Ambient Marketing

Ambient marketing, also known as ambient advertising or ambient media, is a non-traditional out-of-home media tactic that places ads in unexpected locations.

The goal is to surprise consumers and create memorable brand experiences that people want to share.

This approach works especially well with short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, where unique advertisements can quickly go viral.

Brands like Jacquemus and Aritzia are doing it extremely well.

Characteristics of Ambient Marketing:

1. Unexpected: Ads are placed in places where they wouldn't normally be expected, such as streets, buses, or bus stops.

2. Creative: Ads are designed to be creative and subvert expectations, encouraging consumers to think about the product in a new way.

3. Interactive: Ads are often designed to be interactive, allowing consumers to engage with the ad and develop a relationship with the product.

Examples of Ambient Marketing:

1. Hostile Design - Homelessness is Spiking

The Hostile Design campaign highlights social issues through powerful visual messaging.

Their advertisement uses sharp imagery to draw attention to the challenges faced by homeless individuals, demonstrating how ambient marketing can communicate serious social messages.

2. Monster.com - Job Board

Monster's ambient advertisements cleverly illustrate career mismatches.

The ads show professionals in completely wrong job scenarios, such as an air traffic controller or a firefighter who clearly do not belong in their current roles.

These visuals humorously communicate the importance of finding the right career path.

3. The Economist - Lightbulb

The Economist created a simple yet brilliant advertisement using a lightbulb, symbolizing intellectual curiosity and knowledge.

This minimalist approach reflects the publication's commitment to smart, concise communication.

4. Reclame Aqui - Complain in the right place

In Brazil, Reclame Aqui (a consumer rights platform) took an innovative approach to advertising.

They sponsored referee jerseys in football matches, highlighting a place where complaints are constantly made.

This unexpected sponsorship turned a common frustration into a clever marketing opportunity.

5. KitKat - Have a Break

KitKat's ambient marketing perfectly embodied their brand slogan "Have a Break".

By transforming a bench into a chocolate bar, they created a instantly recognizable advertisement that reinforces their brand message.

This ad is famous worldwide.

Ambient marketing transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary communication platforms.

When executed creatively, these advertisements can reach millions through social media and digital sharing, making a small, local installation into a global conversation.

Do it often and people will get familiar with your brand so when they eventually need you, your brand will be top of mind to buy due to familiarity bias.

Top Tweets of the day

1/

Riding an existing wave is much easier than creating a new one. Surfers know.

You can just position yourself as an AI Agency that builds AI SaaS and absolutely print money because the market wants AI products now. You are just channeling their inner desire instead of trying to create a new desire.

2/

Pretty slick AI SaaS that can build any UI with a screenshot. The demo is magical. Spotify in 1-click.

This makes frontend developers obsolete. You can now combine the jobs of front-end designers and frontend developers as one. Or a frontend developer needs to become full-stack developer who does frontend and backend.

For context, frontend means what you see in the UI. Backend is the database stuff like where your Netflix movies are stored and streamed.

Yet another job automated. Now companies won't expect frontend engineers. You are either full-stack engineer or you are out.

3/

AI has already affected many jobs.

You have to get good at using AI otherwise you will be automated too. It has already come for the bottom 50% but it will soon be extremely good to come for the 80%. This will age like wine in a few years.

Earlier, you needed a full-time graphic designer for $1500 per month. Now, you can just use Playground for $100 per month.

Before, you had a person whose only job was to transcribe all your meetings and find insights and report it. Now, you can do it on the fly with Wave for $20 per month.

AI can do everything that a junior employee can do plus it can do it 10x better & 10x cheaper.

Rabbit Holes

1. How to reposition your product in 15 minutes with Claude + ChatGPT and AI April Dunford by Blueprint

2. All you need to know about prompt engineering by Prompt Layer

3. X Creator Revenue Sharing – Tips for Success by X Premium

What’d ya think of today’s masterpiece? Hit ‘reply’ and let me know—don’t hold back, I can take it (probably). 😜

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Also, I’m on X because apparently, tweeting is still a thing.

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