“It takes someone strong to make someone strong.” ― Here’s a tribute to the strongest women in the world! [Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing]
Last Sunday, we celebrated an important event around the world:
Mother’s Day.
―it’s a day where we acknowledge the efforts and sacrifices of our mothers as well as their influence not only in our lives, but also in the society.
How did you express your love to your mom on this special day?
Did you…
… buy her a fresh bouquet of her favorite flowers?
… give her a mom’s day off?
… greet her and say “Thank you” and “I love you” to her?
Well, Mother’s Day is fun and all that but it shouldn’t be the only day when you show your love to your mom.
Take a look at what one company did!
In 2010, it created a marketing campaign as tribute to the people with the “hardest but best job in the world”―even when it was not yet Mother’s Day.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation that specializes in a wide range of personal care and hygiene products in different departments such as:
- Beauty and Grooming
- Health Care
- Fabric and Home Care
- Baby, Feminine, and Family Care
There were 2 factors that motivated the company to create a campaign dedicated to moms:
First, it’s that behind every P&G product is a “mom who cares”―meaning, these women use products manufactured by the company to ensure the well-being of their families.
Second, P&G knew most consumers who interact with its brands are moms. The company thought that appealing to consumers’ emotions through a heartwarming ad may lead to an increase in sales.
How did the company get its message across?
Through the 2010 Winter Olympics!
To turn its corporate reputation into a competitive advantage, P&G created a global and authentic connection that linked its purpose―“touching lives, improving life”―to the Olympic games.
It’s called…
The “Thank You, Mom” campaign!
At first, P&G didn’t have an obvious connection with the Olympics.
The only common ground between the two?
Every Olympic athlete has a mom… and P&G loves moms!
That connection drove the conceptualization of a touching idea that later on played out across a broad range of content.
With the help of advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, P&G created a short film that showcased different Olympic athletes gaining strength and determination because of their moms’ love and support.
The video showed different scenarios of athletes warming up for the Olympics while reminiscing moments when their moms told them, “You’re okay” or “Everything’s going to be alright.”
Through these memories and words of encouragement, the athletes were able to overcome their anxieties and doubts and earn a top spot in the competitions they were in.
Indeed, there’s nothing else to say but, “Thank you, mom!”
When spectators of the Olympics let out shouts and claps of victory, the moms were also among the crowd, teary-eyed as they watched their children give their best shot.
#ProudMama!
At the end of the video, P&G flashed the words:
“It takes someone strong to make someone strong.”
The short film was uploaded on YouTube and played during breaks at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Okay… take a deep breath and dry your tears (if there’s any). We know this campaign is emotionally touching!
Aside from the video, P&G used the tagline, “Proud sponsor of Moms” to tie in other elements of the campaign.
To encourage consumer participation, the company developed a web page where people across the globe could thank and honor their moms.
P&G also built the P&G Family Home, the first “home away from home” for moms and families of Olympic athletes.
… and as part of the campaign, the company flew all Team USA moms to the Olympic Games venue so they could watch their sons and daughters compete firsthand!
Was P&G’s “Thank You, Mom” Campaign Effective?
In 2010, the “Thank You, Mom” campaign became the biggest and most successful global campaign in the company’s 175-year history.
After the duration of the campaign, P&G recorded:
- A USD 500 million increase in global incremental sales.
- A total of 76 billion global media impressions.
- Over 74 million views on YouTube after 4 months.
- More than 370 million Twitter interactions about #ThankYouMom.
The campaign also bagged several awards for P&G!
In 2012, it won the Best Use of Sponsorship Award at the Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity and in 2014, P&G received a Sports Gold Award at the Clio Awards for the “Thank You, Mom” campaign.
Who would’ve thought that advertising household brands could be so emotional?
Just like P&G, you may also use your marketing campaigns to express gratitude to your target market.
―not to make them cry, though… just to let them know that you value them and their contributions to your brand.
A simple “Thank You!” can go a long way!
Besides, if you ask yourself from a consumer’s perspective…
… wouldn’t you want to stay loyal to a business that knows how to value its customers?
We bet you would!
Get inspired with P&G’s campaign and create genuine connections between your brand and customers through a heartwarming message!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers, and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla!
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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