Mayan Calendar Marketing Idea and Contest
During a recent mastermind meeting, one of my members, Karen Campbell (http://www.campbellscotties.com), shared the idea of using the Mayan calendar end as a potential marketing idea for business owners.
As you probably have heard, the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012.
What “ends” means is debatable and regardless of the actual specifics (and whether or not the Mayans actually “predicted” the end of the world), this topic has been in the news and some big-name marketers are using it in a variety of fun ways.
It also gives everybody reading this a short window of opportunity to leverage it.
What can you do between now and December 21 to tap into this Mayan calendar marketing idea?
Karen got the idea from a Motel 6 radio commercial she heard. I found it online and thought you would find the script interesting and helpful, should you decide to do something around this Mayan calendar marketing theme.
| “Hi Tom Bodett, trying to make sense of this Mayan calendar. It seems to end December 21, 2012. That’s unsettling. Oh well. Still plenty of time this year to stay at Motel 6 and get a clean comfortable room for the lowest price of any national chain and we’re still taking reservations for after December 21st. All due respect to the Mayans. Sorry King K’inich Hanaab Pakal.Nothing but love for you.I’m Tom Bodett from Motel 6 and we’ll leave the light on for you.” |
Motel 6 was not the first to use the Mayan calendar end and if you watched the last Super Bowl, you might recall Chevrolet ran a TV commercial (which, incidentally, upset Ford big time) playing off the Mayan calendar end. You can see this TV commercial on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxFYYP8040A&feature=player_embedded#!
TD Ameritrade also created a video that is very eye-catching, which you can see here:
If a TV spot is not in your budget, maybe a themed event is possible?
If so, you can do what the Cleveland Cavalier basketball team is planning on doing when they host their “Mayan Calendar Survivors Night” on Dec. 21, that is slated to be “the biggest party in Cleveland,” when the Cavaliers host Indiana.
Finally the other neat campaign I found, which relates to last month’s topic on shock and awe packages, comes from Monterrey-based advertising agency, Menosunocerouno. They created a End-of-the-World Survival Kit to ensure they are ready for a post-apocalyptic party.
Branded the Just In Case kit, the box includes matches to start a fire, a knife for hunting and enough water to survive ten days. To take the edge off the inevitable pain of surviving the end of the world, the kit also includes a bottle of Mayan liquor and traditional Mexican cinnamon-laced chocolate. You can see more photos of this rather unique kit here:
http://www.fubiz.net/2012/04/26/just-in-case-kit/
I created a fun marketing template around the Mayan calendar theme for my SMART Ideas subscribers to use in their marketing. If you’re not yet a SMART Ideas subscriber, you can get this special November issue of SMART Ideas along with my famous gift certificate issue by visiting http://smartideasformarketing.com before this Sunday, October 14.
Part of the Mayan calendar template I created are some custom comics and I thought it would be a fun contest to have readers suggest their best captions for this comic. So put on your creative caps and leave your best idea for the comic caption OR your best Mayan calendar-themed headline.
The top 3 ideas for the caption (as judged by a panel of esteemed judges) or even a Mayan calendar themed headline will win a free seat at an upcoming paid webinar training I am giving on a topic every business owner needs to be aware of. I will be charging $100 for this webinar, because it will be an in-depth training with no pitch and it’s something EVERY business owner can leverage immediately.
So leave your caption and headline ideas below and good luck!
CONTEST UPDATE!
Congratulations to our three winners! Andrew Schneider for this caption:
Congrats to Gil Nelson for this caption:
And finally, congratulations to Alistair Gray for his headline ideas, which you can see below!
THAT’LL KEEP EM WONDERIN’
Great idea Mike! I’m already thinking about my December Chapter Meeting on this topic. “Last Meeting EVER of the Mayan Calendar.” And/or, “The Last Marketer of the Year Competition EVER on the Mayan Calendar.” Just preliminary ideas, but I like the concept. Thanks for sharing. – Craig
Here’s some captions…
We’re giving away the farm starting December 22…if we’re all still here!
