First Person: How Being Topical Worked for Molson and Deli Fresh

Welcome to a new monthly column from Matthew Glass, chairman/CEO of Grand Central Marketing, a New York-based event marketing and promotion agency.

One of your biggest challenges as a marketer is to create a campaign that will capture the attention of both the public and the media.

The good news: Doing so doesn’t require a big budget or lots of bells and whistles--often it’s the simple but well-timed campaigns that have the most success. By anticipating what news stories the media will be covering and creating a fresh angle that integrates your brand, you can generate millions of dollars in free publicity.

My company recently produced two experiential marketing initiatives that tied into current events and made headlines for our clients. On the surface the campaigns had nothing in common. One promoted a well-established brand, the other supported a product launch. One client brews beer, the other sells dog food. But what made both campaigns successful was that they leveraged topical news stories, offering the media a fresh slant on what was already being reported.

When the NHL returned to the ice in October following a lengthy work stoppage, Molson hired us to execute a grassroots promotion to rekindle excitement among hockey fans and position its brand as their beer of choice. The Molson Goalies program took place in seven NHL cities in the weeks leading up to the start of hockey season. In each market, teams of six brand ambassadors wearing Molson-logoed goalie uniforms made unannounced appearances in high-traffic locations, including outside stadiums and and in bars. They entertained consumers with slap-shot contests, hockey trivia questions, and games. Wherever the goalies went, they gave away Molson-branded premiums such as T-shirts, hats, stress hockey pucks, inflatable goalie sticks, goalie bags, and jerseys.

The promotion succeeded in reaching hockey fans and closely aligning Molson with the sport. Over the course of the promotion, more than 30,000 premiums were distributed. Not only did the goalies cause a stir among consumers, but local reporters also took notice. With the media in each city eager to tell the “Hockey Is Back” story, the goalies appeared on television 10 times, and their photos were in newspapers seven times.

We used similar thinking when launching the Deli Fresh brand of dog food. Faced with a limited budget and a late November launch date, we captured the attention of media and consumers alike with a promotion that literally sent Thanksgiving to the dogs. Using a customized Deli Fresh catering truck, our promotional team traveled to animal shelters around San Francisco, serving Thanksgiving dinner to homeless dogs. Dog owners were also invited to bring their pooches to a local pet store for free samples of the new product.

The two-day promotion was a hit with dogs and owners alike. Our Thanksgiving campaign received television, radio, and print coverage throughout the Bay Area. These stories, combined with the 600 dog owners who were given Deli Fresh samples for their pets, resulted in an immediate boost in Deli Fresh sales.

Whether catering to canines, scoring with hockey fans, or trying to reach any other demographic, you can achieve a greater return on investment by staying topical and fresh.