous with the product, and it’ll be the first thing people think about when they think about that product or service. When you stay top of mind, your chances for turning fans into dedicated customers are stronger.
Part of what we do here at H&C Inc. is disruption. We disrupt the way our clients do business, and make changes to help them grow in new and innovative ways. When you hit your goals, don’t stop – grow and set new goals. Whether you want to shake things up a bit or give your business strategy an overhaul, we’re here to help you by doing what we do best.