If you are a business owner who is looking for some quick and inexpensive ways to grab attention for your product then here are some ways to tread the tightrope walk between budgetary constraints and demands of modern advertising and promotional campaign.
5 inexpensive and quick ways to make people sit up and take notice…
Graffiti
If you are looking for an inexpensive advertising medium then graffiti could be a very good advertising tool for a high impact yet low budget promotional strategy. Street art that creates visual impact while piquing consumer curiosity in an in-your-face style that’s graffiti for you!
The alluring aspect of graffiti art is that it’s contemporary and non-discriminatory. There’s nothing elitist about it and this is what makes it accessible to everyone; more so to small business owners looking to create visibility in local spaces whether urban or rural.
It’s like getting cup noodles…dinner or a quick bite in a few minutes. The spray can is rendered obsolete as soon as the paint inside runs out; disposable tools for disposable art. That way you just create less clutter and have a beautiful piece of art in a jiffy.
Virtual Walks/ Campaigns
The recent people’s struggle in the Middle East drew support from all corners of the globe. While the media faced a clamp down very often people from other countries used the internet and technology to garner support for the people of the Middle East.
One such move was a virtual walk that someone sent me an invite for on Facebook, a great way of making an impact and bringing people together without being crippled by the distance factor. This inspired me to think of how marketers can use such virtual marches or campaigns to get people involved in their marketing endeavors.
Demonstrations
Live demonstrations are a great way of getting people to see the effects of your product. They can touch and feel the product and see the results right before themselves. People pitch in, brainstorm and think out of the box while having fun with your products!
Generating awareness about products on offer in rural India is a different ball game altogether. If you think a televised advertising campaign is all that is needed, think again. There’s nothing like a live demonstration to win customer confidence.
A case in point is HUL’s (Hindustan Unilever’s) promotional campaign wherein company representatives were on the streets washing vessels with Vim bar. A great way of involving people in the endeavor and more importantly letting them see the results for themselves!
Traditional & Folk Art Forms
If graffiti is the buzz word for subvertant advertising in the West, then street art in India can has options like the rangoli, a traditional art which involves drawing designs and patterns in colored powder on the floor. The rangoli is an inherent part of celebrations in India and can be adapted to create advertising messages in a run up to festive celebrations in India.
Other traditional and folk art forms that can be used for advertising and promotional endeavors are storytelling, puppetry and tribal paintings.
Stationary Knick Knacks
Giveaways that sit on your desk are constant reminders of the company and its products or services. For years I’ve seen my dad’s pharmaceutical company give diaries, table calendars, writing pads, pens, paper clips and the like to doctors.
When you come to think of it, stationary items as small giveaway are also meaningful simply because they are useful and whenever people use them they will think of the company at least for a moment.
Modern stationary offers unlimited options for marketers to choose from. Companies like Kya Cheez Hai, a Bangalore based venture established by two students of design offers an interesting array of paper clips, pen drives and the like some of which can double up as anklets and bracelets. They have even evolved their very own cartoon characters that make their products even more interesting.