Have you ever been brought to a party by a friend, only to be whisked away by the trappings of all the other interesting people at the party? At the end of the party you realize that, although you did not spend a great deal of time with the person that brought you, you owe them a debt of gratitude for introducing you to a valuable experience.

Brands often create marketing initiatives where value is offered to consumers (e.g., coupons, services, etc.), but the traditional way tends to ensure the brand is positioned at the center of the value exchange. This type of overbearing brand presence is not essential.

Denny's recently created a very unique online campaign involving content that is not necessarily endemic to the brand. The name of the campaign is Denny's Allnighter, and one very compelling element of the campaign is Denny's Adopt-a-Band. The initiative is described in the following way:

"At a time when touring costs are high, Denny's is here to help. Through the 'Adopt-a-Band' program, Denny's sponsors bands to eat for free and host after parties at local Denny's Restaurants while on the road. Get to know all of the current Adopted Bands below, and check out their tour dates to see when you can go see them and hit up your local Denny's for late-night food and fun!"

Of the three initiatives mentioned in this article, this is the most heavily branded; however, the branding is not overbearing. Three times a month, bands are expected to write about Denny's, as well as post photos of themselves in a Denny's. While Denny's wants to ensure it is involved in the conversation, the value it is providing for musicians and music fans is tremendous. Denny's has found a way to weave its brand into a lifestyle it is trying to target, adding value at each turn.

Had Denny's forced its way into the conversation through contrived situations, this initiative may not have been a success. But instead, Denny's simply seeded a conversation by adding value to a specific demographic. The company then took a backseat and let consumers complete the story.

 
Conclusion
Actions often speak louder than words. At a time when markets are saturated with vacuous brand catchphrases, jingles and other useless banter, brands need to do a better job of communicating with consumers. The plethora of new media channels that have emerged over the last 10 years should leave no marketer feeling like he or she cannot effectively get branded messages across to consumers. The proliferation of new media channels may be overwhelming, but through creative media strategies, marketers can communicate more efficiently than ever before -- without shoving messages down consumers' throats.

Adam Broitman is strategy director/ringleader at Crayon.