On the front page of nearly every news search engine today and featured on major news networks is the story of the disgruntled commuter that has blown up a bridge in Washington. No, this is not a case of domestic sabotage. Hundreds of people submitted entries to a contest to find the person with the “toughest bridge commute story.” For years the winner Dan Ruefly has had to leave his house at 5:00 am to beat the traffic rush to commute to work and even once crashed into a tractor-trailer. Every day bridges of all shapes and sizes are brought to their knees. So why is this story making so much news? Good old-fashioned marketing and promotion. If a bridge being blown up can be a “featured item of the day,” think of the amazing promotions your brand can deploy with a little extraordinary thinking. Marketing creativity shows up everyday in the most amazing places. Hundreds of people took the time to tell their story. What can your brand do to intrigue its consumers?
– Michael Kosowicz