Operation Smile

As I count down my days of having an easy 15 minute commute to work, and look ahead at spending far more time on the road, this campaign from Brazil made me smile. Why? because I like marketing efforts that inspire and encourage behaviors and this one literally made millions of commuters in Sao Paulo smile all at once.

Brastemp is a home appliance brand and they implemented a flashmob program earlier this month by working with 11 local radio stations to simultaneously broadcast one message at 9AM one morning. The message went something like this  (via Discuss-o-Mat):

Hey you, driver!  Yes, you — probably heading to work right now. This is an invitation.  An invitation to make your day better, an invitation to get some inspiration and do something very simple — Smile!

Smile to the car next to you. If they’re listening to this, they will understand and smile too.  Make your day better…  A smile can change everything…. brought to you by Brastemp.

I don’t know about you, but for me if I was one of those who participated and/or received this simple act of kindness that morning, I’ll  smile again when I think about Brastemp.

Seven Strategies for Surviving the Downturn

The power and versatility of today’s online capabilities provide numerous new ways for marketers to tackle the economic downturn, diminishing budgets and changes in consumer habits that are happening everywhere. Many companies/brands have already cut back on their marketing/advertising efforts, while others are taking this moment to reassess, reinvent and revitalize their brands/companies.

I’m a firm believer that challenges open doors to opportunities, and opportunities bring innovation with possibilities to further advance and emerge as a leader – as many brands did during the Great Depression.

As eMarketer CEO/co-founder Geoff Ramsey puts it, “Consumers are still consuming.” They are still out there, looking for deals and recommendations to make product choices. They are relying on all available resources to find what is right for them. For marketers, the good news is there are more options than ever to make a connection with customers.

Below is a compendium to a presentation Geoff Ramsey gave at the Fuel for Thought event in November. It is based on his recent whitepaper Digital Marketing Now: Seven Strategies for Surviving the Downturn that is available for free at eMarketer.

That’s it for today.