Every once in awhile, pop culture dictates real life…and creates publicity opportunities which are only briefly up for grabs. Those who pay attention reap the rewards.
On October 21st, it was Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown, the main characters from the Back to the Future movies, who were revived all over social media in celebration of Back to the Future Day. Why? Because in Back to the Future II, McFly and Dr. Brown traveled way in to the future…to October 21, 2015.
Products featured in the 1989 movie had a golden opportunity to jump on the popularity of the day. Some had fun with it, some added a dose of good will, and some missed the boat completely (Hellooo? AT&T? You had your shot here!). Here are three examples of those who took the opportunity:
Ford
The 1989 Ford Probe was said to be the model for some of the futuristic cars depicted in fictional 2015, albeit with darkened windows and concealed rear wheels. To coincide with Back to the Future Day, Ford created a fun, fictional product video for their Fiesta and Focus models, featuring a new option – the flux capacitor upgrade, which was what made time travel possible in the film.
Pepsi
In 2015, according to the movie, Pepsi added a product to their offerings called Pepsi Perfect, which included added vitamins. This year, Pepsi created a limited edition Pepsi Perfect collector’s case which contains regular Pepsi, but makes for a great keepsake. Pepsi also produced a sleek, futuristic video ad for the promotion to play on the overall theme.
Nike
What parent wouldn’t want their kid to have the Nike sneakers featured in the Back to the Future film; they have self-tying laces! Though Nike released a model based on the film’s “MAG shoes” in 2012, it wasn’t until this year that the company announced it was creating a power-laces version. The catch? There will only be one pair made, and it will be auctioned off to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, in honor of the beloved actor who played Marty McFly.
When pop culture hands out an opportunity like Back to the Future Day, the smart brands are on it long in advance, strategizing ways to connect with their customer and gain attention in a positive and entertaining way. Considerations are simple, but need attention:
See it coming. While day-to-day and quarter-to-quarter living can be tough enough to manage, openings like this one only come when you are looking much further down the road. Make time for the arial view.
Make it pop. In a media world where video is king, and social media is the main vehicle, putting together a colorful, thematic, catchy ad like Pepsi’s is guaranteed to get continuous play in key markets.
Put in the resources. Nike put one of their top designers in charge of pushing the MAG self-tying shoes through in time for 2015; he, in turn, had his team in full force to make it happen. The result – a one of a kind product and a perfect charity tie-in. Nike for the win-win on that one.
Sometimes when we are so tied to the day-to-day business of, well, being a business, we can miss the opportunities that can only be seen from a higher altitude. To gain that perspective and brainstorm how upcoming events can serve as a catalyst for your next great PR campaign, give us a call at (203) 762-8833.
-BML
