Uber, the ridesharing service best known for picking up patrons with the touch of an App, transported another type of precious cargo Wednesday, Oct. 29, - kittens.
Adoptable kittens.
Uber, Cheezburger and the ASPCA combined National Cat Day strategy purrrrrfectly. Their partnership demonstrates what brands can accomplish when they capitalize on relevant news stories and market to consumers in real-time.
Continue reading for tips on how your garden brand can take advantage what’s trending.
In honor of National Cat Day, Uber, Cheezburger and the ASPCA partnered with animal shelters to deliver kittens to offices for cuddle sessions in New York, San Francisco, Austin, Chicago, Washington, Phoenix and Seattle, according to Mashable.
The service cost $30, and proceeds benefited local shelters in each city.
(The only downside to this service is that it wasn't available in Philadelphia. We at Garden Media loved this idea, as we’re already fond of our office dogs and our office baby.)
Real-Time Marketing Strategy
Garden brands that utilize real-time marketing successfully take a strategic approach to posting on social media. In order to make the most out of what’s trending in the garden industry, this type of market strategy should already be built into your brand’s core communications plan.
Before anything can be accomplished in real-time, garden brands must first establish a clear voice on social media.
Next, identify a target audience and outline what you hope to accomplish with a real-time strategy. Use trends and other relevant market research to narrow down your target demographic, the better you know your key audience, the better you can reach them!
Plan Ahead
The best way to market in real-time is to plan ahead for obvious events. Holidays, the SuperBowl and award shows offer all brands opportunities to shine.
Is there a flower show coming up? Is your company attending a trade show? Are any of your employees speaking at a conference? Identify several major industry events and map out how your garden brand can benefit.
Further take advantage of these opportunities by monitoring things like keynote speakers and prize giveaways during the event. If there is a celebrity at the event, be sure to get your photo with them and post it to your followers. People love seeing what's happening- and if you can connect it to a current event, it's a win-win for your brand.
Stay Relevant
Warning: Just because something is trending, doesn’t mean your brand can or should take advantage of it in real time.
Irrelevant posts will ultimately hurt your brand in the long run and discredit your reputation in the garden industry.
The secrets behind Uber’s attention-grabbing stunts are ones garden brands should consider when creating a campaign or experience for consumers, online or off.
Stay up-to-date on what’s trending in the Garden Industry for 2015 with our annual Trends Report!
