Today we're talking about a new method of promotion. As we mentioned in the article on marketing mix, promotion involves many different types of advertising: one of these is buzz marketing.
Essentially, buzz marketing is the collection of promotional activities that allow a product/service to become a talking point and exponentially increase conversations, comments, and interactions about it. Even the name evokes the essence of buzz marketing.
The onomatopoeic word "buzz" refers to the buzzing of bees. Indeed, with this meaning, it aims to refer to the idea of a social contagion of the message. Talking everywhere and on any platform about the product and/or service in question. That's the ultimate sense of buzz marketing.
Very often these activities are used on the web and social networks. Buzz marketing is simply the evolution of the old and always useful word-of-mouth in digital form.
Ultimately, this promotional technique refers to the viral spread through blogs, social networks, forums, and other digital platforms of the message that one wishes to promote. Some useful techniques for creating a buzz effect include:
- The hype: creating suspense for an event, product launch, or service through posts and content designed to pique the user's curiosity
- The use of opinion leaders: in new communication channels it is essential to have influential people talk about your product. We are talking about influencers and personalities (VIPs or otherwise) who can generate conversation about the product in question
In general, buzz marketing is a non-conventional technique used for short periods even if it means creating discussions and controversy, aiming to increase interest in the subject.
Case studies and brands using buzz marketing
When it comes to hype, it's Netflix that creates entertaining content that often gets people talking in different ways about new series and products.
Other brands are also known to use buzz marketing. Here are some examples:
Burger King: what happens when America's favorite burgers are no longer available!
We're in 2007 and Burger King's unconventional Whopper Freakout campaign involved the creation of a dedicated website where videos were produced (also shared on social media). These videos show the funny and completely natural reactions of customers who don't expect really bad news: We're sorry, but we no longer serve Whoppers! (the fast food chain's flagship burger).
The almost incredulous reaction of all the recorded users creates viral content and shows how much Burger King's burgers are loved all across the United States!
Here is the video of the advertising campaign.
Mini is everywhere: #MININOTNORMAL
In a multi-channel campaign that also includes an unconventional use of the advertising message from 2013, Mini UK plasters cities across the United Kingdom with ironic and amusing billboards about Mini. Mini truly is everywhere, and on social media, the hashtag #MININOTNORMAL starts to trend, inviting the community to post as much content as possible with this slogan!
The result is truly brilliant.
In conclusion, buzz marketing can be applied in various ways and can be structured at different levels (even with the street marketing as seen with Mini). The important thing è that people talk about it. Here is the only rule of this absolutely unconventional promotion technique.
You can do it too, you just need a lot of commitment and an excellent marketing and sales platform.
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