Ok, well maybe it is. But I have to say I am drawing great inspiration from a campaign underway in the Atlanta market for Clear, a wireless internet provider.
The first piece of marketing I came across was a series of bright green balloons tied up outside a restaurant, with the Clear logo and the message “This is not a balloon.” Unfortunately for the wireless company, this was the same day that Clear, the airport service for frequent travelers went under.
Despite the poor timing the guys at Clear have made a powerful entrance into the Atlanta market, not by talking bits and baud, or even speed. Rather they are making people rethink their world with a seemingly non-stop supply of message that recast park benches, restaurants, and even busses. (“This is not a bus. It is another place to watch streaming video.”)
Each of the pieces is clean and simple. There’s the setup line, one sentence to pay it off and the logo. No explanation of what Clear is, no pricing offer, no paragraphs of legalese. I can only imagine someone having to beat back efforts to make every piece tell the whole story.
In a nice change of pace, they use TV to do the heavy lifting, rather than just tease the consumer. The spots explain that Clear is an alternative to basic WIFI and even internet service from other cellular companies.
Here however, Clear was again snakebit. Check out their spot which features cupcakes and sprinkles to explain the service. See if it doesn’t remind you of the much funnier Verizon Wireless spot using sprinkles to explain their Friends and Families service. Someone is selling a lot of sprinkles these days.
The work is apparently from a Los Angeles shop called Secret Weapon Marketing. And despite a few stumbles, beyond their control, the work is a great example of how the pieces can work together, if you plan accordingly.
Oddly, the one piece of marketing that doesn’t measure up is Clear’s web site. I’m willing to bet it was done in-house or by a separate firm. Because the tone is entirely different, with boring stock images and 1-2-3 process that is devoid of any excitement. Oh well, for want of a good digital strategist.
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