3 Brands That Made Boring Products the Talk of the Town!

Following on from last week’s blog about controversial advertising, it’s now time to take a look at other types of advertising you can draw inspiration from; in particular, brands who excel at marketing boring products!

#1 – Poo Pourri

Who could forget the unmistakably original ‘Poo Pourri’ ad series?

Let’s face it, most bathroom products are boring and they’re unlikely to stick around in your mind. But there is one who has surpassed all expectations…Poo Pourri! By taking a universal topic that noone really wants to talk about, and adding a huge dose of humour and surprise, brand founder Suzy Batiz created a series of viral ads that have become a household name.

Featuring an elegant, well-dressed British woman who shares about the woes of trying to disguise unpleasant bathroom aromas, the ‘Girls Don’t Poop’ ad quickly went viral; amassing over 6 million views and 278,000 shares in its first week.

By taking an embarrassing topic and making it extremely funny, Batiz has not only achieved her goal to create “a product so good that people want to talk about it,” she’s also created a brilliant marketing strategy that makes people want to buy her product (and remember it for years to come).

Since then, Poo Pourri have gone onto create many other ads, including How To Poop at a Party,’ ‘Even Santa Poops,’ and ‘How To Poop at Work;’ with the brand becoming something of a legend amongst content marketers.

#2 – Virgin America Airlines

If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ve probably heard enough safety video announcements to make you never want to listen to one again. Sure, the information is important, but it’s also pretty lacklustre and snoozeville-worthy yes? Not if you’re flying with Virgin America Airlines!

In 2013 the airline decided to hire famous director Jon M.Chu, along with a group of choreographers, producers and dancers from So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol, to create a safety video unlike anything the average passenger had ever seen!

Essentially, the ad is like a music clip; featuring lots of smooth moves, rapping, electrifying vocals, and – most importantly – information that isn’t boring to listen to! As a result,  the Virgin America Safety Video attracted 9 million views, 430,000 Facebook shares, and 17,000 tweets in less than two weeks!

#3 – Duck Toilet Cleaner

Okay, so this one may not have gone viral on the level of the other two ads, but regardless, it’s still a great example of how a traditionally boring advert can grab your attention. Plus, it sure beats a boring video of a woman scrubbing an already pristine-white toilet.

Even funnier, is wondering who came up with that jingle (and it seems I’m not the only one)!

As these three ads show, there is hope for those who don’t have traditionally exciting products or services – it’s all about finding a unique way to grab the attention of your audience. If you’re still hungry for more advertising and marketing inspiration, I’d recommend reading this article on Aussie business ‘Koala Mattresses,’ or our Academy blog on SEO and Content Marketing Tips for 2017.

If you missed last week’s blog on controversial ads, click here to discover how you can avoid controversial marketing blunders. And while you’re at it, why not also subscribe to our SponsoredLinX blogs and industry news?

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