If marketing was about innovation, and brand awareness, then there have been a few clever examples over the years.
You may recognise the name Levi Roots, especially if you are a fan of the TV programme ‘Dragons Den’
In February 2007 Levi Roots appeared on the show, and convinced the Dragons to invest £50,000 into his company. Levi Roots, walked up the stairs (this was before a lift was installed), singing his once famous “Reggae Reggae Sauce Song” This initially made him stand out, and with a wide Jamaican smile, and carefree attitude, he excelled in the Den where other more ‘business savvy’ entrepreneurs have failed. There was even a story that went along with the product and the brand. The recipe was handed down from his Grandmother, (a fact now found out (allegedly) to be untrue). In fact Peter Jones, I believe said that he wasn’t investing in the product; he was investing in the person.
The song was released as a download with proceeds going to Comic Relief. In September 2008, and Reggae Reggae Sauce was voted as a CoolBrand by a panel of experts and the British public.
The rest is history, Levi, is now supplying his sauce range to all of the major supermarkets and as at 2007 he is producing and selling well over 50,000 bottles a week.
Something that all started with a businessman, for that is what he is, despite his carefree portrayal, utilising his unique selling points, and daring to be different.
A second example that comes to mind is Mandy Haberman, the inventor of the children’s “Anyway Up Cup”. To make a long story short, in 1990 whilst visiting the home of a parent and watching their children spill juice over the carpet, she was inspired into action to solve the problem of leaky toddler’s beakers.
On production, sales started to steadily increase, but it wasn’t until 1996 when sales finally took off. Mandy, filled one of her Leakproof cups with neat blackcurrant juice, packed it into a white cardboard box, and posted it with a covering letter to the chief buyer of a major supermarket. This ploy, worked, and shortly afterwards the supermarket started stocking the product and sales increased rapidly.
In summary, if you can come up with a unique angle to market yourself and your business, then you have a great chance to create a memorable brand, and then have a strong platform to increase sales going forward.
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