To familiarize you with the term ‘moment marketing’, it is a marketing method that capitalizes on having just the right message at just the right moment. While it appears to be magically spontaneous, actually most often these messages are planned out weeks in advance. Although this “magic” and “spontaneity” yield great viral potential, it also carries the possibility for huge error.
Moment Marketing is not a new phenomenon. It has been practiced by marketers & sellers in various forms over the centuries to attract customers and build relationships. But the digital boom has opened up even more fruitful opportunities for such kind of marketing & advertising to be used more vividly. And marketers today are on a tryst to make the most out of every channel, especially, digital.
Seizing the moment and capitalizing on a current pop-culture hit is a distinguished skill only a few marketers & brands possess. It’s not a miracle but a stroke of smartness how some brands are able to connect their brand elements with the current trends in culture, news and industry to make a near-lasting impact on the consumers.
One such brand is Durex. The brand has mastered how to leverage the power of social media by posting eye-catchy creatives that not only attract attention but also engages you with a unique demeanour on the latest hot news.
Durex advert recalling the iconic dialogue in Game of Thrones while giving it their unique spin.
Here the infamous catchphrase of the character Arya of Game of Thrones is turned into a statement that talks about the experience Durex offers to its target audience. It’s a brilliant play on words that hits the right spot.
Let’s see another brand that has jumped on the bandwagon of brands leveraging GOT references- our very own Fevicol. This is another one that seems to be a simple yet genius observation cleverly executed. This is moment marketing done right:
Fevicol’s outstanding reply to Cersei Lannister’s demand
Fevicol has always been the darling of Indian advertising for many decades. And this take on moment marketing is the icing on the cake of the company’s already robust marketing efforts.
This shows how aware are the creatives and marketers of their brand personality, their audience, tone of the inherent message and the big picture of how it all can connect to the current affairs & trends so seamlessly.
But if you’re looking for one more popular brand that fed off the last season of GOT, check this out. It’s an indirect result of Starbucks’ strong brand presence and reputation.
Starbucks ‘GOT’ some free publicity
It was actually in the crossfire last year due to a racist slur that its employees endorsed unintentionally. The recent free publicity that it got because of a tiny setback on Game of Thrones is like a lucky bonus after the severe loss incurred on reputation and profits.
What seems common in all these examples is the existence of a pop culture phenomenon that is almost universally accessible to associate with any brand due to its immense popularity and relevance at the time.
The payoff with moment marketing can be huge because there are millions of eyes on the event. It has the potential to go viral but big risks always come with the potential for big losses. Leveraging such stand-out moments to talk with the audience as if the brand is a real person creates brand equity in the short term. And consistent conversation through moment marketing over time while maintaining the brand personality guarantees long-term brand recall. This, in turn, leads to the brand establishing a distinct mind-space in its category.
-Ninad Naik || PGP BM&A
ninad.naik@northpointindia.com