Download non traditional marketing

Explore the Strategy of Non-Traditional Marketing
Many traditional forms of advertising hail back to the 1960’s, and have been the standard for marketers
ever since. However, today their effectiveness is on the decline. No Call Lists make telemarketing more
challenging (See also Telemarketing), direct mail is expensive and offers a small return on investment,
while cable TV, Tivo, and iPods have made it simple to skip radio and television ads.
In this article...
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What is Non-Traditional Marketing?
Types of Non-Traditional Marketing
Who Employs Non-Traditional Marketing?
Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Marketing
How is a Non-Traditional Marketing Plan Developed and Implemented?
Careers in Non-Traditional Marketing
How Can a Degree in Marketing Help You Get a Job in Non-Traditional Marketing?
On top of this, traditional advertising is becoming extremely expensive. Adweek reports that in 2011 the
average cost of a single, 30 second advertisement during a prime-time television broadcast was almost
$110,000 -- an increase of five percent from the previous year. As advertisers pay more to see smaller
results, they look toward marketing strategies that use new venues, technologies, and theories that
contradict traditional wisdom.
Non-traditional marketing strategies rely on new and unorthodox marketing methods. Anything that falls
outside the categories of traditional marketing can be considered non-traditional, but the term has typically
referred to a more specific range of marketing tactics.
The goal of non-traditional advertising is to create striking advertising experiences that capture interest
through their creativity and unpredictably. Much of non-traditional marketing involves putting ads in unusual
places, or displaying ads in unusual ways, hoping to command the attention of unassuming viewers. (See
also Guerrilla Marketing)
Consumers tend to view non-traditional ads as more organic, authentic, and relevant. Because they
stand apart from the majority of advertising, they are largely immune to the cynicism and
skepticism that is applied to print, radio, and TV ads. Non-traditional ads also tend to be targeted,
speaking directly to specific demographics on their own territory. Beer makers might advertise on
coasters, or shoe makers might place ads around basketball courts.
This type of advertising tends to be cheaper as well. Print ad campaigns can cost thousands of
dollars, but a clever street marketing strategy might cost less than a hundred. Managed well, nontraditional advertising can deliver huge returns on investment.
While non-traditional marketing is unexpected and eye-catching, it is also unpredictable. It can be
difficult to know whether a campaign is working because it relies on methods that fall so far
outside the tradition of marketing. Marketers may struggle to quantify and measure the success or
failure of a campaign. Even worse, a confusing or poorly executed campaign can confuse
consumers and create a negative image around a company.
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Guerrilla Marketing – The makers of the Simpsons movie placed images of Homer Simpson at the base of
escalators. The steps of the escalator were covered in pictures of donuts that seemed to disappear into Homer's
gaping mouth.
Street Marketing – Kinkos placed huge sculptures of Highlighters and White Out on city streets so that they
looked like they were coloring in no parking zones and the lines in cross walks.
Seminars - Arrow Electronics held seminars in 10 cities to educate engineers on the embedded systems
they had begun selling.
Stunt Marketing – Proshade, a sunglasses maker, offered the National Parks Service $4 million dollars if
they could put sunglasses on the Presidents on Mount Rushmore. The Service declined, but the outlandish offer
was picked up by the press and the company received significant publicity.
Stealth Marketing – Blackberry paid attractive young women to flirt with men and have them enter their
number into Blackberry phones.
Public Jokes – in 1996, Taco Bell announced that they were going to buy the Liberty Bell and rename it the
“Taco Liberty Bell.” The public outrage that followed raised awareness of the restaurant and increased sales.
Events – Harley Davidson sponsors large group rides and meet-ups for motorcycle enthusiasts to connect
with each other.
Membership Organizations – Hallmark runs a club for fans of the company’s keepsake ornaments to meet
and discuss.
Museums and Factory Tours - Budweiser offers daily tours of its flagship brewery that include a tasting of
all their products.
Theme Parks - Disney maintains several major theme parks that help reinforce the history of the company
and the image of the brand.
Product Placement – BMW paid for their Z3 model to be featured prominently in the James Bond film
GoldenEye.
Non-traditional marketing is a strategy that is available to all businesses. Many of the most famous
campaigns have been carried out by major companies, but smaller businesses have used nontraditional marketing with great results. Valley Screen Process, a small manufacturer of decals for
children's rooms, saw a huge increase in sales after they developed partnerships with bloggers.
They offered free samples to popular “Mommy” bloggers who then talked up the products on their
blogs.
The only requirement for using non-traditional marketing is vision, creativity, and commitment.
Since it is often significantly cheaper than classic forms of advertising, non-traditional marketing is
an effective tool for companies with modest marketing budgets. The only drawback is that the
results are unpredictable and there is the risk of wasted effort.
