The glass
is half FULL.

The glass
is half FULL.
A fresh perspective on marketing in today’s economy.

A lot of folks think we’re kind of screwed right now.

Perhaps we can offer another perspective.

Perhaps we can offer another perspective.
half-full

Perhaps we can offer another perspective.
not full
enough
half-full

JUST
KIDDING.

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:
Scale back and
save every penny.

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:
Scale back and
save every penny.
Finally!
An opportunity to
pull away from the
pack.

“
Brands that INCREASE advertising during
a recession, when competitors are cutting
back, can IMPROVE MARKET SHARE
AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT AT
”
LOWER COST than during good
economic times.

“
Brands that INCREASE advertising during
a recession, when competitors are cutting
back, can IMPROVE MARKET SHARE
AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT AT
”
LOWER COST than during good
economic times.
PROFESSOR JOHN QUELCH
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
MARKETING YOUR WAY THROUGH A RECESSION
MARCH 3, 2008

4 years post-recession:

4 years post-recession:
Businesses who maintained or
increased advertising spend
during a recession
SOLD 256% MORE
than those who decreased.

4 years post-recession:
Businesses who maintained or
increased advertising spend
during a recession
SOLD 256% MORE
than those who decreased.
PROFESSOR ANDREW J. RAZEGHI
KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INNOVATING THROUGH A RECESSION
NOVEMBER 2008

10 years post-recession:
RAZEGHI, NOVEMBER 2008

10 years post-recession:
Aggressive recession advertisers
INCREASED MARKET SHARE 2.5X
the average for all businesses
during the post-recession.
RAZEGHI, NOVEMBER 2008

“
Marketing is a long-term proposition.
A company can get in trouble if it
”
changes its marketing strategy to cope
with a short-term problem.

“
Marketing is a long-term proposition.
A company can get in trouble if it
”
changes its marketing strategy to cope
with a short-term problem.
COLUMNIST AL RIES
ADVERTISING AGE
“DON’T DAMAGE YOUR BRAND FOR SHORT-TERM GAINS IN A RECESSION”
APRIL 6, 2009

“
In a downturn, aggressive PR and
Communications strategy is key.
Pound your competitors’
shortcomings. They’re hurting
and they will be quiet.
”
Take the offensive.

“
In a downturn, aggressive PR and
Communications strategy is key.
Pound your competitors’
shortcomings. They’re hurting
and they will be quiet.
”
Take the offensive.
DOUG LEONE
VENTURE PARTNER at SEQUOIA CAPITAL
and #39 on FORBES’ 2009 MIDAS LIST
OCTOBER 9, 2008

Wal-Mart
founder Sam
Walton, on the
1991 recession:
HIGH BEAM RESEARCH, JUNE 2003
IMAGE CREDIT: Eli Reichman/Time & Life Pictures/
Getty Images

Wal-Mart
founder Sam
Walton, on the
1991 recession:
I’ve thought
about it,
and decided not
”
to participate.
HIGH BEAM RESEARCH, JUNE 2003
IMAGE CREDIT: Eli Reichman/Time & Life Pictures/
Getty Images

Two years later,
Wal-Mart’s share
price was up
200%
HIGH BEAM RESEARCH, JUNE 2003
IMAGE CREDIT: Eli Reichman/Time & Life Pictures/
Getty Images

Increasing advertising spending during
economic expansion often yields no
improvement in market share...
RAZEGHI, NOVEMBER 2008

Increasing advertising spending during
economic expansion often yields no
improvement in market share...
because 80% of your competitors
are also increasing their spending.
RAZEGHI, NOVEMBER 2008

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:
Pull back & let the
competition eat
your lunch.

Two perspectives on marketing
during a recession:
Pull back & let the
competition eat
your lunch.
Stand firm.
Be aggressive.
EAT YOUR
COMPETITORS’
LUNCH.

Who’s hungry?

Two perspectives on media spending
during a recession:

Two perspectives on media spending
during a recession:
We’re toast!
Go home and save
every penny.

Two perspectives on media spending
during a recession:
We’re toast!
Go home and save
every penny.
A soft media
market means
your ad dollars will
go farther.

Snuggie, the discount version of The Slanket,
sold >4 MILLION units in 3 months
by snapping up inexpensive remnant TV spots.

Snuggie, the discount version of The Slanket,
sold >4 MILLION units in 3 months
by snapping up inexpensive remnant TV spots.
• $40,000,000 in retail sales
• >200 parody videos on YouTube
• 300,000 visitors to getsnuggie.com in December 2008

Snuggie, the discount version of The Slanket,
sold >4 MILLION units in 3 months
by snapping up inexpensive remnant TV spots.
• $40,000,000 in retail sales
• >200 parody videos on YouTube
• 300,000 visitors to getsnuggie.com in December 2008
ADVERTISING AGE
JANUARY 26, 2009
IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.theslanket.com/

“
Everything is so soft.
It's pretty much a buyer's market
”
everywhere you turn.

