5 Unique and Unconventional Marketing Strategies to Engage Your Audience

Marketing is always evolving, and strategies that worked in the ‘90s are almost irrelevant today. Now, there are more conventional tactics like SEO, email marketing, and blogging. Well, beyond these conventional approaches, there are unconventional ones that can capture attention and leave a lasting impression on the more savvy audiences of today.

To truly engage your audience in a way that stands out, consider these unique and seldom-discussed marketing tactics that go beyond the realms of traditional email campaigns and SEO optimization.

1. Brand Mascots: Giving a Face to Your Brand

When it comes to branding, few tools are as underrated yet as effective as a well-designed brand mascot. Think of mascots as the friendly face of your brand, providing a human touch that resonates with your audience. Companies like Geico with the Gecko and Mailchimp with Freddie are excellent examples of how a memorable mascot can elevate brand recognition.

Why it works: Mascots add personality to your brand, making it more relatable and memorable. This helps to create an emotional connection with your audience, thereby fostering a sense of familiarity and trust. What’s more, you can use mascots on your online marketing channels as well as in the physical form during offline events.

How to use it effectively:

• Develop a mascot that aligns with your brand personality and values.
• Integrate the mascot across all marketing channels, including social media, print, and events.
• Create engaging content featuring the mascot, such as videos, animations, and interactive social media posts.

2. Branded Stress Balls: Squeeze Your Way into Their Hearts

If you’ve been giving out promotional products, why not try giving out stress balls? Custom shaped stress balls designed in line with your brand identity are a quirky and memorable way to engage your audience by providing a practical solution for stress relief while serving as a tangible reminder of your brand. The recipients can place these decorative items in their workstations or bedrooms, and they are reminded of your brand whenever they look at or squeeze the item.

Why it works: Stress balls work because they offer a physical interaction with your brand, creating a memorable and sensory experience. They are also functional, ensuring they won’t be discarded easily.

How to use it effectively:

• Design stress balls that align with your brand aesthetics and messaging.
• Distribute them strategically at events, trade shows, or as part of a direct mail campaign.
• Encourage social media sharing with a branded hashtag related to stress relief.

3. Twitter Polls: Fostering Interactive Conversations

While polls are not a groundbreaking concept, they remain underutilized on certain platforms. Twitter, with its fast-paced and conversational nature, is an ideal space for running polls. Use this feature to actively involve your audience in decision-making processes, gather feedback, or simply entertain them with lighthearted questions.

Why it works: Twitter polls are quick and easy for users to engage with, increasing participation. They also provide real-time feedback, allowing you to gauge audience preferences and opinions. You can also use polls to encourage a sense of community among your audience.

How to use it effectively:

• Keep polls relevant to your brand or industry while injecting a touch of creativity.
• Use polls to inform product decisions and content creation or to gather insights about your audience.

4. Visual Content: Humor that Resonates

Visual content such as memes has become a universal language, and savvy marketers are harnessing their power to connect with audiences. Incorporating this visually engaging content into your marketing strategy can add a touch of humor and relatability that traditional advertising often lacks.

Why it works: Memes are highly shareable and have the potential to go viral, increasing brand visibility. Plus, research shows that visual content is processed faster by the brain, making it more memorable. And think about it: who doesn’t like a little bit of humor once in a while? Humor humanizes your brand, bringing it closer to your audience.

How to use it effectively:

• Stay current with meme trends, but ensure they align with your brand values.
• Create original, branded memes that reflect your company’s personality.

5. Mystery Boxes: Tantalizing Curiosity for Your Brand

Offering mystery boxes as part of your marketing strategy taps into the innate human curiosity, enticing your audience with the promise of the unknown. The contents of the mystery box can vary, from exclusive products to promotional items, creating anticipation and excitement.

Why it works: Mystery boxes typically create a sense of exclusivity and limited availability, which encourages engagement as customers eagerly await the reveal of what’s inside. Some recipients may also often showcase their unboxing experience on social media.

How to use it effectively:

• Clearly communicate the value of the mystery box to entice participation.
• Use mystery boxes for product launches, special promotions, or as part of loyalty programs.
• Leverage social media and influencers to generate buzz around the mystery box campaign.

The Bottom Line

Breaking free from conventional marketing norms and embracing unique and unconventional strategies can be just what you need to stand out in a saturated market. From the power of brand mascots to the allure of mystery boxes, each strategy discussed above adds a layer of creativity and engagement that fosters a deeper connection with your audience.