Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of the Utah Monolith, a chunk of metal that appeared in a remote area of the Utah desert in late November. No one knows how it got there or why. Then a few days later, four men dismantled the monolith and left without a trace, according to a photographer on the scene. Since then, other Stonehenge-esque monoliths have been popping up all over the world too.
Yet, we still don’t know who’s behind it. Aliens? Marketers? Students? Who knows.
What we DO know is that Jeep jumped all over this monolith craze and used it as an opportunity to market their Wrangler 4xe Hybrid. They geniously created a social media campaign explaining that the mysterious monolith in Utah is none other than a charging station for their hybrid car, describing the 4xe as “out of this world”.
Pretty clever, if you ask us.
We live in a news-driven culture, so using the free publicity that comes with current events like the Utah Monolith is not only useful, but when done right can be extremely effective for any business. With social media and the internet at our fingertips 24/7, pop culture has never been more present in our lives.
Take advantage of opportunistic marketing by genuinely connecting your products and services to pop culture trends or current events. Keep your eyes and ears open for trending topics that can tie into your brand problem, message or story.
Properly interjecting your company into a national conversation can dramatically increase sales, social media presence and brand recognition, just ask Four Seasons Total Landscaping.
However, we should mention that you should also navigate this tricky field of other current events with caution considering there are wide-ranging opinions and political affiliations. You should also stay clear of trying to ride the coattails of any tragedy, as it will leave a bad taste in consumers mouths and come off as disingenuous and self-serving.
When it comes to marketing and using current events as a tool, the right strategy can make all the difference. Reach out to our team at DS&P If you want to use current events and the news to market your business but are not sure how to proceed.
