For many, it seems that summer just started. The sun burns late into the evening, barbecue constantly permeates our nostrils, and we still hear the occasional firework pop off at an unreasonable hour. Brands have other ideas about this, as the cyclical nature of commerce begins to churn anew.
Retailers are already hard at work forecasting this year’s holiday season. EA Sports flagship football video game for next year releases this week, and gearheads worldwide are anxiously awaiting the 2022 slate of automobiles. Yes, although we may still technically be in August, consumers are being vaulted into the new year with the latest and greatest offerings.
Those of us in the tech world will remember a drastic shift in March 2020 when live in-person events ceased to exist nearly overnight. The same happened in other industries as well. Events like South by Southwest, E3, and Comic-Con that are meant to advertise exciting new releases in the entertainment field, either went virtual or punted altogether.
August 19th was also supposed to be the date of the highly touted New York Auto Show before it became the most recent live-event casualty of the pandemic. For a brand, or more specifically an experiential marketer, what is one to do? The answer could reside within the realm of A2P communication.
Advertise a virtual pivot on a digital channel
Put yourself in the shoes of an event coordinator. When these massive trade shows, premieres, or launch events get canceled, the first order of business is getting the word out. If it’s a major event, the media might help with this. When Coachella got canceled, every music blog in the world covered it along with most business trades due to the massive financial impact. Yet still, the promoters will most likely send an email informing you how the event is canceled.
There may also be information on how to claim a refund, but what your customer sees in that email is, “wow, I can’t go to this thing I really wanted to attend.” A digital channel such as SMS or WhatsApp can be just as effective and more concise, including a link to the necessary page minus all the fluff.
The pivot is the more exciting part of this equation. Jeep, for example, is still making new vehicles this year. Goldenvoice is sponsoring virtual concerts. Movies are still releasing, and video games are still coming out, both projects with massive budgets that just lost their primary marketing push. So how does one spread the word about all these new virtual events?
Keep it simple
Brands will understandably panic about how to get eyeballs on their virtual events. They will inundate social media with ad buys and email inboxes with invitations. Even when we see these invites and get excited about the virtual events, it’s easy to forget to RSVP or even attend. Why not go directly to your users on the platform they are most likely to be consuming your content? Their phones!
Sure, you can send an SMS invite to a future event, but you can also send a text that says, “Check out the new Marvel slate…UNVEILING NOW AT THIS LINK.” Trust us, no one working from home is so busy that they can’t spend seven minutes checking out a presentation from their favorite brand.
Better yet, use digital channels for advertising on-demand presentations. Your environmentally friendly father-in-law that was looking forward to the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid doesn’t need to wait for the vehicles to hit lots because he can find the presentation at this link!
The beauty is the simplicity that the channel affords. Your legal department may note to death your cancellation email to make sure there is language in there that shields the brand, but you’re a marketer. How do you announce a change of plans with a group of friends? You shoot a text. Doing business doesn’t have to be all that different. If you haven’t already, it’s time to add SMS to your marketing strategy. Learn more about the power of Mitto’s A2P messaging solutions, by shooting us a text at (424) 653-3380. We’re ready to help.