Dating the Consumer!
In a recent presentation to a major global ‘dating’ website, the agenda took an unexpected yet, interesting turn.
The time started with the client presenting to us. Their brand, philosophy, goals, culture and aspirations. I have to say, it was single handedly one of the most passionate and informed pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen.
My God they knew a lot about dating and relationships. The research they’ve done into the psychology of dating and emotion was immense. What attracts us to each other, turns us on, turns us off. How we should interact online, face-to-face, via email and text and the best timing of each contact to ensure mutual attraction is generated from those we covet.
“There is a genuine science to it”, they explain. “Ultimately, we want people to create long lasting relationships, based on mutual interests, morals, trust and ambitions”. All very clever, then they moved on to the ‘media brief’. “We’re targeting 18 – 34 year old adults, and we want to reach them when they are in a position to act instantly or register”. Seriously?
How can a brand (and this is just one relevant example), have such an understanding of their product and those who use it, yet be so simplistic in how they sell it? Isn’t, ‘dating’, or the pursuit of a ‘relationship’, the ultimate metaphor for what we do in the media industry? Isn’t ‘Out of Home’ better placed than any other channel, to replicate this dating strategy, into a highly effective brand communication platform? Luckily, one of our Account Directors pounced on the opportunity to explain this to, what would soon be, our newest client.
“Rather than take your brief as given, can we try and date you? Or at the very least, show you how to appeal to your audience, in the same way you encourage them to garner interest from each other?”
The rhetoric continued as such, relating each point from the client’s ‘dating’ plan to OOH:
- Those you are trying to attract, first and foremost need to be aware of you, you have to be on the Radar
So, an optimized broadcast, awareness campaign, indexed to where the audience live, work and play. Using mobile data to accurately track and minimize wastage
- Before someone will respond, or grow more interested, they need to know you have joint interests, things in common
So do they go to the gym 3 times a week? The cinema every Friday? Shopping, dining out etc. All places where OOH can create a genuine lifestyle interaction
- At some point you have to actually communicate, make your approach relevant, timely, polite & maybe fun?
So using the device that all these people have in their pocket, the very device they are using your dating app on, we can ‘actually communicate’, deliver a direct message in a language reflective of your brand
- Make your pitch/ offer your reward. Can I buy you dinner, take you for coffee, maybe join you for a run?
Why not make it easy? Lets give them an offer to share straight into their device from the OOH format. ‘Have a cocktail on us if you have your first date at……’
There you have it, use OOH to seduce your consumer. Make them aware of you, show them you share their interests and have things in common, communicate directly with them and offer a reward! You’re ‘Clooney’ who wouldn’t date you!