Luna Carpets, a local business in my hometown of Chicago, is one smart company when it comes to marketing tactics.
I'm not saying consistently smart. It usually runs those shot-on-video commercials that rely on bad jokes ("honey, are you talking to the carpet again?") and irritating mnemonic phone-number jingles.
But a recent spot rose about the pile with a really smart conceit: double the value of your stimulus check from Uncle Sam by spending it with Luna.
Consider what the offer accomplishes:
- It provides an external purchase prompt. You can only come up so many buy one/get one bundle combinations. Just like car dealerships, most of this regular marketing is really about finding excuses to be on-air with a slightly different version of the always same offer, in hopes of catching consumers at the moment at which they've decided to look for carpeting (or a new car). The rebate check offer is a variation on the "special insert holiday name here" sale idea, only with an intriguing twist: it anticipates that consumers will have money in their hands, and will at least question (whether for a nanosecond or less) what to do with it. It's as if a seller knew that you had $20 in your pocket that was otherwise unclaimed by any other purchase, and could offer you the benefits of spending it.
- There's an existing value proposition. $600 worth of rebate has value independent of how much carpeting it might buy; by doubling it, Luna is significantly extending that value. $1200 worth of anything is worth considering, isn't it? Further, the value prob offered by doubling the rebate has a cost basis of zero. It's all found money. So there's nothing really to buy here...it's as if Luna can offer customers over a thousand dollars' worth of free flooring.
- The offer presents an immediate action. The ad offer flips the model of hoping to chance upon consumers contemplating carpeting, and instead uses the rebate check as the trigger for a next step. It wastes no time telling people about its many styles, or directs them to a web site or phone number for more information. The pitch is buy now. And do it when you decide to do something with that rebate check.
There are things Luna doesn't do so brilliantly, most notably forgetting to mention the spot on its web site. But it's still a very smart ad.
And, ultimately, when it comes to brand, does Luna want consumers to associate various attributes to its name -- quality, wide choice, whatever -- or does it want to be the name attached to the fact that lots of people shop there?
Success...selling things...is a great brand attribute, don't you think? Who knew there were such bright bulbs in the carpet biz?
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