BTL Activities in the FMCG Sector: Benefits, Ideas and More
Introduction
In this fast-paced world of faster-moving products (aka FMCG) and even rapidly shifting trends, it becomes indispensable to adopt a marketing strategy that helps you take your work to the ground level, connecting with the masses, while also being adaptable to varied interest groups and demographics.
Here we have rounded up some tried-and-tested, popular and some unique, out-of-the-box BTL activities ideas that will cut through the clutter and contribute towards building brand love with your target audience. Gone are the days of repetitive TV commercials and simply blasting your message on billboards that people might not even notice anymore. BTL activities are all about getting up close and personal, creating authentic experiences that resonate with people and make your brand unforgettable.
What is BTL Marketing and why do you need it?
So, you’ve got an amazing FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) product? Maybe it’s a revolutionary new laundry detergent that folds your clothes too (wouldn’t the break be amazing?). Or perhaps it’s a line of sparkling beverages that cure bad dance moves (hey, a girl can dream!). But here’s the thing: in the jam-packed world of FMCG, a great product alone is not nearly enough. You need to make some serious noise to get it noticed.
Brands across the globe use Above The Line (ATL) as well as Below The Line (BTL) activities to market their product or services successfully. But before we dive in and discuss ideas for BTL activities let us understand what the two mean. ATL activities comprise the use of conventional channels like Television Ads, Print ads, OOH (Out of House) marketing, Radio ads etc., the whole range we have traditionally studied as mass media in school books. These activities are rather expensive and too broad in their scope to usually deliver lasting impact, but also integral to expanding one’s horizons and reaching untapped markets.
Below The Line marketing is much more focused in its approach and usually done at a smaller scale. BTL activities include distributing coupons, roadshows, contests and many such contact marketing mediums that are a varied mix of traditional and innovative. Even after being cost-effective, BTL activities are guaranteed to leave a mark on your clients or customers’ minds, thanks to their tailored nature and the physical feel of involvement they evoke.
Here’s why BTL marketing can be the holy grail of your promotional strategy, lending your brand the fierce fabulousness that makes it stand out:
- Engage, Enthuse, Enrapt: BTL activities ideas harness active participation from the audience, turning them from passive bystanders into involved users who come in intimate contact with your brand and its products. Thus, these are engagement extravaganzas that cultivate interest and loyalty, going much farther than a catchy jingle heard on a distant screen ever could.
- The Power of the Personal: While it is much harder to forge connections through ad campaigns, customized experiences do that much better. BTL activities can be designed to showcase your brand in a unique light, highlighting its core values, a personality even, making it a living, breathing entity that forms bonds and secures a place in the hearts of people.
- Social Media Sucker Punch: With the help of BTL activities, you can also secure yourself a goldmine of user-generated content and valuable social proof that gets you leagues ahead of your peers in terms of authenticity and a relatable vibe. Easy on your pocket and triggering online traction, they help generate brand awareness and sharpen your brand image for the digital age.
- Adaptational Edge: Whatever your niche audience or specific marketing targets, you can find BTL marketing ideas that will allow you to hone your focus and amplify the message that you want to be heard and echoed. This way, you can mix with the community, express your understanding of their needs and wants, and showcase yourself as a true leader in the field, a trendsetter.
- No Budget-Breaking: A key attraction of BTL marketing is its versatility for various budgets and resources available. You can go with immersive, large-scale AR installations if there’s room for it, or simply come up with a social media contest to drive engagement that will not strain your pockets.
- Measurability: While it is certainly harder to gauge the ROI on traditional ATL marketing methods, such as how many people stared longingly or absent-mindedly at that one billboard while recapitulation their weekday from hell, BTL activities are easily and instantly trackable. You can gather feedback and other insights on user preferences, participation rates, and numbers on social media. Furthermore, you can target lead generation and feedback collection with these activities for tailored CTAs and internal improvement.