A recent report from Nielsen research reveals that many consumers do not trust traditional forms of
advertising. Ads on TV, radio, billboards, and in newspapers all received less than a 50% rating as an
indicator of consumer trust. By contrast, non-traditional advertising strategies like word of mouth
marketing and official websites are trusted the majority of the time. This study reveals how savvy the
modern consumer has become in regards to advertising.
Traditional marketing may be in decline, but billions of dollars are still spent on it every year. Many
marketers utilize a mix of both traditional and non-traditional marketing strategies. Both have advantages
and disadvantages. The key is determining which strategy will be most effective for the product that is
being pushed. The two methods are contrasted below.
Traditional Marketing
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Very disciplined, structured, and controlled
Focus on the four Cs – competition, consumers, company, collaborators
Non-Traditional Marketing
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More flexible, uncertain, and subjective
Focuses on execution above planning
Traditional Marketing
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Uses empirical research to validate its methods
Results can be forecasted
Non-Traditional Marketing
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More credible and efficient
Creates “Buzz”
Traditional Marketing
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All costs are known and carefully controlled
Non-Traditional Marketing
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Tends to be cheaper and relies on free advertising as much as possible
Many costs are unknown and cannot be predicted
Traditional Marketing
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Defined based on demographics
Focused and segmented
Non-Traditional Marketing
Since non-traditional marketing relies on many unknown factors, it is important for any campaign to
undergo careful planning. Developing a comprehensive marketing plan does not make this strategy any
more predictable, but it can help focus efforts and maximize the chances for success.
The first step of the plan is to define the target audience. This crucial step helps companies determine
whether or not a non-traditional marketing approach makes sense. If a product has mass appeal,
something like a soda or a movie release, marketers might plaster city streets with creative ads. But if the
product has more limited appeal, software for accountants, for example, a widespread ad campaign would
be a waste of resources. Identifying who will buy the product makes them easier to reach.
The next step will be to pick the non-traditional marketing strategy that will be used. It is not enough to be
different simply for the sake of being different. The particular strategy employed has to be chosen carefully
for the way it will impact customers and the message that it will project. Companies will need to examine
market research and consult with branding experts to find the best way to align their advertising messages
with their intended customers.
At this point, it may be necessary to negotiate deals for ad space in usual places. Non-traditional
advertising often creates its own marketing channels. If the goal is to show ads in places where ads have
never been before, this will require careful negotiation between the advertiser and the property owner (See
also Street Marketing). It is important for both parties to fully understand the terms and conditions of the
contract so that the ad space can be used to maximum effect.
The final step of a non-traditional marketing plan will be to define metrics for success or failure. This can be
the most difficult step because non-traditional marketing often has diffuse goals. Rather than simply
increasing sales, non-traditional marketing can be used to redefine the image of a brand, or to introduce
product lines to new demographics. Before any campaign is put into place, empirical indicators need to be
established for judging the success of the campaign.
1. Branding Through a Blimp
There are two brand names that come to mind when you think of a blimp, right? It’s
either Goodyear or MetLife. Think about what that means from a non-traditional
marketing standpoint. These two brands have dominated in this example because of
how and where they place a blimp.
2. On the Street
Street marketing teams are another unique way to get a message across. It
combines traditional forms of marketing, such as brochures and posters, but it
creates a 1-on-1 marketing component when the street team approaches a lead. The
exchange might be brief, but the personal interchange can be that first small step
toward establishing a brand relationship that will pay off down the road.
3. See the Light
If you have a large building with a blank wall, then you have a canvas for a nontraditional marketing opportunity. Bring in a projector and display an image that
covers your wall, kind of like how the advertising murals of pre-1960 used to
promote goods. At night, the light automatically attracts eyes and creates brand
exposure.
4. Wet and Wild
Artist Peregrine Church has been making waves in the Seattle art scene because of
his unique set of skills. He uses a waterproofing agent on sidewalks so that when it
rains [and it rains A LOT in Seattle], a specific message is produced in vivid detail.
Church uses his technique to create smiles, but a business could use this technique
as a unique non-traditional advertising opportunity.
If you don’t get a lot of rain in your community, then anything that draws attention
to your location will be beneficial. Something as simple as sidewalk chalk could be
the answer. Most cities will allow some sort of non-traditional marketing like this as
long as it isn’t permanent or harms the environment in some way.
5. A Quiet Effort
Bookstores and libraries might not be as popular as they once were, but real books
are still read by real people. Make a contribution to the library fund or pay a
bookstore owner a few bucks and then slip in some bookmarks with your branding
and message into the books. You could sneak them into the books, but that really
isn’t ethical, right? What goes around will come around.
When the readers catch the bookmark, they look at it. It’s like a 99% guarantee that
they will see and remember the brand the next time it is encountered. They may
even keep the bookmark to use later. In this non-traditional marketing scenario,
everybody has a positive experience.
