Creative minds turn to gimmicks

By DITA DE BONI

The sun is shining and the silly season has arrived, but forgive us for thinking that, for some, the silly season is year-round.

At the Business Herald, we've been holding on to some of the more imaginative marketing gimmicks we've received, and kept them in a large toybox, which has become increasingly full as the festive season approaches.

Unfortunately, our reporters are tired of tripping over the toybox and have ordered it banished from the office. But before the bits and pieces find more suitable homes, we thought we would share with readers some of the imaginative - and not so imaginative - attention-grabbers we've been sent in 2000.

Like a good marketing campaign, the better gimmicks make the recipient think and are greatly helped by a humorous touch.

Unfortunately, few seem to fit these criteria - although an invitation to a lingerie launch delivered by a gorgeous, scantily clad, male model certainly cheered a long winter for female staff members.

No, it seems many more gimmicks come from the sledgehammer school of marketing. And they are getting more elaborate. A fake PlayStation-looking object to advertise the actual PlayStation game was an interesting, but ultimately disappointing experience.

One Jandal sent with another invitation threatened to leave our IT editor lopsided for his summer beach jaunt.

Inspirational glasses - without lenses - and a ponytail representing some of the advertising industry's finer creative minds unfortunately failed to fire the righthand side of the reporter who donned them for a day.

The genie dust was also a non-starter for everyone except the cleaner, who, unlike us, sure felt revved up when she had to remove thousands of tiny gold particles from the carpet.

An invitation to a company announcement printed on a plate and delivered by a waiter was a nice touch, but carrying it in a clutch purse proved difficult.

The firefighter's hat and bucket and spade were also interesting - if you were between the ages of 3 and 10.

The year will be remembered for a preponderance of gimmicks without labels or explanations, sent in the hope of building suspense about the product or brand.

For example, we were sent a tea bag and spoon with no explanation; a light bulb; beer bottles without labels; and ornaments that could not be traced.

The year's winner for most inappropriate invitation: a hypodermic needle - complete with brown liquid, tourniquet and teaspoon, sent in a tin case to advertise an event organised by the association of advertising agencies.

If a collection of the country's top creative brains can slip up in their marketing efforts, it may be no wonder that some of the industry's other gimmicks fall somewhat wide of the mark.