Marketing platforms have changed but basics remain the same

I'd like to pass along an example of how a marketing, promotional or sales tactic can be reimagined in this ever changing media landscape. What worked 10 years ago may not work the same way today. The trick is to be wherever people consume their content and engage them.

Case in point, while working at the Gulf Islands Driftwood on Salt Spring Island, our team created a local contest based on the hit TV show 'Survivor'. It had all the elements needed for driving local readership and engaging local businesses as sponsors.

(A younger me is holding the spear).

In a nutshell, the paper ran a weekly promotion with local 'celebrities' who were voted off the island, one by one. The last remaining won $500 for the charity of their choice. The contest was dependant on readers dropping a ballot at any of the participating sponsors. The promotion was a hit for both the advertisers, and for the charities, which were advertised each week. The paper even won a National Newspaper Association promotional award that year.

Flash forward 10 or so years, to the Parksville Qualicum Beach News where the contest was being reimagined. Gone were the drop off ballots for businesses, they were exchanged for voting on a contest platform where readers could view two minute video interviews of the contestants, explaining what charities they were supporting and why. Regular postings were made to social media sites, explaining which celebrity was voted off and the deadline for the next week's voting. Advertisers enjoyed print ads and online web links.

The constant in both contests was a two page spread in the paper each week to anchor the feature. The overall effect was community involvement by the readers, some fun water cooler talk and increased profile for the charities.

Due to the pandemic, the third annual edition of 'Survivor' did not go ahead, it was labelled as 'The Battle of the Badges', featuring firefighters from different fire houses competing for the $500 for their equipment funds. We felt that it would have been the best to date.

Is there a sales or marketing idea from the past that you can reimagine for your business or client?