#2. It all starts with an insight -- even chotchkes!
In order to cut through effectively, the experience must derive from a sound strategic insight relevant to the brand. While handing out fun premiums might drive traffic, it rarely builds brand loyalty unless it extends the conversation and reinforces what the brand stands for. When my company's client, Panasonic, wanted to engage action sports enthusiasts, they needed an insight that gave them permission to "hang" with this otherwise skeptical crowd. The insight they found was that capturing and sharing tricks was an inherent part of the action sports lifestyle. Since Panasonic made the video and still cameras that captured the tricks, and the TVs to see them on, they had a legitimate reason to "Share the Air" with this community.
Panasonic's Share the Air program featured a camera loaner program at each of the five stops of the AST Dew Tour. With the swipe of a driver's license, attendees got their hands on a new video or digital still camera to record the cool tricks that they saw during the day's competition. And to make the experience memorable, participants could take a Panasonic-branded SD card home containing all of their pictures. The Share the Air microsite kept the experience alive, allowing attendees to blog with their favorite athletes on a daily basis, and deliver incentives to purchase Panasonic products at local dealers.
All of these elements combined to make Panasonic a brand of choice among action sports enthusiasts.
