Fitbit launched its first product, the Fitbit Tracker, in 2009. By 2012, the model had offered over 1 million health trackers; by 2016, that quantity had jumped to over 22 million.
How did Fitbit develop so quick? By utilizing a technique known as bandwagon promoting. It leverages social proof and the worry of lacking out to encourage individuals to attempt new merchandise and proceed utilizing them.
Right here’s how bandwagon promoting works and the way to use it to develop your corporation.
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What’s bandwagon promoting?
Bandwagon promoting faucets into our need to be a part of the gang. It convinces us that one thing is best just because different individuals—particularly these we glance as much as—already use it.
Right here’s a easy breakdown of how bandwagon promoting works:
- Message: “Everybody’s doing it, so must you!”
- Objective: Make you’re feeling such as you’re lacking out.
- Psychology: Folks belief what others select and don’t need to be overlooked.
A easy model of bandwagon promoting can be photographs and duplicate exhibiting many individuals fortunately utilizing your product. Consider social media ads with joyful crowds utilizing a brand new telephone, social media posts full of constructive opinions, or a picture of an influential soccer participant chugging the newest sports activities drink. When individuals see these messages, they’re drawn to the concept of becoming a member of the “in crowd” by shopping for the product.
To make the concept extra concrete, let’s return to Fitbit’s instance. The corporate makes use of three ways that mix to create a bandwagon promoting technique.
First, it created partnerships with celebrities to advertise its wearable trackers as the subsequent huge factor. It wasn’t simply athletes; individuals like Sarah Jessica Parker and Will Smith donned their Fitbits to have interaction audiences of every kind.
Second, the model launched particular user-generated content campaigns to point out how on a regular basis customers get pleasure from their health tracker. It then used the content material on social media and in its newsletters.
Lastly, Fitbit constructed bandwagon promoting proper into its product. Customers can select to routinely share their exercises on social media, tapping into a robust networking impact.
What are some great benefits of bandwagon promoting?
Bandwagon promoting makes use of social proof to affect shopper habits.
With social proof as its basis, bandwagon promoting:
- Builds belief and credibility: When potential clients see others having fun with your product, it helps validate their shopping for determination.
- Creates urgency and FOMO: Bandwagon promoting makes it look like everybody’s getting one thing you don’t have, and also you don’t need to be left behind.
- Boosts model consciousness and gross sales: The extra individuals see others utilizing and loving your product, the extra possible they’re to recollect your model and purchase from you.
Prepared to show the bandwagon impact into actual outcomes? Within the subsequent part, we’ll focus on seven bandwagon promoting concepts you may implement on your small enterprise.
💡 Bandwagon advertising begins with realizing your viewers. Obtain the free information, How to Find Your Target Audience, to get began.
7 bandwagon promoting concepts and examples
Bandwagon promoting is an idea that’s simple to elucidate however can generally really feel troublesome to execute. Executed properly, it may give small and medium-sized companies a bonus over the remainder of the competitors. Listed here are some bandwagon promoting concepts you should use on your subsequent marketing campaign.
1. Person-generated content material competitions
Person-generated content material is a good way to boost engagement along with your viewers. It bypasses skepticism and builds belief as a result of it showcases actual individuals utilizing and loving your product. That’s the proper software of bandwagon promoting.
Right here’s an excellent instance of the way to flip your clients into model ambassadors. Run a contest encouraging them to create and share images or movies utilizing your product. This makes use of social proof and will increase brand awareness totally free.
Take inspiration from Filippo Berio, a well-known olive oil model. The model ran a contest on Pancake Day, asking customers to put up photos of their scrumptious pancake creations (presumably made with Filippo Berio olive oil) and tag them with the branded hashtag #FilippinFilippo. The winner obtained a hamper full of goodies, and Filippo Bero obtained tons of wonderful images to share on their social media profiles.
2. Nostalgia-driven bandwagon
Folks crave connection. And what connects us higher than shared reminiscences? Nostalgia-driven bandwagon promoting faucets into this emotion, creating an prompt bond along with your audience.
