A couple of weeks ago I had this great marketing idea.
My client, Sears, was looking for ways to drive traffic into their new Sears Home Appliance Showrooms.
My idea was to blitz the market with radio and TV commercials driving to a “street fair” in the parking lot of the store.
I contacted the local radio stations and had them come out to play music and do live hits from the parking lot. I brought “Mobile Mike“ to give away free shirts, hats, sports tickets and other swag. I even brought a gourmet food truck to give away free food.
About an hour into the event, the guy I hired to carry signs along the street came back to the store dejected. He said he wasn’t having any luck getting people to come in.
It didn’t make much sense to me – I knew what the sign said.
So I grabbed the sign and went to the street myself.
And there I stood – at the corner of Commercial Blvd and University Drive -- holding up a sign that read “FREE FOOD.”
“Go get lunch,” I yelled to passers by.
“Absolutely free,” I screamed to the cars at the light.
But guess what?
Nobody believed me.
Right behind me was Mobile Mike’s gourmet burgers, chicken and BBQ food truck.
Right behind me was a parking lot full of radio stations and tents.
But despite all of the evidence – including people mulling around the parking lot eating plates full of food – I had a hard time getting people to believe that me and my sign were telling the truth.
“Go get some free food,” I told a nice woman in a mini-van.
“How much does it cost?” She asked.
“Nothing,” I replied, “It’s free.”
“What do I have to buy?” she asked.
“Nothing, “ I replied again, “Really!! It’s free.
“What’s the catch?”
“Seriously!!! It’s totally free. No purchase, No catch, No cost. Sears is giving away free food -- Go get yourself some.”
“No thank you,” she eventually said as she turned into the parking lot of the Chic Filet across the street.
And that’s when I realized what a profound commentary this was on how skeptical people are of marketing.
They are so used to us marketers spinning, stretching the truth and outright lying to them that even when we are telling the truth about giving away free food many people simply will not believe us.