10 cool BTL activities ideas for the FMCG sector
- Mall activities: Malls provide you with a readymade audience that is out for leisure and has free time on their hands, and is thus conducive to taking interest in your pitches and the show you put on. Live games and contests are one of the most engaging mediums to connect with your audience. Gather as many people as possible to compete in certain competitions to win goodies and watch the magic happen. It can be something as easy as what Coca-Cola did in Indian malls to promote one of its beverages, Fanta- challenging people to walk in a straight line with a can of the soft drink placed on their heads. The one going the furthest would emerge victorious. In fact, sometimes the appearance of ease can trick people into participation, as they are certain of their win.
- Hashtag Contest: A minimal-effort, cost-effective BTL activity idea is to take it online. Everyone uses one social media platform or the other. Design a custom hashtag for your brand, which can even be event-specific, and prompt people to use it with their social media posts. You can either provide them a gentle nudge at in-person events with a Hashtag Printer or a Social Wall display, or do a giveaway for maximum impressions garnered.
- Sponsor a local event: Since the whole idea behind BTL marketing is the particularity of an audience and establishing a personal connection, supporting and participating in events at the ground level can boost conversion rates immensely. This can also be an opportunity for you to showcase what you hold important to your business. Do you have eco-friendly products to sell, or are an advocate of sustainable business practices? Participate in a local sustainability fair, join a cleaning drive (or organize one) or involve yourself with local markets selling fresh produce and promote small businesses.
- Curate your brand’s personality: Take the proactive road when it comes to shaping your image in people’s minds. Organize a mascot meet-and-greet where people can visualize your brand name with an adorable life-size plushie in mind. It’s sure to stick! You can also set up pop-up stores, or even a little booth at a locally popular cafe. Introduce customers to that new beverage you’ve got by incorporating it in an already-hit menu. Sample out mocktails, free cookies, etc. Attach stickers and other custom labels along with these samples.
- Interactive screen displays: We’ve entered an era of 3D billboards, AR installations and much more captivating visual landscapes to make people pay attention. A great way to do this is with interactive displays and digital kiosks that can be customized any way desired. They can provide information as prompted, offer a digital catalogue, and take the shape of a quick branded marketing game that increases people’s dwell time. You can also take this a step further by the help of AR art installations or an AR Mind Reader by GoKapture outside stores, which have an undeniable hold on all sorts of audiences. Advertising on screens outside malls can also provide great value to some brands or products as you expose prospective customers to your products right before they enter the mall to purchase. The cost of advertising on these screens is also much cheaper when compared to traditional billboards and hoardings.
- Retail marketing: Have you ever been approached by a salesman for a particular product in a supermarket? If your answer is yes, then you have experienced retail marketing at its finest. If your product is new and not many individuals know about it, having an adept salesman really enables you to reach audiences upfront and helps you explain your product to hundreds of potential customers.
- Arcade Magic: Everybody loves playing games in some form or the other. They’re often the easiest draw in a competitive, crowded landscape with multiple brands vying for attention. From a simple massage chair or a VR Game installation at a mall to an incredible custom digital game zone for corporate activations, you can pick and choose activities that will most resonate with your target audience. These games also help expedite lead generation and allow you much more time to pitch to possible customers.
- Free Trials: The best part about anything free is the mere fact that it is FREE! Free trials help you gather hoards of crowds in a public place. Companies can also leverage this activity for lead generation. If they are successful in their endeavours, at the end of the day, they will be going home with many new customers and extended personal reach. You can refine the experience, and save on effort and logistics costs with virtual AR Trials, while also introducing a novel element that will capture greater attention.
- Photobooth Mania: Another guaranteed success among all kinds of audiences is an attractive photobooth setup that delivers instant branded takeaways. Treat the people to a fun time with an AI Photobooth that reflects your occasion’s theme, an AR Photobooth incorporating your brand elements or even a new product or a reel-worthy Glambot. You spread smiles and the captures aid event recall. A total win-win.
- Mobile Marketing: Provided you’ve got the budget for it, go big with a road show! Resorting to a fancier version of door-to-door marketing by dynamically approaching people in different cities and their prime locations can create just the noise your new launch or campaign needs.
