Tag Archives: promotion

by | Wednesday, July 23, 2025 · 2:16 pm

A Shortcut to Perks for Influencers: Neon Coat

Marketers have always used beautiful people to sell their products. One proven solution for businesses looking to enhance a trendy vibe is to provide perks (often free or reduced prices for goods and services) for models to be physically present. Having happy, attractive, and typically young people hanging around the establishment draws in others. The energy and enthusiasm can be contagious. But there can also be a dark side; many models are not highly paid and may be beholden to agencies or promoters, having little autonomous decision-making about what they promote. The results can be unhealthy and sometimes even dangerous for women in this position.

A former model, Larissa Drekonja, is one of the founders of the app Neon Coat that aims to give women more freedom of choice in promotions and at the same time access to support and community. The app, launched in 2017, allows businesses to sign up to provide discounts and freebies, and models to claim them. The reciprocal agreement allows businesses to benefit from the presence of gorgeous people and often to reshare the posts they make to social media. Models can meet friends through the app and enjoy access to education and necessary services.

Given the similar role that social media influencers play today, the app now allows them to participate too. The requirements are slightly different; models must be signed with an agency and have a significant portfolio plus at least 1000 followers on social media while influencers need 5000 followers on Instagram or TikTok.

While the app is currently available in just a few cities (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and London), it has been a big success. More than 12,000 models and influencers have generated over 350,000 pieces of content for some 1,500 businesses they have promoted.

Activities:

  1. Ask students: Do you enjoy visiting trendy businesses? Have you ever suspected that some attendees were compensated to be there? Would it change your opinion on the establishment if they were?
  2. Have students look up social media accounts for Neon Coat and review some of the content. TikTok’s is here:  https://www.tiktok.com/@neoncoat. Which of them are most appealing? Does the content make you want to patronize the business?
  3. Ask students to form small groups and create a social media promotion for a small business in your area. Design it as if it were to be posted to Neon Coat’s social media and likely reshared by the business.

Sources: Florsheim, Lane, (16 July 2025) These Restaurants, Salons and Workouts Are Free for Hot People—if They Post About Them, Wall Street Journal. Taylor, Magdalene, (20 Mar 2021) Want Free Stuff as an Attractive Woman? There’s an App for That, MEL Magazine.

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by | Tuesday, July 15, 2025 · 12:12 am

The Evolution of Pet Food Marketing

Do you consider your pet a member of your family? Would it surprise you to learn that 97% of American pet owners feel that way? We spend $64 billion just on pet food and treats each year, and marketers are increasing their research to improve their sales.

Today about one half of all pets are owned by Millennials and Gen Z, so new trends to appeal to these pet parents have become essential. These consumers prefer short form video that is both entertaining and authentic rather than highly produced. And to really appeal to them, messages should match their values.

Younger generations are known to shop with sustainability in mind. This might include looking at alternative protein sources when it comes to pet food. Hilucia is an insect-based brand that educates about the nutritional and environmental benefits of its product using a fun cartoon mascot. Personalization continues to be popular too, with several brands like Purina using AI to offer consumers specific recommendations for individual pets. Farmer’s Dog has seen success on social media celebrating real dogs’ stories rather than sharing generic information. Consumers are drawn to campaigns that treat them like partners in a pet’s journey, offering education and guidance.

Many pet owners are interested in deepening bonds with their furry kids, and though we might see this represented more often in advertising for dogs, cat owners want that too. Cat ownership has surged thanks to Gen Z and consequently a movement exists to develop marketing that isn’t identical to that of dogs. Cats are notoriously uninterested in pleasing their owners, even leading to a phenomenon known as ‘feline insecurity,’ or a worry that your cat is indifferent to you. Cat owners may be particularly receptive to messages about how they might connect with their pets in a deeper way.

Recent research into cat physiology has determined that cats may lack certain taste buds; for example, they cannot taste sweetness. Their finicky eating habits may be to blame for a distinct difference in ‘treating,’ with dogs getting 32% more treats than cats. New campaigns aim to shrink the treat gap and help owners bond with cats. A Whiskas campaign introduces ‘Purradise,’ a special sensory journey for cats, and owners can take a ‘Purrsonality’ quiz to help identify their cat’s traits and find suitable products. The goal is satisfaction for both the cat and its human companion.

Activities:

  1. Ask students: Do you own a pet? If you do, how do you try to bond with it?
  2. Have students look up advertising for pet food and treats. Here is one from Temptations:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt-_vNhaSUc. Do the ads seem geared towards Millennials or Gen Z? In what ways?
  3. Ask students to form small groups and create a social media promotion for specific pet food or treat (include the brand) that appeals to younger generations. What trends do you think might be effective?

Sources: Kanaras, Kelly, (15 May 2025) Marketing to modern pet parents, Petfoodprocessing.net. Khan, Natasha, (14 Jul 2025) Inside Operation ‘Cattitude’: A Pet Food Giant’s Mission to Understand Cats, Wall Street Journal.

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by | Tuesday, April 8, 2025 · 12:39 am

A Minecraft Movie: Surprise Hit at the Box Office

Over the weekend, the new release from Warner Bros., “A Minecraft Movie,” made over $163 million in ticket sales, more than twice what analysts had predicted, resulting in the third largest opening of all time for the company. It stars Jack Black as a master crafter and Jason Momoa as part of a group making its way through a cubic world with his help. Though the movie was not particularly well received by critics, a formula for success was well implemented. Additionally, some noteworthy antics occurring in theaters across the country and shared widely on social media may also have driven young people to view the film in person.

The Minecraft film is the most recent of several successful movie adaptations of popular video games, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” Minecraft is a particularly beloved game, released in 2011. Nostalgia for the game likely played a role in strong ticket sales, with 43% of the audience being between the ages of 18 and 24. Another 35% were 13 to 17.

Warner Bros. has experience appealing to young people with nostalgia, as it was also behind the blockbuster movie “Barbie.” It’s easy to recall the massive cross-promotion for that film, yet Minecraft’s promotional campaign engaged the largest third-party partnership in Warner Bros. history. Some 45 brands were involved, from Oreo to Dorito and McDonalds. This successfully primed audience enthusiasm for the release.

But perhaps the most novel aspect of the movie’s success in its first weekend may be a social media assist. Young people were very engaged and shouting out in the theater when aspects of the game appeared in the movie. In one scene, Black’s character mentions “chicken jockey,” which elicited a big response that was filmed by some and posted to social platforms. The crowd’s wild reaction resulted in some people being removed from the theater, and many of the clips went viral. And lots of kids wanted to experience the fun themselves, so they flocked to the theater. Some are even calling “A Minecraft Movie” the gamer’s version of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” a cult classic known for audience participation.

Activities:

  1. Ask students: Did you see “A Minecraft Movie” or do you plan to? Have you heard anything about it? Do you enjoy audience participation in a theater experience?
  2. Have students visit social media sites and search for “chicken jockey” clips. Do these clips make you more likely to see the movie? Less?
  3. Ask students to form small groups and create a cross-promotion for this movie and a product they think appeals to the same target market.

Sources: Barnes, Brooks, (06 Apr 2025) ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Arrives as a Surprise Box Office Smash, The New York Times. Rubin, Rebecca, (06 Apr 2025) ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Shatters Box Office Expectations With Record-Breaking $163 Million Opening Weekend, Variety. Balao, Neia, (07 Apr 2025) Don’t yell ‘chicken jockey’ in a theater, Yahoo! Entertainment.

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