Calm's Silent Ad Campaign during 2024 Election

In the noisy world of political campaigns, meditation app Calm took an unexpected approach to marketing.

They turned traditional advertising on its head with a brilliantly simple 30-second silent advertisement.

Understanding Interruption Marketing

Interruption marketing stops people during their regular activities to deliver an advertising message. Common examples include:

• TV and radio commercials

• Print advertisements

• Email campaigns

• Direct mail

• Telemarketing calls

• Digital pop-ups and banners

• Pre-roll video ads

• Social media promotions

Interruption marketing is also known as outbound marketing. It's different from inbound marketing, which attracts customers by providing valuable content.

The Silent Ad That Spoke Volumes

During the heated 2024 Presidential Election, Calm purchased a 30-second ad space and did something extraordinary: they offered viewers absolute silence.

The minimalist text read:

"We bought this ad space to give you 30 seconds of silence. Yep, just silence."

It is the perfect example of interruption marketing, but they interrupted with silence, which is the perfect message for a meditation app.

Do What Works (Again)

This wasn't Calm's first silent ad experiment. They first used this technique during the 2020 election, and the results were remarkable:

• Jumped 20 ranks on iOS App Store in US

• Reached No. 79 Overall across apps and games

• Hit No. 1 in Health & Fitness category

A few critical lessons from Calm's strategy:

1. Perfect Timing: The silent ad provided relief during a noisy election season

2. Strategic Repetition: Calm recognized its successful 2020 strategy and repeated it

3. Distinct Approach: While others competed for attention with loud messages, Calm stood out by offering silence

Calm's silent ad campaign proves that sometimes the most effective marketing doesn't shout - it whispers. By offering a moment of peace during chaos, they created a memorable brand experience that resonates with their target audience.

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Rabbit Holes

1. How to Launch (Again and Again) by Kat Mañalac

2. Build FREE Backlinks Today by Vasco Monteiro

3. The Psychology of Social Media by Buffer

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