entering popular culture

A few weeks back I got insight into what one of Melbourne's leading planners thought was the pinnicle of advertising planning success. An account director's wet dream. His premiership. His Alan Border medal.

What was his trophy? His trophy was for a communcations strategy to enter popular culture. For it to be used in some way or another by the masses without them even realising that what they were using / saying was actually part of a strategy to make them consume. Well I guess this makes sense. I mean what is the point of pouring oodles of money into an advertising campaign? To get noticed isn't it? For your brand to be rememebered and therefore lead to sales right?

My friend's premiership medallion came in the form of a risky technological product with his client's branding, exploding onto the popular culture seen three years ago. My friend knew it had reached this level of awareness when at the cricket a member of the crowd painted on a banner saying that his product had just arrived, and gee was he happy about it!

Other great communications strategies that have left the same impression are the 'Priceless' Ads by Mastercard, The 'Not Happy Jan' Ads by the Yellow pages (below) and of course The 'Bugger' Ad by Toyota. Each of these has effortlessly entered popular culture on the streets of Australia by becoming part of common vernacular.

They say word of mouth is the best (and cheapest!) marketing tool. By creating an effective communications strategy that leads to a brand entering popular culture a campaign enters a fifth gear and a form of word of mouth that provides expendential limitations to camapign's success.