Nanette
February 10, 2020
It’s not often I get a big grin on my face over an ingenious promotional idea. Too many are contrived, sleazy, unoriginal, or designed to win awards that do nothing to help the client’s bottom line. This week I did. There’s something special when you find someone who’s concocted the secret sauce for what makes a creative marketing strategy work.
Did you hear about the Busch Light Daytona 500 Twitter sweepstakes? The clever thematically-linked tactic for audience engagement they’ve created still has me laughing. Fans can enter the challenge using #Pit4Busch, with one catch. In order to be eligible, they must be quick enough to complete a tweet during one of NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick’s pit stops. The prize? A new Ford Mustang.
This race car, Twitter, Daytona 500, Mustang give-away, social media campaign is ingenious in so many ways. It’s not the money spent that makes it so delightful. It’s the clever way all components have been thematically linked. Small businesses can do this too.There are so many things about this campaign that makes it artfully effective.
- Speed is a common theme in everything about it.
- Participants must stay engaged throughout the race to compete. There’s no knowing ahead of time when a pit stop might happen.
- The hashtag even includes the car’s number – with a double meaning.
- Harvick drives a Ford Mustang.
- Of course, Busch Light is sponsoring the car. They’ve even repainted it to spotlight #Pit4Busch.
Putting it all together for marketing brilliance
Billed as “the fastest sweepstakes in NASCAR history,” everything from the race, to the tweets, to the winning cars people will get are about speed. It’s fun, clever and an incredibly effective way for Busch to build recognition and appreciation.
The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s biggest race. This year, fans may be putting as much focus on the pit stops as they do on the oval.
Busch will leverage their visibility after the race too. Each of the cars awarded to winners will come wrapped in the Daytona 500 Number 4 Car paint design.
Fox, who is broadcasting this race, has also been tapped ensure they spotlight Harvick as he readies to head into the pit lane. This will include a reminder to fans to get their Tweets ready for their own possible winner celebration.
Tune in on February 16th not only for the race, but to witness a brilliantly creative marketing strategy at work.
