These days, when walking in the streets,
listening to the radio, shopping, you might be overwhelmed images of Tintin, especially in France.
Triggered
by the release of the cinematographic adaptation by Steven Spielberg of Tintin
(The Adventures of Tintin – Secret of the unicorn : the first of a trilogy of movies).
This love for Tintin is not a new phenomenon, far from there (the
blond reporter’s first appearance dates back to 1929) but only this year has
Tintin started to invade the communicational sphere.
McDonalds, Pitch (Pasquier Group), Carrefour, media : many are
those who take advantage of the character to promote their own products.
Did
firms use traditional communication devices or an innovative, 360° degree,
communication ?
Two examples :
• Pitch's treasure hunt.
All we understand is
that Pitch (mainly brioche type pastries) used the image of Tintin to promote its products.
They have a nicely
designed website : http://www.pitch-tintin.com/ , but not interactive at all. You can fill up
a form to participate to the “treasure hunt”. A treasure hunt which is merely
the possibility (by filling up this form) of wining prices (amongst which a
trip to Belgum). But that’s all.
Most shocking of all : Pitch is
not even on Facebook ! Even if the entry on social networks is difficult for a brand (between giving too much or not enough liberty to consumers, the right balance is find to hard), taking them into account and using them is vital to create
a real relationship between brand and customer.
• Carrefour's "Mille milliards de promos" (translated in English by "billions of blistering promotions"– a word pun on the famous Haddock swear expression "billions of blistering blue barnacles").
This is quite a traditional campaign (disposal of advertisement posters in which characters from the movie are featured). An effort to note was the creation of a dedicated website (http://www.les-aventures-de-tintin.carrefour.fr/ ) to promote the operation. But the content doesn’t enable a full participation of lovers of Carrefour.
• Carrefour's "Mille milliards de promos" (translated in English by "billions of blistering promotions"– a word pun on the famous Haddock swear expression "billions of blistering blue barnacles").
This is quite a traditional campaign (disposal of advertisement posters in which characters from the movie are featured). An effort to note was the creation of a dedicated website (http://www.les-aventures-de-tintin.carrefour.fr/ ) to promote the operation. But the content doesn’t enable a full participation of lovers of Carrefour.
The principle of the operation is the same as Pitch’s: possibility of wining
prices. In addition here: the possibility of collecting Tintin figurines
available in Stores. But once again, no interactive device (no Smartphone application, and absence from social networks, even if a Facebook share button and a Tweet button have been added at the bottom of the website.
My conclusions: TINTIN WOULD NOT USE A SMARTPHONE. Tintin-centered campaigns are quite
disappointing: lack of innovativeness, lack of use of new technologies (no
smartphone application found yet)…
What's even more shocking is the lack of use of 3D, nevertheless one of the arguments for the innovativeness of the new movie !
These
campaigns are more the less deceptive that Tintinology (collecting Tintin-based products, and the adventures of
Tintin themselves are a symbol of adventure, and of the search for
experimentation).
Know more
For
those who are interested on previous ads using Tintin as a promotion argument,
see It’s not the first time that Tintin has been used for publicities (see http://pubenstock.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/les-aventures-de-tintin-dans-la-publicite-2/ for examples)
What’s Next ? For a successful 360° communication, wait for my next article
“Timberland and CSR : how new technologies are the best way of selling recycled
products”
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Interesting point of view. But don't you think the choice not to use heavy-interactive websites or social network devices relies on a cost-effective calculation from the firms ?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, because of the large communication around the movie, the companies might have decided not to invest too much on some expensive marketing operations and just use the branding of Tintin in very basic advertisement. Would the use of e-marketing be much more effective in this case ?
First of all, thank you for your comment.
ReplyDeleteWhen companies decide to use new technologies, there is of course a cost-benefit analysis. And like you said, it could be an argument to invest on traditional communication in the case of well-known public figures like Tintin, instead of using high-cost devices.
But I think firms also have to adopt a long-run point of view. They will eventually have to position themselves on interactive media, and being "only" followers is not the best way to promote themselves as innovative companies.
Furthermore, the cost of investing in new technologies can be amortized. An example to make my point. If you develop an iPhone app, you develop certain competencies, you spend time and money acquiring those competencies. But after, you can reinvest those competencies when you create new applications, or new devices. And, even more important, you create an interactive relationship with your customers and develop their interest in your brand.
In short : investing in new technologies is a virtuous circle !