I Put That Sh*t on Everything

Living in upstate New York, Frank’s RedHot sauce seems to be a mealtime staple.  Whether it is wings, eggs or even pasta, there doesn’t seem to be a meal where I don’t see and/or smell the Frank’s on the table. Frank’s is known for its hot and spicy taste but many people also know it for it’s spokesperson, Ethel, the old lady who puts “that sh*t on everything”.

Ethel has been seen spicing things up at Bingo Night adding Frank’s to the punch and using Frank’s to help her grow her award winning pumpkin at the country fair pumpkin contest.  Ethel’s use and love of Frank’s is comical as old ladies are not often seen, or thought even thought to, put hot sauce on their food, or as Ethel says, on everything.

Since Frank’s has a great following, it likes to give back to its customers by providing them with fun contests with even more exciting prizes.  Frank’s last contest was geared towards its football fans.  Frank’s announced that they’re “giving away pimpin' prizes once week for 8 weeks straight! These prizes– announced on Mondays– will mark you ‘defender of tailgating.’ People will hear you psychedelically grilling hot dogs from blocks away, and they'll respect that SPLAT you put on everything.”

 

…And for those Frank’s fans who forgot their bottle of Frank’s at home but need their fix, they can use the Frank’s RedHot Wing Restaurant Finder iPhone app.  With this app, you can locate wing restaurants and bars, invite friends, browse reviews about the wing restaurants and bars and filter so you can search by bars or restaurants.  Also, its app user can view and share wing and classic recipes for those night spent cooking at home.

So whether Ethel is your BFF, you’ve already entered yourself in Frank’s latest contest or you’re currently searching on your iPhone for the closest place to get Frank’s, Frank’s will continue to have loyal customers due to its great marketing and even better taste.

It Gives You Wings

Red Bull energy drink avoids usual methods of marketing, relying more on word of mouth, to share its ability to “give you wings”.  Some observers say its branding is revolutionary, some even calling it an “anti-brand” strategy.

Red Bull’s image is associated with youth culture and extreme sports such as mountain biking, snowboarding, cliff diving and surfing.  Red Bull is even connected with dance and college parties through their Red Bull and Vodka drink creation.  Since Red Bull’s message to give you wings is extreme, it wants to reach the most extreme audience.

To make sure the brand is visible on the street, Red Bull uses cars as mobile bulletin boards, mounting a giant can of the drink on the top of the vehicle.  In its attempt to be seen as youthful and slightly “off-the-wall”, Red Bull’s promotions have to be eye catching.

If someone is seen wandering the street by a Red Bull representative that seemed to be lacking energy, they would be handed them a can of Red Bull.  The energy drink is also given to club DJs to hand out.  Even after finished, these empty cans will be left on tables in bars, clubs and pubs, further promoting the item.

In keeping with their target market, Red Bull hosts events like the Red Bull Flugtag and the Red Bull EmSee Battle Rap Championship with help from Eminem.  At the 2009 Super Bowl, Reggie Bush was the first NFL athlete announced to endorse the product, adding mainstream sport athletes to its roster of sport endorsements.

In addition to being seen as “off-the-wall”, Red Bull is seen to get you energized with its ability to give you wings.  College students find this extremely attractive, while they often spend long nights doing homework resulting in no sleep.

In order to further connect with possible consumers, Red Bull hires student brand managers who promote the drink on college campuses across the country.  These brand managers are encouraged to throw parties where Red Bull will be distributed.  With proper documentation, Red Bull will even provide Vodka so party-goers can enjoy a Red Bull and Vodka drink while having fun, causing Red Bull to be associated with fun.

On RIT’s campus, Red Bull brand managers hid cases of Red Bull around campus, telling students to text a specific number for clues, getting its consumers excited about the drink.  The Red Bull team can often be seen at events handing out drinks to give students wings, as its likely that we need it.

Red Bull’s alternative approach to marketing has left them very successful, as the most popular energy drink in the world, based on market share, according to Burt Helm of Bloomberg Businessweek.  But with all these other soft drink companies taking Red Bull’s approach of non-traditional marketing for their products, we’ll have to wait and see how long Red Bull can use its wings stay on top.

Get Cheggin'

College students spend an insane amount on textbooks a year- sometimes upwards of $500.  That's where Chegg comes in.  According to Chegg, with their help, "don't buy it, rent college textbooks from us and save a ton on books."

Since majority of Chegg's rental sales come from college students, they look to these students to do most of their marketing.  Whenever a book is rented from Chegg, the buyer received a promotional item in the mail along with their book.  Personally, I’ve gotten everything from pens, post-it notes and even a hat.  All of these are things that college students use; I’ve seen many orange Chegg hats being worn on windy and freezing cold RIT’s campus.

In efforts to spread the word about Chegg and help in their mission to save students money and time, Chegg lets college students apply to their ambassador program to become a Chegg Champion.  Chegg Champions receive a coupon code which they are able to distribute to anyone looking to rent books from Chegg.  Anytime their code is used, the Chegg Champion makes $5 and the purchaser saves an additional 5% off their total buy.

Chegg Champions have a huge incentive to spread the word about Chegg as they make money for how well they do.  And to make it easier for them, Chegg Champions have access to pre-made flyers, blog posts, texts, tweets and Facebook posts all with their unique code inserted into it.  Chegg Champions also get promotional items sent to them to hand out, such as slap bracelets and Chegg money that looks exactly like real money.

Chegg makes it easy for their Champions to spread the word for them, while all parties (Chegg, Chegg Champions and book renters) benefit.

As an added bonus, Chegg plants a tree every time a book is rented online, letting people feel good about their purchase.

A Lotta Nerve

Welcome to A Lotta Nerve!  This past summer co-op-ing at a PR firm, I wanted to start a blog, but never had the time.  Now that I am taking a PR Writing class at RIT, one of our assignments is to start a blog.  Although most people probably see this assignment as a pain and time consuming activity, I'm actually quite happy with the assignment as now I have to make time to blog.

As an Advertising and Public Relations student with a minor in Marketing, I spend a great deal of time looking at different forms of advertising, marketing and PR.  The ones that interest me the most, which I assume interest other people the most as well, are the interesting, outlandish, unique and straight up odd ones.  ...And in comes A Lotta Nerve.  Here I will discuss some marketing, advertising or PR campaigns that blows me, and I'm sure others, out of the water and make me think that the company being campaigned has A Lotta Nerve.