It could be an untapped markerting tool.As I reached for a piece of gum this morning out of my pack of Orbit, I noticed a URL on the package. That got me thinking about how businesses can use the actual packages of their products as marketing tools.
A little later, I broke out a package of Kar's Blazin' Hot Peanuts which also not only included their company's web address, but they also incorporated another interesting web marketing strategy.
The Peanut Principle
On the front, there is a cartoon-style drawing of a woman driving a car that looks like a peanut. In a speech bubble, she tells us, "Catch me on the web!"
Below that, it says "Find out about Miss Kar at www.peanutcar.com". It turns out that peanutcar.com just redirects to the regular Kar's Nuts page (the other url from the package). Of course we still get to find out more about Miss Kar but why the separate URL? Because the nutmakers thought the angle of inspiring curiosity with this character would be more likely to bring traffic to their site, and they are probably right.
Socializing and Gum
Orbit's strategy is a little different. The URL they provided does not simply go to the Orbit product page at wrigley.com (the site of Wrigley, it's manufacturer), it goes to GoodCleanFeeling.com, which surprisingly redirects to a MySpace page.
Here, we find a video fro the Orbit cheerleader, a contest, a video gallery, Orbit's blog, downloads of wallpaper graphics, IM icons and ringtones, and of course, the social experience. Orbit currently has 1,369 friends, many of which have engaged in conversation on the page.
Both Effective
Kar's and Orbit have two significantly different strategies for familiarizing you with their web presence, but both are executed well and showcase good examples of how a business can accomplish this.
Both brands have one thing in common though. They hook you in from their very own packages. Of course many companies are doing this, but I would wager that many are not.
You can learn from the web marketing strategies of Kar's and Orbit, but the real point here is that you should be getting the most out of your packaging if you are not already. If you sell products, this is a cheap marketing tool that you may be wasting. Even if the only packaging you use is a paper or plastic bag, you should consider having some stuff printed on them.
Do you use your packaging to market you business? Besides URLs, what other kinds of things do you include?
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Comments
Packaging
Hi Chris,
Yes, I do. I also include my url on the return address of my envelopes and labels, both for business and personal outgoing mailings. Please add this tip to yours to share.
Take care,
Gerri
RE: Packaging
Marketing
I absolutely agree, basic marketing says you should have your contact information on everything a potential customer may come in contact with. And if you can dress it up to get their attention...even better.
RE: Marketing
Promoting our URL
Hi Chris
I've never commented before but I've been enjoying your articles for a while now, thank you. You've offered some really useful advice which I've taken on board in promoting our brands.
It’s not exactly our packaging that carries the URL. More our actual product.
At studentposters we provide free poster templates that visitors can download and edit. The ideal scenario is that they upload their finished files back to us for printing as posters. But, of course, they're not obliged to do so. They can have their posters printed anywhere.
The studentposters logo contains the URL - which is another important marketing opportunity for an online business we think. We've incorporated the logo into all our templates so that, wherever the posters have been printed, and wherever the posters are presented at conferences and poster sessions around the world, our URL is displayed for all to see. And, of course, most of the viewers of the posters are themselves potential customers.
To check the success or otherwise of the strategy we include in the order form an optional box for our customers to tick to tell us where they first heard of studentposters, including 'a poster'. So far, the results show that it’s been worth doing.
Hope that helps.
All the best
Peter
Peter Learoyd
studentposters.co.uk
Leeds, UK
getitdone@studentposters.co.uk
RE: Promoting our URL
URL
Hi Chris,
I make blank note cards with pictures of my art on the front. This way if someone cannot afford a $3000 painting, they usually can afford a $2.50 note card. On the back is the URL..
So, in effect, people are paying me to advertise my artwork and my note cards. By the way, it is a whole lot cheaper to have cards printed if you send a lot out every year. With the URL, it becomes advertizing budget and at least in my state, it is non taxable unlike many other things.
When I do art shows, the URL printed on plain brown recycled paper bags. The person carrying the bag is carrying my name. Since it is a long name, each of the three words starts with a capitol letter, JonathanSteeleWorks.com
The site name has dashes and different words, making it too hard to remember but great for SEO. So my 'public' domain name is a re-direct.
On the back of all my art work I glue one of my cards, complete with URL. This way it will not get lost. Someone asks where did you get that art, they can always find me. Then I add a coulple of loose cards wedged in but easily removed.
For my new blog I will have some T shirts printed up and they will simply say, Did You UlteriorArt.com today? The URL will be bold to make it stand out from the other words.
The wearer becomes the package (the goal, for visitors to post a one word thougth about the art).
When public speaking, if there is a hand out, my URL goes on the bottom of each fold of a brocure or page of a report. This way if it is copied, which I encourage, the URL goes with it.
If I do a powerpoint presentation (which I hate) or Key Note (Mac) presentations, the screen saver will have my public speaking site disguised as a test slide.
When I have meetings with small groups on internet based business development (i am still new at this myself) I give away a book. It is just several pages with a modified perfect binding.
It is an inexpensive way to get my URL out and promote my Assist2web site at the same time (even though it is still in its infancy).
With Trade Shows, the bag people carry all the borchures in is is the last to be thrown away.
CD hand outs. Both the CD sleve and the CD.
Coffee mug that I use when at a show or at meetings. This only works for short names.
There are many more but need to save some for my content for my site that is still a baby.
It helps to think that you and every thing around you is a pakage of your business and the URL is your brand, your Trade Mark.
To your success,
Jonathan Steele
RE: URL
Great comment with a lot of great ideas. It sounds like you've thought this all out very well, and hopefully some of our readers will get some ideas from it. Your last sentence is a good one and something that business owners should remember. "It helps to think that you and every thing around you is a package of your business and the URL is your brand, your Trade Mark."
Good stuff, thanks!
Chris
1 word vistaprint, it is my
1 word vistaprint, it is my best cheapest marketing tool. I print up stickers for my shipping boxes, bookmarks, thank you cards, birthday etc.
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