Effective, memorable, stand-out marketing always starts with a brilliant idea…and this is why marketing geeks rule in the idea department. Are you one? Your reaction to the three examples shared here will help you know.
First, let’s define “marketing geek,” which – in my world (tourism marketing) – is an affectionate compliment.
A marketing geek takes pleasure in the delivery of ANY successful marketing idea. It doesn’t have to be their own. It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary. It just has to strike you in such a way that you instantly appreciate all the invisible efforts that brought such a thing to life. It’s like a master chef tasting someone else’s delicious dish and immediately appreciating the culinary choices and skill that went into creating it.
And just like that master chef will be curious and ask questions of the dish’s creator, so too does a marketing geek question things.
We see things “out in the wild” and we’re SO curious about why choices (good and bad) were made. Why that font? Why that timing? Why that name? How did they pull that off? Why the bloody hell did they approve that ridiculous idea that tanked their brand? How long did that take? How much did that cost? And especially…did the marketing folks mean to do that or was it a happy accident?
More than that… we learn from everything we see. Every example we encounter gets stored away – in the creativity pantry of our brains, if you will – and we draw from that pantry every time we need seasoning for a new creative idea.
Take this photo:
On October 8th, 2024, Jessica Campbell made history by debuting as the first female full-time assistant coach in the National Hockey League.
If you looked at this photo from that historic game and applauded whoever it was that suggested she wear an all-white suit…you’re a marketing geek.
In every photo, Coach Campbell “pops” dramatically while surrounded by a sea of black-clad Seattle Kraken players. And dare we mention that all the other coaches are wearing very dark suits as well? Not even a “slightly less dark grey” among them? You’ll never convince me any of these choices were an accident on the night of her first game, when all cameras would be shining a spotlight on this milestone story.
What do marketing geeks take away from seeing such a photo? A memorable reminder that if you want your photo to tell a marketing story, you need to make sure the right thing “pops.”
Need some tips for that? Learn the secret to a great tourism photo.
Here’s another example.
Like everyone, I’ve been in probably thousands of public bathrooms in my lifetime…restaurants, hotels, stores, airports, rest stops, office buildings, medical centers, libraries, museums, and more.
I don’t remember a thing about the toilet paper in any of them, except that it was – without exception – plain white.
So naturally my attention was grabbed instantly when I saw this toilet paper in the bathroom of a hospital recently:
It wasn’t just that the brand name “Scott” was blatantly showcased on the toilet paper. There was also a graphic pattern on it. It was actually kinda pretty.
So now, in my endless sea of white toilet paper memories, I can honestly say that moving forward, I will forever remember that the toilet paper in the bathrooms of NYC’s Mount Sinai Hospital at 98th & Madison is NOT just plain white. Kudos to the Scott Paper Company (who probably intended this reaction) and to Mount Sinai (who may not have).
What do marketing geeks take away from seeing something like this? A heightened awareness that things get attention when they are unexpected or highly unusual. And this is especially true when it’s for a mundane, everyday product or experience.
Plus, if my reaction is true to form for marketing geeks, then such an encounter immediately inspires the thought, “what could we do with this?” Because right away, I thought of all our hotel PR and marketing clients and how cool it would be if they had unique, pretty, Instagrammable toilet paper for guests.
(Pssst… worried about costs, hoteliers? So put this toilet paper only in special suites or use it only during certain themed weekends. There is always a way, and in this age of social media, the surprise and delight ROI is worth it.)
The View – Lugano in Switzerland gets the whole “cool toilet paper” thing.
And as a final example, a true marketing geek would take great joy out of an email like this landing in their inbox:
As a medical insurance carrier, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield likely has a lot of dry, seemingly boring, and it’s-for-your-own-good topics in their email content calendar. But that doesn’t mean they need to communicate them in a dry and boring way. I never thought I’d see myself smiling from an email about getting a flu shot, but smile I did. And I quietly gave their marketing team a mental high-five for it.
What do marketing geeks take away from seeing a subject line like this? Inspiration that ANY topic can have an interesting and attention-grabbing subject line if it’s approached the right way.
And come on, people… we’re in TOURISM. Surely if the medical insurance community can do this, we’ve got way more fun fodder in our arsenals to help us deliver on cool subject lines? See here for some tips.
The bottom line is that if you’re not already a marketing geek in this way, it’s not hard to become one…and your ideas will be better for it. Anyone can do it just by looking around, noticing things, and asking yourself “why” and “how” of everything you see. Eventually it becomes a habit and before you know it, you’ll be asking yourself “what could we do with this?” a dozen times a week. And this is why marketing geeks rule.
PS – I collect stellar marketing examples from all industries – not just tourism – to showcase here in this blog and in our newsletter, Tickled Red. So if you see any out in the wild that are worthy of applause by fellow marketers, send me a note/picture about it! I’m totally ready to geek out with you over it and may even use it in a future piece. Reach me at miranda@redpointmarketingpr.com.