More and more we are seeing BTL promotional campaigns distracting our daily routines. This grab for attention is something we at Accure are faced with constantly. The distraction however needs to be cleverly constructed to deliver the message in a way that is memorable and delightful and not just for ‘creative’ sake. The latest from the US is a good example of how to generate massive ‘front-of-mind’ brand equity for a relatively low cost.
To promote their new Push-button ignition Altima, Nissan used 20,000 lots of keys deliberately “lost” in bars, concert halls, sports arenas and other public places. The promotion was created by True Agency and ran thorugh 7 or so markets in the US. Each key ring had a car key two other house keys and two tags. One tag reads: “If found, please do not return,” because the Altima “has Intelligent Key with push-button ignition, and I no longer need these” a reference to the technology that allows an Altima owner to start the car by pressing a button on the dash rather than inserting a key. The same tag invites the finder to learn more about the ignition system by visiting a section of the Nissan Web site.
The other tag, labeled “Gas Card,” resembles the plastic keychain devices for electronic payment at US service stations. The tag is basically a sweepstakes ticket and finders are urged to enter via another microsite to win prizes.
According to the NYT,the promotion cost nothing more than $USD100K which includes the sweepstakes prizes, the production of 60,000 keys and 40,000 tags - pretty reasonable given the liklihood of such an activity breaking through the usual clutter.