Buzz
Marketing: Marketing To Non-marketable
Customer
By: Arvind Kumar
Buzz marketing, also known as ‘word-of-mouth
marketing’ ‘guerilla marketing’ or ‘stealth
marketing’ is an art of human kind to
involve the trendsetters in any community to
carry the brand’s message, thus creating an
interest in, and a demand for, the brand
with no overt advertising.
Nirmalya Kumar, professor of marketing,
director of center for marketing and
co-director of A.V. Birla India at London
Business School.
When Dietrich Mateschitz formulated the
drink “Red Bull” in 1987 for Australian
market, bars initially refused to stock it,
seeing it as more of a medicinal drink than
a mixer. However snowboarders and clubbers
soon recognized. The boost it gave them.
They started to bring it with them to non –
alcohol bars and pubs.
Red Bull has mastered the buzz marketing. In
the 8 sales area in US, the representative
scouts for the hot spot. They distributed
their branded refrigerator and some goodies
to the bars and clubs. If other conventional
establishments ask for Red Bull, they refuse
them to retain the credibility and
uniqueness of their community and clubbers.
To connect this community, Red Bull use to
organize a two – week annual music festival.
Red Bull first marketing technique was to
distribute and target the teenagers and
college goers. They went where these guys
goes. Then Red Bull went around the cities
full of Red Bull cars and distributed the
drinks to anybody who need energy- Free, the
construction workers, Athletes all.
Coke and Pepsi recognized a new segmentation
of their market and tried to capture it with
big marketing budget. They created energy
drinks. But after millions of write off they
are distance number 3 and 4. Red Bull is
still the king of energy drink with 65% of
market and that is with the fraction of
their spending.
Five years back on internet, Google started
it operation in the dorm of two Stanford
guys (You do not need to know there name, I
guess) they created a system for search and
marketed it on net with minimal of
advertising. End result, after 3 years they
become numro uno no in search – marketing in
the presence of heavy spenders like Yahoo,
overture etc
That the power of Buzz marketing. Gone are
the days when you write a Cheque for your ad
agency and agency will do the marketing.
According to Philip Kotler, advertising is a
lazy way of marketing and branding. You
outsource almost everything, even your
brand’s undergarments. Traditional marketer
thinks that job is over. But buzz marketing
is an engaging art of marketing. It is a
hard way to market a product and services.
Most of marketers do not like it. Because
they like their comfortable air-condition
rooms.
But in real world, you can’t close your eyes
and think that your competitor will take
pity on you. They are here to eliminate you.
Buzz marketing is not a passé’ anymore. It
is here and happening.
CEOs, be aware, if your people are saying
they need different budget for branding,
marketing and sales. Think again, someone is
not ready to move his butts.
About the Author: Arvind Kumar is an
Electrical Engineer from a premier
Institute, Indian Institute of Technology,
Delhi, India. He has 3 years experince in
marketing business consulting services and
marketing services. He is founder and CEO of
http://www.nuttymarketer.com
