Street Marketing and Sampling

Music bands were the first to use street marketing to spread the word - inform people about their concerts and recordings. People pass on information by word-of-mouth, talking to their friends and family. Originally, a street team was a grassroots organization (an informal group of unpaid volunteers). The teams are not normally paid for their grassroots promotional efforts but are rewarded with free tickets ad merchandise (or swag) such as CDs and T-shirts.

Professional street team management firms have now adopted the concept. These professional street teamers are often called street marketing groups. They can help get the word out about (or publicize) an upcoming event or new products and services.

Marketing managers choose this form of direct marketing for various reasons:

· to build awareness, or knowledge, of a product amongst a specific demographic – for example, men aged 25 to 35

· to increase the purchase consideration (get consumers to consider buying a product)

· to create a buzz so that the target start to talk about the brand

· to establish a dialogue with potential customers (start talking and listening to people’s opinions about the brand)

· to turn consumers into brand ambassadors who will relay or pass on the brand message

· to build the credibility of a brand by convincing influential and trusted peer members – people of the same age or with the same interests – of the advertiser’s target market to use the brand.

Street teams operate in high traffic areas where the target audience work or relax, such as festivals, concerts, trade fairs and shopping centers. Street marketer uses a variety of guerrilla, or unconventional, marketing activities to attract the attention of their target or to get in their faces.

Ø Product sampling – street teamers give out, or hand out, free samples.

Ø Posting, or putting up, stickers and posters.

Ø Collateral distribution – hand-to-hand distribution of flyers, postcards, leaflets and small gifts, also called giveaway or goodies.

Ø Costumed actors and wrapped vehicles to create a brand experience.

Comprehension questions:

1. Who was the first to use street marketing?

2. What do professional street team management firms do?

3. What reasons does marketing management choose street marketing for?

4. How do street teams operate?