4 Best Marketing Ideas of the Summer

(...according to me). Summer is not quite officially over, but school has been in session for well over a month, and the hot, humid days we experience on summer days here in Atlanta are definitely over. I thought it would be good to highlight just a few of the well-executed marketing ideas that I noticed this summer.

1. Nivea's print ad

We have highlighted this company before, but when it comes to re-imagining print advertising, no one does it better than Nivea sunscreen. This year they conveyed their message that their product protects children by including a removable bracelet in their print ad that was trackable via an app. Not only did it include this mobile integration, but it solved a real problem for beach-going parents - keeping track of their children. The medium reinforced & fully communicated the message.

2. Share a Coke with...

Some may have thought this whole campaign was hokey. I mean, why do you need your coke can to have your name on it? But I can recount at least a dozen stories that I heard this summer of how people bought cokes for friends and loved ones, spent time in the supermarket looking for their name, or photoshopped their own can. Plus having "share" in the campaign was brilliant because it inspired social sharing. This made the campaign take on a life of it's own. The best marketing is personalized, especially this day and age, and Coca-Cola nailed it in that regard with this campaign.

3. TD Canada's "Automated Thanking Machines"

This bank in Canada had a great idea of changing a select few ATMs into automated "thanking" machines. They rewarded loyal customers with some pretty incredible gifts - like plane tickets to visit far-away relatives or the chance to meet their sports hero - and recorded their reaction. The result is the video below. It all is very meaningful and heartfelt definitely lifting the awareness & goodwill of the brand. Plus the video went viral and as of today has over 11 million views. Perhaps this marketing effort made more of an impact because the source is so surprising - who would expect a bank of all places to be so giving?

4. The Ice Bucket Challenge

Maybe it was a coordinated effort by ALS patients and family members, or perhaps it was not. Maybe everyone who posted a video on Facebook donated at least $100 to a good cause, or maybe they just wanted to appear like they cared. Whatever your thinking, there is no doubt that this viral sensation brought some much-needed awareness to this horrible disease and gave a big boost to charitable giving in general. It seemed like everyone from morning TV anchors to professional athletes and former presidents participated. What marketing idea has ever caught on in such a universal way like this?

That's my list of the good marketing ideas I noticed this summer. As a top media buying agency in Atlanta, we are always looking for good new ideas to implement for our clients. What ideas did you notice this summer? Share with us in the comments!