6. Become an Artistic Sponsor
Families go out to eat for about 40% of their meals and many of them have young
children that get antsy while waiting for their food. This has caused many
restaurants to offer coloring pages, placements, or activity books to help the kids
stay quiet and the parents to keep a measure of their sanity. This is your chance to
also create a winning non-traditional marketing campaign.
It doesn’t cost much to print up these materials and donate a bunch of crayons. Your
branding gets put onto the items in a noticeable spot. If there’s one guarantee in this
life, it is that a child who has colored a picture will say, “Mommy! Daddy! Come look
what I made!” The parent leans over, sees their child’s artwork, and sees your
branding.
7. Under the Butt
Speaking of families, there is a unique non-traditional marketing opportunity at your
grocery store. Have you ever notice how many people push around carts while
shopping? Whether the kids are sitting in the cart or walking alongside, there are two
great places for branding that many businesses don’t consider: on the handle of the
cart and on the seat flap in the cart. If your target demographics go somewhere that
uses carts, then partner up with the business to have a remarkably affordable
marketing campaign that could have a huge ROI.
Non-traditional marketing will put your brand and ideas where people may not
normally think to interact with them. Do it successfully and you’ll soon see higher
revenues coming your way.
THE EMERGENCE AND RISE OF NON-TRADITIONAL MARKETING broad reach and targeting potential.
Advertising important element in marketing Rarely can a new product introduction take place
without advertising at its core. Several models of advertising effectiveness have been developed
(AIDA Hierarchy of Effects), and metrics to measure placement (ie. Target market reach, and the
frequency, exposure, cost per 1000) and evaluation (waste, wearout, recall, recognition) of
advertising activities. Why the emergence and shift away from the use of traditional ad tools?
1. rising cost of media ad
2. advertisers are losing control over traditional ad media – zapping, fragmentation of  dilutes
control over messages and audiences specialized networks and magazines messages are not being
heard blurring, removing the control of
3. convergence of communication and entertainment marketers. Info power shift to consumers
Three main categories of NT marketing tools: a. cross-promotions b. place-based promotions c.
sponsorships
Cross-promotion: examples
1. movie product placement supported by joint ad campaigns of film producers and ‘control through
cooperation’manufacturers shopping bags, shared coupon events (buy one pound of Ronzoni and
2. multi-level ads get a jar of Ragu free) Place-based promotion: examples schools, theaters,
airports, hospitals1. audience-captive environments featured on school buses, on popcorn bags,
hospital meal tray liners, airplane
2. NT ads videos, Wal-Mart – ATT cards Sponsorship promotions: example associating the brand
with a desirable celebrity, team, event,1. ‘control thru patronage or place NT will give marketers
new and additional tools to reach their target markets. NT executions reflect new philosophy of
marketing and ad
1. blurred distinction between ad and entertainment
2. masking the identity of corporate sponsors – stealth marketing 3. creating grassroots trends
Differences between Traditional and Non-Traditional Marketing PHILOSOPHY: Traditional Marketing:
• highly disciplined, structured • use the ‘4C’s’ (competition, consumers, company, collaborators) and
other established frameworks • control – target market, media, message, content – pro-active,
certain •
FOCUS: strategic planning Non-Traditional Marketing: • trust own judgment, more flexible,
serendipitous, chaotic, reactive, uncertain • FOCUS: on execution than planning PROESS OF
COMMUNICATION EFFECTS: Traditional Marketing: • awareness • knowledge • liking • preference •
desire or conviction • purchase • re-purchase Non-Traditional Marketing: • exposure/visibility • buzz,
word-of-mouth (virtuous circle) • infatuation (missionary advocacy for the brand) • sales/purchase
CAPABILITIES AND BENEFITS: Traditional Marketing: • validated through empirical research • results
more easily forecasted due to pre-testing, past experience Non-Traditional Marketing: • more
credible • can be more efficient • creates word-of-mouth or ”buzz” • sometimes unknown
BUDGETING: Traditional Marketing: • highly controlled and disciplined • all costs are known NonTraditional Marketing: • more efficient budgets generally lower – opportunity for ‘free’ press • many
costs are unknown due to uniqueness – must be flexible
TARGET MARKET: Traditional Marketing: • defined segment based on demographics and/or
psychographics • focused, segmented Non-Traditional Marketing: • non-discriminatory, broad reach
• intended audience will self-select METRICS: Traditional Marketing: • known and measurable metrics
• pre-testing, post-resting (reach, frequency, imagery, conversion) Non-Traditional Marketing: • no
pre-testing • difficult to evaluate • might have to design own metrics • BMW: nothing blew up SKILLS
REQUIRED: Traditional Marketing: • traditional marketing/advertising skills of strategic thinking,
creativity, and project management Non-Traditional Marketing: • new emphasis on creativity,
resourcefulness, ingenuity • flawless execution is key • strong negotiation skills a must