“
Everything is so soft.
It's pretty much a buyer's market
”
everywhere you turn.
PETER GARDINER
CHIEF MEDIA OFFICER
INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COMPANIES
As printed in AdAge, April 6, 2009

Two perspectives
on dealing with the recession:

Two perspectives
on dealing with the recession:
OH SH*T!

Two perspectives
on dealing with the recession:
OH SH*T!
Bring it on!

IT’S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.

IT’S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.
Unemployment in
the US has
reached a
whopping 8.5%.

IT’S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE.
Unemployment in
the US has
reached a
whopping 8.5%.
91.5% of
Americans are
currently
employed.

The question isn’t really,
“How do you see it?”

The question isn’t really,
“How do you see it?”
It’s, “What are you going to do about it?”

We don’t recommend this.

Nor this.

No, we don’t
recommend
this either.

We recommend
smarter, faster,
more effective approaches.

We recommend
smarter, faster,
more effective approaches.
Like Brand Infiltration™.

Brand Infiltration™:
A progressive approach to integrated marketing
that blends digital, experiential and classic
marketing tactics with social media savvy and an
uber-rigorous commitment to metrics.

Brand Infiltration™:
“Sharp shooting”— not “spray & pray.”

Ready?

Ready?
Set?

Ready?
Set?
Infiltrate!

1. Start stalking—er, listening.

1. Start stalking—er, listening.
Who needs costly focus groups and time-consuming
research when you’ve got the world wide web? Seriously.
Today’s technology affords opportunities to gain valuable
insight on your customers—and your competitors—in
record time and at virtually no cost.
What are you waiting for? START STALKING!

1. Start stalking—er, listening.
Who needs costly focus groups and time-consuming
research when you’ve got the world wide web? Seriously.
Today’s technology affords opportunities to gain valuable
insight on your customers—and your competitors—in
record time and at virtually no cost.
STALK FOR FREE:
What are you waiting for? START STALKING! http://addictomatic.com
http://summize.com
http://technorati.com
http://socialmention.com
http://googlealerts.com
STALK FOR A FEE:
http://www.radian6.com/
http://www.crimsonhexagon.com

http://addictomatic.com

http://socialmentions.com

http://radian6.com

Infiltrators are
really good
stalkers.

Infiltrators are
really good
stalkers.

2. Engage your audience.

2. Engage your audience.
Stop creating ads and start creating content.
Content that provides knowledge, utility,
convenience, or entertainment. Content that
provides real value to your customers. Content
that makes search engines love you and prospects
find you.

2. Engage your audience.
Stop creating ads and start creating content.
Content that provides knowledge, utility,
convenience, or entertainment. Content that
provides real value to your customers. Content
that makes search engines love you and prospects
find you.
Because the days of selling stuff by virtue of “saying
stuff” are over. It’s time to pay the piper and actually
deliver on the promises you’ve been making all these
years.

2. Engage your audience.
Stop creating ads and start creating content.
Content that provides knowledge, utility,
convenience, or entertainment. Content that
provides real value to your customers. Content
that makes search engines love you and prospects
find you.
Because the days of selling stuff by virtue of “saying
stuff” are over. It’s time to pay the piper and actually
deliver on the promises you’ve been making all these
years.
Just sayin’.

http://lynxeffect.com

http://giveadamn.ca

http://www.youtube.com/user/blendtec

General Infiltration Rule of Thumb:

General Infiltration Rule of Thumb:
If it’s not worth talking about,
it’s not worth doing.

3. Measure EVERYTHING.

3. Measure EVERYTHING.
Infiltrators live and die by the numbers. And not just
clicks and impressions—we’re talking conversions,
intent to purchase, increased brand awareness, and yes,
even ACTUAL SALES!!!

3. Measure EVERYTHING.
Infiltrators live and die by the numbers. And not just
clicks and impressions—we’re talking conversions,
intent to purchase, increased brand awareness, and yes,
even ACTUAL SALES!!!
Infiltrators are also relentless about cutting what’s not
working—and doubling-down on what is.

3. Measure EVERYTHING.
Infiltrators live and die by the numbers. And not just
clicks and impressions—we’re talking conversions,
intent to purchase, increased brand awareness, and yes,
even ACTUAL SALES!!!
Infiltrators are also relentless about cutting what’s not
working—and doubling-down on what is.
How refreshing!

Don’t just sit there.

Don’t just sit there.
Infiltrate!

Don’t just sit there.
Infiltrate!
brandinfiltration.com

Don’t just sit there.
Infiltrate!
brandinfiltration.com
BOSTON TORONTO
e: marta@brandinfiltration.com e: jacquelyn@brandinfiltration.com
t: @mzkagan t: @infiltrators