Total eclipse of the advertising budget

One problem with creating an effective advertising campaign is staying within a budget while still creating an effective, and profitable, advertisement. Reaching a large audience isn’t necessarily expensive or difficult, thanks to the power of social media. Once in a great while, something happens that will cause your target audience to suddenly become much larger and easier to access.

The solar eclipse took the United States by storm last week. People from all over the country, and even outside the country, flocked the path of totality to witness the astronomical (lack of) light show. Festivals were thrown, vendors sold their books and crafts, and many companies used the eclipse in their advertising. Airbnb and National Geographic teamed up for a contest where the winners got to spend the night in a clear geodesic dome the night before the eclipse, and then got to hang out during the eclipse with scholars, journalists, and photographers. Corona sent a “Corona toast kit” to photographers across the nation that included eclipse glasses, a countdown timer, two bottles of Corona Extra, and a lime. The company posted a video to its Facebook page showing how to create a pinhole viewer out of a Corona box. Arguably the most impressive campaign was a team effort from CNN and Volvo. While CNN livestreamed the eclipse, the companies took it a step further. They aired live advertisements as well. Four cameras were set up across the nation in the path of the eclipse, featuring Volvo vehicles and interviews with influential people experiencing the phenomenon.

These examples are all impressive displays of advertising. They are also examples of how expensive advertising can be. Warby Parker found a solution to cater to an immediate demand and keep costs down. Founded in 2010, the prescription eyeglass company caters mostly online, with a few brick and mortar showrooms. Eclipse glasses had become a scarce commodity. They were hard to find, and when one did find them, the price had increased ten times due to demand. Using Instagram, Warby Parker reached out to the masses. If someone would visit a Warby Parker location, they would get a free pair of eclipse glasses. If they didn’t live near a location, they could follow a link to get instructions on how to make a pinhole viewer.

This form of advertising gave potential customers what they needed, and gave Warby Parker a chance to increase their customer base. A person would come into the store to get the glasses, and then could be shown what they are missing by not using Warby Parker for their prescription eyeglass needs. And the best part? The cost of supplying the eclipse glasses was nearly the total cost of the campaign.