Many of the ideas we see today can fall into two categories. Trick or treat. Brands are going out of their way to either find new and innovative ways to reward their consumers, or fun ways to trick them – usually with the aim of gaining great content.
However, in the long term which is more effective? I would argue that while tricking your audience can give you short-term fame, it is rewarding your audience that will bring them back for more.
Loyalty schemes such as our very own Boots Card can give consumers regular reasons to keep coming back to your brand. This week we launched the ‘My Little Pony Friendship Club’ to not only reward girls, but to keep them engaging with us in the long term.
On the other hand, great tricks can help create relevancy, which may help drive new customers to discover your brand. Brands big and small are creating stunts on different scales to increase engagement and interest. This week two of my favourites are for two very different brands: one for high end headphones, featuring the world’s most famous footballer and the other for life jackets.
So maybe the age old phrase of trick or treat is wrong. Both have their benefits, so from now on trick and treat might be the way to go.
