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Public Service Marketing: Making More than Just Your Brand Look Good

August 17, 2009

Posted by: Kriszti Dragos in Non-Traditional

KFC has sent a letter to US mayors, offering to fill up potholes in their cities’ streets. In return for the “favor”, KFC would mark the filled potholes with the words “Re-freshed by KFC” in non-permanent street chalk.

Utilizing a similar public service marketing strategy, Domino’s Pizza cleaned the sidewalks in 220 spots in NY, LA and Philly, leaving a company logo behind. The campaign included a sweeps element that offered $15 gift cards to the first 250 people who emailed pictures of themselves beside the Domino’s designs.

In a time when consumers are tired of corporate greed, and very conscious of how they spend their money, allocating marketing dollars to public service efforts seems like a winning strategy. These out-of-the-box marketing initiatives not only help to establish a positive corporate image, they also allow marketers to connect with consumers in a more meaningful way. Another benefit is that it provides what is essentially exclusive exposure, as compared to most mass media options that often come with a good deal of advertising clutter.

The possibilities for future use and ideas are endless. While we won’t see the end of traditional and digital marketing, it is certainly a win-win strategy to incorporate public service marketing in corporate branding campaigns