Naked Prince Harry in Las Vegas: An Opportunity Well Seized By Some Brands

One of the things that many marketers and advertisers often lack is spontaneity, and miss the ability to react to current news and activity. Many brand teams get stuck into scheduling and longer term planning.

It is something that has to change as consumers live in a world of immediacy, and expect their brands to as well. Things that happen to consumers are immediately reported, discussed and passed around on social media tools like Twitter and Facebook.

Consumers now expect brands to be "of the minute". Reacting and reflecting what is being discussed and happening now. They expect brands to respond to complaints or comments posted on social media. They expect them to reflect the world happening around them today. Not what brands have scheduled should happen when they want it to.

As the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi remarked at the Institute of Directors Conference that I reported on in "Is The Saatchi CEO Right That Strategy & Marketing As We Know It Dead?": Things are getting faster and faster.  You need to able to move fast and be more nimble and reactive. 

It was fun and clever to see the Unilever owned irreverent male body spray Lynx (known as Axe in many markets) taking advantage of the well publicised activities of Prince Harry in Las Vegas. As story of what happened and the naked images taken of him in his hotel room partying playing strip billiards with a group of ladies was appearing in the press, Lynx ran these tongue in cheek ads. Ads that reinforced what the brand is promising - helping get young men into naughty situations with attractive young women:

Lynx Body Spray: Prince Harry "Sorry" Ads

Lynx Prince Harry: One Has Unleashed The Chaos Ads

It was also very savvy of Las Vegas itself to also use the event to reflect and reinforce their brand story of "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas". They ran the 2 ads below, along with a social media campaign called #knowthecode . It was all about reminding people that the code is to ensure what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Media were all talking about the "what happens in Vegas for Prince Harry did not stay in Vegas" angle. Las Vegas reacted with this campaign:

Keep Calm and Carry On Harry. #knowthecode Ad

Las Vegas ad: We Deplore You that broke the Las Vegas Code

For more examples of taking advantage of events to be "of the time" also take a look at: Stripping Soap Star Actor and Clock Change

Do you have any other examples? Please leave comment on the blog or email me with them!

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