Lets see what Santa is going to do about THIS!!
The world is going to end? Then we have NOTHING to lose!
SWEEEEET! We don’t have to worry about New Year’s resolutions!
Man, is Santa ever gonna be surprised!
This is gonna cost the IRS some SERIOUS cash.
I love the idea of the Survivors Party… but I would host it on the 22nd! A fun thing to do in any business is have an awesome “The Mayans Were Wrong!” special with special items on clearance or great prices (a restaurant could offer a free celebratory slice of cake with an entree purchase, a grocery store could offer 50% off cases of water so people can stock up for next time, an info-marketer could use it as a reason to clear out the returns & damaged products pile accumulating in the basement – i.e. “Since the world didn’t end, I’ve gotta do something about this stash of products in the basement!”)
If you do have a before-the-event sale, you could use the after-the-event to reach out to your non-buyers and offer them a different discount to keep the marketing going! That extends the amount of time you have to get your promotions out there, as well – AND it will stand out from the typical holiday/New Year marketing that a bunch of people (smartly!) do!
I have no witty caption to offer, but couldn’t resist adding some ideas! Great post as always, Mike, thank you!!
Every offer needs to have a deadline…so this will really motivate them to take action!
“At least we won’t have to buy any Christmas presents!”
Headline – Losing Weight the Mayan Way: National Die-It Day!
Subhead – Any Way You Look at It, You’ll Lose!!!
Hi Mike… try these…
End of World Sale!
Mayan Prophecy Ignites Sales!
Mayan Prophecy Ignites Massive Sale!
Mayan Prophecy Ignites New Profits!
Mayan Prophecy Ignites Opportunity!
Mayan Prophecy Predicts New Millionaires!
Mayan Prophecy Predicts New Wealth!
Mayan Prophecy for Rebirth and Profit!
Mayan Time May Finish But Champions Endure!
End of Time – Start of Freedom!
New time…New Awakenings!
Freedom Day!
Rebirth of Mother Time!
Today’s Recession…Tomorrow’s Boom!
Cheers
Alistair
Alistair, nice! You obviously have been thinking about this!
That is funny!
Alyson – very good ideas! Thanks for the contribution!
NICE!
THAT’LL KEEP EM WONDERIN’.
Buy before… great savings! Buy after… ugh, might not be here!
We finally talked the king into transitioning from stone calendars to paper…and then THIS happens?
You are on a roll Phil!
“You mean I can keep it at this price even if you’re wrong?”
This is a great image Mike and a great idea all around.
Caption idea 1:
These End Of The World As We Know It Campaigns Really Move Product!
Caption idea 2:
“So then at the very end, the whole pyramid will light up and fireworks will display our Logo and the world will be at peace. Cool huh?”
Graphic Caption 3:
The End Of The 52,000 year Cycle Of Death And Destruction, The Kali Yuga, Is Nigh Upon Us
Caption 3:
Occupy The End Of The Kali Yuga At Your Business Name .
99er’s Specials All Day 12/21 til the End
Nice job Gil!
That MAYan calendar you bought me was really good value. Now where do we buy a JUNEan calendar from ?
Caption 4:
“Wow Paolo, we’re 3/4 though our bucket lists!
Next on the list… Daisy Mae’s Pies To Die For. Buy 2 Get 1 Free!“
Caption 5:
Everything’s about to change. Again!
Celebrate Mayan-Style With 20% Off Take Out! at Restaurant Name Here
Mike – thanks, this is great fun!
Go, go, go Gil!
Caption 6:
So let me get this straight… You’re saying that on this date, the combined total of autoresponder messages being sent will shut down the Internet?!? We’d better mail today!
Congrats to the three winners! Andrew Schneider, Alistair Gray and Gil Nelson!
Cool.
Thanks, Mike for providing a contest that inspired direct mail thinking. Great fun with powerful results.