Advertainment has been around for a while. After all, as marketers, our goal is often to get attention. What better way to do that than to entertain?
One of our most popular blog posts is about The Creation of Advertainment. In it, we explain the combination of Madison Square, now synonymous with advertising, and Vine, a Hollywood symbol for the entertainment industry. In that post, we list some big-budget examples of how to create “Madison and Vine” style advertainment.But because most Raleigh business owners are not spending the money to place their product in a huge hit film, we thought it might be useful to share some thoughts on what local and smaller companies can do with this approach.
Create Videos – Your marketing budget doesn’t have to hit six figures to create entertaining and useful videos. These days, you can work with a local videographer or marketing agency to create simple and lower-budget videos that still look fantastic. Consider a mix of you or your team speaking, whiteboard videos, and something different. Distribute them on YouTube, share on your website, and add to social media. The critical piece here is to try to make them entertaining or useful — or both! (Check out these seven ideas for video blog posts.)
Be Funny – Not everyone can pull this off, but when you create any content, put some humor in there. A smile is the first step to getting a potential customer to stop and take notice. We always stop to read the sidewalk signs around downtown Raleigh restaurants and shops. Even if you’re not a brick-and-mortar, you can find ways to work humor into your customer interactions. Maybe your team members have some one-liners like the Southwest flight attendants. Perhaps you find the staffer with the best humor to write your blog posts. Humor may not be appropriate in your industry, but in some cases, you can apply just a little, maybe in the form of a Monday Meme on social media.
Coordinate or Create an Event – Depending on your business, your advertainment might be in the form of a fun event you host periodically. If people are buzzing about the great time they had, you’re sure to get a mention on social media — and stay top of mind next time they’re recommending a business to a friend. If you’re a master networker, events are a perfect opportunity to bring together your circles and see who overlaps. You can help others and your own business along the way!
Brainstorm with your team or marketing agency for ways “advertain” your Raleigh business. Want some help? Contact us to find out how we can become your Department of Marketing.