An apathy killer can be a beacon for the message weary consumer in the modern world of multimedia advertising, point of purchase displays and viral marketing. An apathy killer creates a mental connection for your customer, spanning the gap between your company and your crowd. No other marketing tool is quite as powerful, or as often neglected, as a well thought out apathy killer. An apathy killer is what makes a customer care about your company – what makes your company stand out among all the others?
As companies continue to compete with one another for a cheap, clever, and visually stimulating method of advertising for products that could be viewed as boring everyday items, they consistently lose sight of the basic goal of marketing – to establish a presence in the mind of the consumer. When was the last time you saw a commercial or billboard that was particularly funny or impressive, and yet, a few minutes later, you could not remember what company it was for?
3 Building Blocks of a Strong Apathy Killer
- Hook – an effective apathy killer must have a hook. It should not only draw attention to your company, it should also stick in the consumer’s mind long after they first see or hear about it.
- Connection – an apathy killer cannot be effective without an explicit connection to your product or company’s branding promise. The apathy killer should relate directly to your marketing objectives, and enhance the brand image.
- Buzz – a truly great apathy killer not only draws customers in, it creates a buzz of excitement and dialogue among your crowd.
Apathy Killer Case Study
Let’s look at a legendary case of an apathy killer: Altoids. Altoids are the perfect example of how an effective apathy killer can make a product. Originally marketed as a stomach calmative to relieve intestinal discomfort, these “curiously strong mints” have reached almost iconic status in the United States thanks in large part to their distinctive tin can packaging. This packaging stands in stark contrast to the cheap, minimal foil and paper wrapping of competing products. From a functional standpoint, it provides no added value and is an unnecessary expense. Yet Altoids have continued to gain market share in the highly competitive mint sector, commanding a premium of up to 400%.
Altoids’ 3 Basic Building Blocks
- Hook – Altoids tins have a strong hook. Though not at all innovative or groundbreaking, their distinctive size and look set them apart from the efficient, functional packaging of other mints. Once a consumer sees this package in a supermarket checkout lane or in the hands of another consumer, they are unlikely to forget it: “That’s that mint that comes in the little tin box”
- Connection – Altoids tins have a strong connection to the core branding of the product. They are a throwback to a time when products were less commercialized and higher quality. These distinctive tins maintain Altoids’ status as a potent alternative to candy-like mainstream mints such as Certs or Breath Savers.
- Buzz – Altoids Tins have created a buzz among current and potential members of their crowd. Google “Altoids tins” and you will see a host of blogs and forums on creative uses for old Altoids tins. These tins are much more than just product packaging. Loyal Altoids customers are using old tins to make iPod battery packs, cheese graters and even mini speakers.
In the right context, something as simple as a tin can drive more sales than you imagined possible. Carefully consider the hook, the connection and the buzz-worthiness of an apathy killer to dramatize your branding promise and separate your company from the pack.
Brand well and prosper!
Andy Cleary