The recent Area 51 ‘raid’ was a marketing juggernaut. Here are our top three picks for prime examples of how social and viral marketing can be used to add your brands voice to cultural (and intergalactic) conversations.
Some of the world’s most recognizable brands have recently taken to tweaking their established identities to send a different message to their audiences.
When Popeye’s entered the competitive world of chicken sandwiches, it was smart to think about how the competition would react — especially on social media.
What do you call those little sugary ice cream and cake toppings? In marketing, the importance of using the right words goes beyond tomayto, tomahto.
Lots of people assume that the best marketing ideas can only come from professional marketers. Richard Montañez is proof that’s not always the case.
Fitbit’s successful expansion into B2B sales and marketing offers key lessons on developing a strong, consistent brand purpose.
Many don’t realize the role NASA’s bold marketing strategy played in making Neil Armstrong and company the first humans ever to set foot on another world.
Most brands would never consider marketing campaigns focused on past failures. Yet that’s exactly what Volkswagen is doing.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese has never been produced, developed or packaged in Philly. So why’s it called Philadelphia Cream Cheese?
Keeping up with consumers’ changing tastes means not forgetting the customers who made you successful in the first place.
How Subaru’s smart marketing targeted lesbian drivers, creating countless loyal customers in the process.
LaCroix’s recent dip in sales offers lessons in maintaining a brand after making a marketing splash.
A tight marketing strategy isn’t the first thing people think of when it comes to the Grateful Dead. Maybe it should be.
There’s a reason most toothpaste is mint-flavored – and it has almost nothing to do with keeping your mouth clean.
You may recognize the “I Hate Steven Singer” billboards and might know what they’re selling. But you probably don’t know the marketing story behind them.
In 1893, The Financial Times started printing on light salmon-pink paper. It was the most significant branding step the company would ever take.
The Buck Club, with no members and no course, is one of the most talked about locations in the entire golfing community.
When Octavius changed his name to Augustus, the rebrand sent a powerful message about how he planned to rule the Roman Empire.
Netflix’s $25 million Oscar campaign for its film Roma shows how even great brands have to work to stand out for industry awards.
The “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline is perhaps the most well-known newspaper screw up of all time. But its real marketing lesson is about how (and when) brands talk to their audiences.
The Fyre Festival was supposed to be known as the ultimate escape — a private island getaway of luxury and indulgence. It’s now known as a prime example of over-the-top marketing gone awry.
You don’t have to be a multi-industry conglomerate to benefit from building a game plan for how your products and services interact.
What if you had a Super Bowl commercial? If you had one minute in front of millions of potential customers and prospects, how would you spend it? What would you say about your offering? What would you focus on?
When Gillette released a new ad condemning toxic masculinity, the brand knew it was igniting controversy. But it’s ultimate goal is something deeper.
With a loyal customer base and a global name, Mastercard’s choice to update its logo keeps it fresh and relevant for the digital age.
Families across the U.S. waited all year for catalogs to arrive in the mail to start their holiday-season shopping, Sears banked on their Christmas Wish Book.
The Got Milk? campaign was a runaway success by every measure – except the one that actually matters. It didn’t drive people to drink more milk.
Campbell’s can attribute the staying power of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving to a few key holiday marketing ingredients: consistency, simplicity and just a dash of nostalgia.
The MoviePass marketing team violated fundamental rules around delivering bad news to customers when it hid behind a cute puppy picture in a recent email.
Reports of mass panic in the streets following the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast had more to do with warring media outlets than Martian invaders.
When Guinness Book of World Records wanted to reach new customers, it stuck to its brand promise and helped other companies make their stories more newsworthy.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) awarded Bradley Cooper its prestigious Compassion in Film Award. If you haven’t heard of the award, there’s a good reason why – PETA just created it.
While some people may not recognize the name, newsjacking is an established marketing tool. Here’s how B2B marketers can make the most of it.
What marketing lessons can other brands learn from Coca Cola?
When industry trends offer opportunities to reach new customers, companies have to strike the right balance between updating their brand and retaining the fundamental values that helped them stand out in the first place.
This is Us returns for season 3 on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m. After fans blamed a character death in last season’s finale on Crock-Pot, the brand created a clever campaign to reclaim its story.
Weather officials work to predict and quantify the dangers of a hurricane based on wind speeds using the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. But media and citizens often turn to The Waffle House Index.
Nike is a company that’s never been afraid to ruffle a few feathers. Its most recent move seems to be paying off.
What happens when your nonsensical ad slogan happens to rhyme with the city that just won the Super Bowl?
Simply chasing the latest trendy platform is an expensive and resource-intensive approach to finding new ways to reach customers.
How do you keep a 170-year-old brand fresh?
If you’re grateful for “Dress Down Fridays,” you have the overheated workers of an archipelago in the Pacific and a smart marketing team to thank.
It’s hard to imagine today, but there was a time when people weren’t interested in buying avocados – let alone paying extra for them.
Brands don’t have total control over how their messages are perceived and remembered.
When introducing a product or announcing a big new idea, most companies opt for a press release. Why not use a flamethrower instead?
In setting yourself apart from the competition, it pays to look at the entire customer experience.
Why would a brand with 60 years of recognition suddenly change its name?
Most brands need to innovate to stay competitive in their industry and relevant to their customers. But straying too far from what customers expect can clearly lead to trouble.
Marketing plays a big role in how customers perceive your brand, but it’s ultimately a two-way street. Find ways to embrace and leverage how customers use your products and services rather than fight against it.
The best marketing campaigns don’t create something brand new. They capture a familiar feeling in a new or compelling way that your customers can relate to.