Easy methods to Use the Energy of Escapism in Your Small Enterprise Advertising and marketing

By Nancy Carrillo On Dec 9, 2020

By Pratip Biswas

“No living organism can continue to exist healthy under the conditions of absolute reality.” – Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House

This quote, taken from one of the most famous horror stories ever written, clearly explains the human relationship to escapism or the desire to be distracted from the problems of everyday life. When life becomes difficult – as is particularly the case today with the ongoing pandemic – people will indulge in their own kind of escape.

Does the popularity of escapism have any real business value? Actually already. The need and demand for a good escape into a fantastic world where anything is possible has opened up new avenues for marketers to establish their brands as heroes.

Achieving escapism: opening the doors to a fantasy world

Just as there are many levels of imagination, there are multiple ways to use escapism in your marketing.

Escape with humor: Adobe Marketing Cloud

Humor is the best medicine for the blues, and that’s why Adobe Marketing Cloud’s “Click, Baby, Click” advertisement was so successful. The ad shows an entirely impossible situation – however, a company that makes business decisions based on a high number of clicks has no idea that all of those clicks are from a baby.

The humorous ad offers a real-life scenario that marketers and businesses experience every day, but in such a way that the target audience doesn’t cause problems, they smile and understand the problem and the solution.

Adding a touch of humor, be it in your web content or in an ad, is a way to encourage your audience to escape reality and makes the process of finding a solution a lot more fun. Because of this, choosing to use humor when interacting with customers can help you make a positive connection.

Adobe – click, baby, click

By Pratip Biswas “No living organism can exist long healthy under conditions of absolute reality.” – Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House This quote, taken from one of the most famous horror stories ever written, explains the human relationship with escapism , o

Create a new world: Bud Light’s “Dilly Dilly” universe

There are many examples of fantasy worlds that are the perfect escapist heaven. JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth and George RR Martins Westeros are both worlds that allow audiences to escape into a universe of fantasy and magic.

Bud Lights Dilly Dilly campaign features a fantasy world similar to the world of GOT. The mixture of medieval aesthetics, influenced by one of the greatest sensations in pop culture, and the humor of the nonsensical catchphrase “dilly dilly” went viral and strengthened the Bud Light brand.

While this type of escapism works, it may not be ideal for all brands. In the case of Bud Light, it worked because the brand happens to be the leader in the category. “When the category leader creates more demand, the category leader gets the lion’s share of that surge in demand,” writes Jeff Haden, a contributing editor for Inc. “If you’re a smaller player like Sierra Nevada and you manage a category demand, you’re not getting much of it When I’m a craft brewer, I get a tiny elevator, but most of the additional demand goes to the category manager. “

“Dilly Dilly” Bud Light Advertisement

Other items from AllBusiness.com:

The power of fun in changing consumer behavior: the piano stairs from Volkswagen

If a brand can bring some fun to an audience through a marketing initiative, it can have a huge impact. Take a look at the Volkswagen experience campaign that turned an entire staircase into a working piano. A musical note was played every time commuters stepped on the steps, causing people to unleash their inner artists by going up and down the stairs to make music.

It was an interesting little experiment that not only provided a unique experience but also gave people a fun break from their daily lives. It is one of the best mixes of escapist and experience marketing to give your audience the chance to escape the boredom of everyday life and enjoy themselves for a few moments.

The Fun Theory 1 – Piano Staircase Initiative | Volkswagen

When technology is in the foreground: Coca-Cola’s FIFA AR campaign

We are all well aware of the miraculous properties of Augmented Reality (AR), but what happens when it is used to deliver the perfect experience and escape into a dream world? One of the best examples of the use of AR comes from Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup campaign with Xherdan Shaqiri. A large screen with photos of the Swiss soccer star was set up in front of Zurich’s main train station. Fans were allowed to play alongside Shaqiri and take photos with him.

The experiment had roughly a thousand interactions in two days, proving that providing consumers with experiences that help them achieve the impossible for even a few moments goes a long way in building a brand’s image.

Coca Cola FIFA World Cup AR Experience

It’s all about going that extra mile

Businesses exist in a very real and sometimes difficult world. The success of a marketing initiative depends on how closely a campaign matches reality. To meet the demands of consumers who want to escape, today’s brands need to push the boundaries of the ordinary and not be afraid of bold and new experiences.

CONNECTED: Using this effective psychological trigger in your marketing can increase sales like crazy

About the author

Contribution by: Pratip Biswas

Pratip Biswas is the founder and CEO of Unified Infotech, a New York-based web design company that was featured in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2018 ranking. His company works with corporations, SMEs and startups to improve their efficiency through digital adoption, and helps them discover new opportunities through constant innovation. Pratip also writes regularly about blockchain technology and has been featured in publications such as YourStory and DZone.

Company: Unified Infotech
Website: www.unifiedinfotech.net
Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.