Hype Reaches New Heights - Page 2
Let’s face it, The Freedom Tower is an epic fail of skyscraper proportions. It’s a trite name. (It’s so lame, they’re quietly going about a re-branding–before it even opens–to One World Trade Center.) It’s got trite features (including ultimately standing at 1776 feet tall upon completion of the spire. More on that in a moment.) In response to the devastating attacks of September 2001, it’s a towering symbol of cowardice and compromise.
Now on the topic of height, if you really look under the hood, the building itself isn’t really that tall. The spire/needle thingy that will top the building is 408 feet tall (that’s 40 stories, kids.) An article on the AP website gives you some more background on this topic.
Here’s a rule of thumb: don’t bother promoting an anniversary, a milestone, an anything unless it has a built in BENEFIT to your consumer. Celebrating your 100 year anniversary? Nobody cares, unless you’re giving me a $100 rebate on any purchase of a major appliance. Now the leading provider of toner in the laser printer category? Great – but only if you send me my next refill for free. And so on. (I know I’m just using retail promotion examples, but you could do something good for the environment; something cool for charity; something that makes me thing more highly of the brand and reminds me why I might prefer it.)
I once wrote that a marketing “gimmick” is something that focuses on the marketer and not the consumer. And that’s exactly what’s going on here. If you run a brand (a restaurant, a credit card, a line of clothing, a piece of technology, a building…just about ANYTHING,) keep the focus on your consumer. Especially when it comes time to celebrate. Otherwise, it may be the last milestone you promote.
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