Brands are the result of great marketing.
And, marketing is a fast moving game of communication, testing and validation of results.
If you’re looking to promote your brand, glean insights from these three brands that have great marketing campaigns.
1. Driving the DriveTime Brand
Phoenix-based DriveTime owns more than 125 used car dealerships. Much of its branding comes from short, entertaining commercials (also available on YouTube), featuring Tina and Tara, two normal-looking (if somewhat daffy) women who drive around in the DriveTime van looking for people who are having trouble getting their own rides.
They find them at bus stops, on car lots and, worst of all, on the Internet trying to qualify for a “hoodwink” loan from questionable sites.
It’s the DriveTime script and acting that hold our attention.
In 30 seconds, we learn that DriveTime works with customers to create different types of payment plans and to help them get a great used car with a Cancel Anytime Lease, which has become the DriveTime tagline.
All this information is told with humor from actors who look like real people with stories that are all-too familiar to many Americans.
A behind-the-scenes blog about making the ads reveals how difficult filming 30-second ads can be. Ten-second takes have to be shot over and over again, but DriveTime found ways to keep costs down and spirits up.
From preparing crew meals to using an old pickup to tow the DT van around, they figured out how to get the job done.
2. Fitbit’s Facebook Campaign Dials Down Marketing Costs
Although DriveTime’s commercials have been a big success, few companies can afford high-quality commercials. For many, Facebook is an affordable godsend.
Hubspot calls Fitbit’s Facebook campaign “brilliant” for taking full advantage of the platform, which encourages discussions and allows for more detail than a 140-character tweet.
But when it began, Fitbit was part of the new activity-tracking technology industry, and it wasn’t a household name on Hubspot’s list of highly-successful Facebook campaigns (which includes Nike and Microsoft).
Even though Fitbit is still a newcomer to the social media scene, Fitbit’s sales more than doubled between 2013 and 2014, according to the digital news service Quartz.
Hubspot points to the company’s content and strategy because it focuses on personal health rather than selling its products. People who like the Facebook page get fitness and health tips and encouraging essays on how to maintain a fitness regime.
And should its followers decide to buy a fitness tracker, they already have a friend in the business.
3. Sephora’s 6-Second How-To Videos
The well-known cosmetics chain Sephora created a series of Vine videos that show how to use its products.
Vine’s videos last only six seconds and loop endlessly, which means you have to be concise with your message and quickly make an impact on the viewer.
Small Business Trends lists Sephora as one of the 20 brands killing it with Vine marketing because in those six seconds, the viewer sees the product, learns how to apply it and views the end result of the process.
And the best part is that the replay is constant for those who need repeated training.