Last night I was watching the local news, and amidst all the typical doom and gloom stories the media loves to share, there was a fascinating interview that took place.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP – the way-over-made-fun-of
guys in red with funny looking cowboy hats) blatantly egged on the Hells
Angels. The RCMP officer being
interviewed actually blamed the Hells Angels on pretty well all of the crime in
Canada
Now, I don’t condone what the Angels do, but I will say the
RCMP are absolute morons to believe crime would disappear if the Hells Angels
disappeared too.
There has always been crime – and there always will be crime…
it’s one of the facts of life. There will always be people who take advantage
of others, and those who thrive off the underground money making activities.
The Hells Angels did something VERY surprising… they went on
television too. They actually asked a
local Calgary
#1 – for them to voluntarily give a tv interview is
extremely rare.
#2 – they are PO
#3 – they publicly stated they are PO Canada
So what does this have to do with advertising and marketing?
Lots.
Robert Allen issued a challenge to the skeptics – put him in a city he doesn’t know for 72 hours with only $100 to his name – and he would own at least one piece of property after 72 hours with NONE OF HIS OWN MONEY.
A big challenge to prove his system works.
And he delivered – actually he bought 4 properties in 72 hours with no money down.
He became massively famous by throwing down the gauntlet and challenging the media.
How can you use the challenge technique?
Challenge your customers to provide the best video testimonial of the benefits they have received from using your products (all kinds of corporations are using this idea now). You will get incredible video footage you can use in commercials – advertising – marketing campaigns – lead generation campaigns, etc.
Challenge your competitors to a dual. Southwest Airlines is famous for major media challenges – and EVERYONE benefits.
Challenge your suppliers to help you decrease your supply costs – best proposals win a year long exclusive contract
Challenge your employees to come up with one new business-improvement idea a week. The top ones can be implemented by the person recommending them, and are rewarded with status, even prizes and publicity.
Challenge the media with a big claim you make – and that you will prove that claim once-and-for-all in front of the world.
Find a challenge – and try it out
I have a challenge and a contest coming up for the most creative marketing techniques being used (not ideas – but ones actually used with favorable results). There will be cash prizes, rewards, and a ton of publicity for the winners. More to come.
Everyone LOVES a challenge… give it to them.
Is that the best that you can do? Using an organization of rapists, murderers and thieves to make your marketing point?
Posted by: Jeffrey Summers | December 05, 2006 at 03:55 PM
Rapists, murderers...watch more CNN and live in your cubicle but don't comment on things you have only heard about on the news. Oh, and the article had a great point..kinda sad that some people are too shallow to see beyond
Posted by: Andrew | December 06, 2006 at 10:43 PM
If some people don't get this - they will never get marketing.
Jeff, you must have something better to share if you make a post like that. You think they don't exist? You think there was no point to their "challenge"?
Did you read the statement I made... "I don't endorse what they do....."
If you can't learn lessons from that which you disagree with - it is a VERY small world you live in.
Some of the most powerful lessons a person can learn are from those issues, people, and "groups" that they disagree with the most.
The key to marketing success is to open your eyes to the world around you. Ignoring it doesn't help much.
Posted by: Troy White | December 07, 2006 at 10:47 AM