Without being the first, Doritos is still one of the most important pioneers of the consumer experience. By adopting the strategy of using consumers as creators of its commercials’ content, the brand has gained a strong reputation. Doritos involves its best fans in the design and implementation of various non-traditional marketing tactics. Consumers who become brand ambassadors—what could be better? Didn’t Barack Obama win elections that way? People feel involved… and without realizing it, the brand belongs to them. A “Lovemark” at its best!

In order to follow this strategy, Doritos annually pushes the limits by giving Internet users, among other things, a chance to participate in its commercials during the Super Bowl with a UGC (“User Generated Content ») contest. The objective is to create the best Doritos advertisement. Then, users can vote on the website www.doritosvote.com for the best video, which will be shown during the Super Bowl. This year, the brand had promised $1 million to the creators of the winning commercial if it was ranked best advertisement according to « USA Today’s Annual Ad Meter. »

Since Budweiser had held that position for the past 10 years, Doritos certainly did not dream it would have to pay out one million dollars. However, by involving its fans, Doritos had underestimated the strength of the UGC and the “viral” effect.

The brand developed this initiative through a variety of viral mechanisms to ensure the spread of the “buzz.” Customers voting on the website could win tickets to the Super Bowl, or other prizes such as board games or vouchers.

This strategy had a surprising outcome: the ad « Free Doritos, » created by brothers Joe and Dave Herbert, won the million dollars and definitely created a buzz. Doritos has certainly been surprised by the success of its own concept.

Super Bowl February 2009 – Free Doritos

A large majority of companies are, understandably, seeking new ways to renew themselves in order to reach their objectives. Sometimes we see the arrival of new products, more accurate logos, new packages, etc. The Shreddies Company has adopted a strategy that is quite interesting with the launch of a “new product. » The campaign has just arrived in Quebec, but the brand has already come a long way in the United States by using traditional media and developing a viral effect on the Internet.

To highlight its company, Shreddies is using only one key element: its product. We all know that Shreddies are square-shaped. But now, the brand wants to sell us the “new” diamond-shaped Shreddies. The actual fact is that the product has not changed, and clearly the company is not taking itself seriously in this marketing operation.

I believe that without this touch of humour, it would have been a big mistake to base a campaign on a false « new product. » However, it is difficult to please everyone. To quote a friend, « to please, one must risk displeasing.” So I raise my hat to the bold move made by the people at Shreddies with this campaign.

New Diamond Shreddies! – Commercial 30 sec.

Meeting with consumers – Comparison

Case Study – Diamond Shreddies

As an advertiser, I am sometimes envious of an idea I wish I had had. Not only in advertising, but also events that have sparked the imagination. Indeed, sometimes we revisit, even “remix” success, if you’ll pardon the expression. If we don’t see this sort of advertising often, it may be because of the expense for the copyright fees, but mostly, it’s because we have to be sure to live up to consumers’ expectations and not disappoint them. Any corporation that decides to embark on this adventure should take into consideration that the fall could be brutal, if your remix doesn’t live up to its promise. If so, people will point their finger at you, accusing you of plagiarism and you’ll get stuck with the label of bad advertiser. Not what you were hoping for!

However, as with everything else, there are those who can pull it off. For example, Audi decided to launch its R8 model with a campaign based on a film that made history: The Godfather. Coke took advantage of the Super Bowl to make a nod to its old 1979 success.

Coke – 1979 version

Coke – 2009 version

If you want to use timing in your communications to distinguish yourself, a non-traditional, innovative and thoughtful initiative might help you!

This is the perfect example that caught my attention with its boldness, its deployment and its results, despite the fact that it occurred 10 years ago.

Halfway is a very small town in Oregon, USA, with a population of 337 rural inhabitants. In the early 2000s, the city seemed disconnected from the tech bubble. Its people had no computers, no Internet, and saw no reason to get them.

At the same time, a new company named Half.com, like many others specialized in selling used items on the Internet (books, CDs, movies, etc.), was wondering how to get a maximum number of visitors with a minimum investment.

They offered $100,000, (to buy computers for half the population, pay half of the Internet bill and other financial considerations) to the town of Halfway, so it would change its name to Half.com. This unusual and innovative idea required the majority of their marketing budget. The city council accepted the proposal and Halfway changed its name to Half.com.

Supported by a campaign based on public relations, this marketing strategy caught the attention of ALL the American news media.

Results

CNN, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Good Morning America, NY Times, and dozens of others have published the story about Half.com, becoming the first city « .com » in the world.

The next day, « NBC’s Today Show » broadcast live from the small town of Oregon and the head office of Half.com in Pennsylvania during the launch of their website. Millions of users around the world visited and used the website in the first few days.

Following this « advertisement, » the website’s visits skyrocketed so much that less than a year later, E-Bay bought Half.com (the company) for 350 million dollars.

Times magazine ranked this strategy among the 10 best advertising stunts of all time.

A stunt that originally could have gone unnoticed instead caused unprecedented worldwide exposure and brought in more than 2000 times the initial investment!

This is a proof that when you rely on timing, you have to make sure that your ideas are integrated into a good strategy that has been thought through.

www.half.com

Good strategy … untraditional!

Many businesses use a spokesperson and do so with verve. Some brands associated with celebrities have experienced great commercial success (Nike, Bell, Honda), but others have attracted a lot of problems or bad press (Mike’s, Royal Canadian Mint). It is easy to come to terms with a person’s past, but guessing what that person’s future will be is more difficult and a risky gamble. I admit that this strategy can help build a good image for your brand, but there are no guarantees when it comes to the potential missteps of your new ambassador.

Some will suddenly turn into talent or celebrity scouts, thinking that they can find a gem that the general public has not yet discovered. They mistakenly believe that they could be the reason for the next big star’s success, which is possible as Apple has shown by launching or re-launching artists like Feist in its commercials.

However, keep in mind that most of the time, companies that bring out the best investment potential in a spokesperson have a full team dedicated to this project. They understand that it is not enough to find a gem; it is necessary to train this person, shape him or her according to your needs and your aspirations for your brand.

If your competitors use spokespeople, I don’t think it would be very creative or wise to imitate them or walk in their paths. But if you really want to hire a star, do something different from your competitors. Find a way to set yourself apart. Innovate. As an inspiration, use Chanel’s example, which has so far demonstrated skill and control despite the constant use of celebrities over the years. The brand is known for the care it takes in producing its advertisements, which, in my opinion, is a guarantee of long-term success.