Pizza Hut has recently adopted an unconventional marketing strategy in the United Arab Emirates. Instead of investing a good amount in Ads, they decided to focus on organic content to promote their favorite, the My Box, which is a customizable combo.
In practice, the action involved encouraging users to create trends on TikTok with the My Box, tagging and following @pizzahut, and using the hashtag #YourTermsYourConditions.
It may seem simple, right? And indeed, it is. However, it’s still a very well-designed strategy aimed at bypassing the overwhelming amount of ads in the feed, which are often ignored or go unnoticed by some users.
The central point of this strategy was to hand over the ball to the followers themselves to create content, making it go viral and, in turn, saving a substantial amount on advertisements.
In addition to cost savings, another benefit of this type of campaign is the bond created between the brand and followers/consumers, working on relationships, which is not very effective when it comes to paid advertising.
Is it worth investing in organic strategies?
Yes, it is! When it comes to organic strategies, we invest in building awareness and reputation, essential elements for the long-term survival of any brand.
Paid ads are short-term focused, ideal for specific campaigns, and do little to build brand awareness. A promotion is a good example. The goal is to generate volume in a short period, but it does not necessarily build a relationship with the customer.
In a campaign like Pizza Hut’s, it is clear that one of the goals is selling My Box ultimately, however, the company combined the need for promotion with the positive impact it could bring, building an organic strategy that will add much more value to the brand.
Through the content created by their own followers, the brand gets closer to its customers, generating a huge buzz, which will attract more people who can be converted into followers, customers, or both.
And it doesn’t stop there. The strategy goes beyond digital. By creating a positive experience and with a satisfactory product, the brand ensures the conversion of social media followers into consumers of their products in real life.
How to know which strategy to adopt?
This is the million-dollar question. Whether in paid ads or organic, if the strategy is not well-designed, well-thought, and well-executed, the effort of time and intelligence will be in vain because the results will not be satisfactory.
The first step is to know your audience well to understand the best way to impact them.
Don’t be afraid to innovate, but it is essential to bear in mind that strategic marketing is not always a short-term approach, on the contrary. Some actions can go viral and generate significant numbers, as is the case with Pizza Hut. But generally, strategies need a slightly longer maturation time for results to start showing.
Either way, the important thing is to develop and implement actions that seek to meet the future needs of your customers/consumers.
And if well-directed, these actions can contribute to a significant competitive advantage in the market, making your brand stand out amidst the crowd.