Right here’s an instance from ErstWilder, a jewellery model. It launched a limited-edition assortment of My Little Pony equipment. Right here’s how they leveraged nostalgia-driven bandwagon promoting:
- Select a nostalgic product: My Little Pony is a beloved cartoon from the 80s and 90s. By referencing it, ErstWilder immediately related with a technology.
- Encourage participation: The model inspired followers to share images with the hashtag #ErstWilderMLP, making a neighborhood and showcasing the recognition of the gathering.
- Create a way of urgency: The copy mentions that it’s a restricted version, creating urgency and a worry of lacking out, additional fueling the bandwagon impact.
3. Interactive on-line polls
Social media is all about engagement, and what higher option to interact your viewers than by asking their opinion? Interactive online polls create a enjoyable and interactive option to leverage the ability of the bandwagon impact, similar to @cookscountry did on Instagram.
Cookscountry didn’t simply ask its viewers what pie they favored. The model’s group turned it right into a charming collection titled “Thanksgiving Pie Showdown.” They created 4 polls, every that includes two scrumptious Thanksgiving pie choices.
The highest contenders confronted off in semi-final polls, preserving the viewers engaged and constructing anticipation for the last word showdown. The 2 finalists battled it out in a ultimate ballot, with the winner topped “Thanksgiving Pie Showdown Champion.”
Voters even had an opportunity to win all of the pies within the competitors. This added extra pleasure and boosted participation.
Whereas the model wasn’t promoting pies, it used the bandwagon promoting impact to have interaction an viewers for its media model. Ideally, lots of these collaborating within the common ballot will stick round to see what the enterprise does subsequent.
4. Buyer testimonials
Testimonials are gold for entrepreneurs! They construct belief, sound plausible, and get individuals on the bandwagon.
Outdoor Voices will get it. They use brief video testimonials with actual individuals utilizing their garments for every thing from mountaineering to yoga to proposing to your important different. They also have a hashtag, #DoingThings, to build a community and present how versatile their stuff is—exhibiting on a regular basis individuals, not fashions, preserving testimonials real, constructing belief, and driving extra gross sales for the model.
5. Comparative promoting
Competitor advertising is usually a intelligent option to leverage the bandwagon impact. The thought is to concentrate on a novel function or value proposition you supply that units your providing aside. Subtly counsel that everybody’s selecting you due to it, and watch the shoppers roll in.
Take Motel 6, for example. Though its advertising doesn’t explicitly criticize different accommodations, its “Pets Keep Free” coverage speaks volumes.
By highlighting this perk, Motel 6 subtly implies that different locations would possibly cost additional for furry companions. This positions them because the extra pet-friendly and budget-conscious possibility. It additionally creates a bandwagon impact for pet house owners as they see different pet house owners making the most of this coverage.
6. Influencer endorsements
Influencers is usually a highly effective software for small companies. They create a bandwagon impact the place persons are nudged to attempt a product as a result of somebody they admire appears to find it irresistible.
Pieminister, a Bristol-based pie firm, brilliantly makes use of superstar endorsements. When well-known mentalist Derren Brown (who lives in Bristol) carried out on the town, Pieminister despatched him a pattern pack. Impressed, Derren tweeted in regards to the pies. He talked about that there was “no request asking me to tweet.”
This genuine endorsement was gold. This social proof, mixed with Derren’s giant following, elevated Pieminister’s social media attain by a whopping 2,574%!
7. Influencer and neighborhood challenges
Combining influencer energy with interactive challenges creates a double-whammy of bandwagon results to construct model consciousness and loyalty.
Among the best examples is ELF Cosmetics. It created the #eyeslipsface problem on TikTok, incorporating an unique music and hashtag. The model partnered with a complete squad of established and rising magnificence influencers, who created full-face appears utilizing solely elf merchandise. ELF additionally inspired customers to share their very own elf appears. The marketing campaign resulted in billions of video and hashtag views.
Soar on the bandwagon promoting…erm…bandwagon
Persons are social creatures. Once we see others having success, we need to take part. The examples above present simply how influential a bandwagon promoting marketing campaign might be.
Simply keep in mind to maintain issues gentle. By no means use disgrace or “othering” to guilt individuals into making an attempt your merchandise. As a substitute, present them how individuals they admire remedy issues and achieve success utilizing what you promote.
