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A Blast From The Past
Why and when to re-introduce a winning marketing campaign
volume #1, article #12
By Dianne Smirl, CME-Designate
At any given tradeshow, chances are pretty good that most exhibitors are promoting a product or service that’s "new" or "improved". If you’re one of them, your natural inclination might be to completely redesign your booth and exhibit marketing program to look "fresh" and "innovative". Think again.
What's Old Can Be New Again
When it comes to trends in fashion and music, what goes around often comes around again – decades later. Don’t be afraid to revisit the past, and take forward the best ideas. Updating a proven exhibit marketing campaign can save you time and money.
Consistency Pays Off In The Long Run
If you keep changing your look and your message, customers are going to have a hard time recognizing your company year to year. Look at the big brand players, such as McDonald’sTM and CokeTM. McDonald’sTM repeated its successful MonopolyTM game promotion more than five times over a period of just three years. CokeTM typically uses the same slogan and theme song for approximately two years, or even longer if consumers find a jingle particularly catchy, before introducing a new theme.
New And Improved Isn't Always Better
Not all consumers want new and improved, especially if the "old" product fits their needs just fine thank you very much. Don’t re-invent the wheel with a completely new exhibit marketing campaign just for the sake of change.
It Worked Before For A Reason
Before you throw out the old and bring in the new, lay out all of your previous marketing campaigns. Take a close look at the brochures, promotional programs, and exhibit designs you’ve used in past – and the results they generated for your company. You’ll probably find a couple of standout campaigns. Consider what made them so successful: Attention-grabbing graphics? The level of product detail presented in the brochures? The uniqueness of your promotional giveaway?
Standout Campaigns Have Legs
Once you’ve figured out why a past campaign was so successful, and reaffirmed that its marketing premise still holds true, you’re ready to re-introduce a proven winner in the marketplace. Sure, it might be almost exactly the same program you used two years ago, but do you really think anyone will remember? Don’t forget to update the pertinent information, such as product specifications and price. Part of being creative is learning what works and what doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to visit the past and take forward the best ideas. It will save you time and, more importantly, money.
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