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Do you like LEGO kits?
Do you admire the technical perfection
of iconic brands
such as Harley-Davidson or Porsche?
Do you belong to the age group 16+? If so, then this article is especially for you.
You will learn news about the partnerships of iconic brands, cross-marketing techniques,
and unconventional managerial thinking.
In today’s era of advertisement oversaturation and so-called „banner blindness“, it is difficult for marketers to come up with something totally new that will be positively perceived or even welcomed by customers. Marketing budgets are not bottomless either, so looking for new ways and original approaches is on the agenda. It requires expertise, monitoring new trends and the ability to interpret data on the typical behavior and preferences of our customers in a quality and correct manner.
The way of thinking which is focused mainly on creative problem solving and the application of innovative approaches also bears fruit. Creativity alone does not automatically mean innovation. At present, however, companies are looking for managers who can step out of the shell, go beyond existing frameworks and models and come up with an original solution. As a rule, such leaders are equipped with the so-called lateral thinking, a term first coined by the psychologist and renowned creativity teacher Edward de Bono. By the term lateral thinking, we can imagine playful thought processes, working with associations and looking at the problem from many, often unconventional and non-traditional, perspectives. The ability to think managerially in this way is becoming increasingly important.
One of the marketing techniques that can bear fruit is cross-marketing. This marketing technique can take many forms. The easiest way to imagine it is as cross-promotion on the partner’s marketing communication and distribution channels, the purpose of which is to address a new group of potential customers. Thus, it is much easier to enter the new, already built sales territory and reach more customers instantly. It is a partnership with a high degree of synergy. And, above all, it is a partnership with a high potential to impact the bottom line of the company. Taking into account the potential risks, marketers can anticipate and eliminate them at a very early stage. For example, they have to be very careful in the process of the selection of a prospective partner company.
A recent example of such cross-promotion is the partnership of the legendary Harley-Davidson brand with the manufacturer of popular LEGO kits. At first, let’s think of a LEGO kit as a toy for children. A toy that is an inventive tool to support their creativity, manual dexterity and to boost their imagination of the existing technical solution from the big world. It is a toy which is ingeniously adapted to children’s perception. But let’s see what LEGO kits offer for the 16+ age group. Here, the cooperation of technicians and creatives of both companies began a long time ago. The impetus was the need to expand the product portfolio with an iconic motorcycle, so the choice fell on the Fat Boy from the Harley-Davidson production. The model LEGO CREATOR 10269 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy in the picture above, measuring 20 (h) x 18 (w) x 33 (l), will bring a lot of pleasure to both its builders and potential visitors to any LEGO display, whether this legend is a stylish legendary centerpiece for the office of „big boys ”or home. This exhibit will become an icon of any LEGO exhibition. The technicians really cared, nothing is missing: a Milwaukee-Eight® engine with moving pistons, dual exhaust pipes, a teardrop tank with noticeable Harley-Davidson logos and Lakester wheels with beefy tires – all finished with the authentic dark red and black and silver color scheme.
Thus, the first step was taken, and the kit has been in the wide distribution network in the Czech Republic since the beginning of January 2020. Enthusiasts are excited. Their collection of LEGO models, including a Porsche 911 GT3 RS or Caterham Seven 620R kit, got a new baby brother. The opportunity to purchase this kit in the distribution network in the Czech Republic became an impetus for further marketing activities. January 2020 brought the above-mentioned cross-promotion in the form of close collaboration between Harley-Davidson Prague and Mall.cz, which is part of the largest e-commerce group in Central and Eastern Europe called Mall Group. The legendary LEGO Harley-Davidson Fat Boy was on display for one month on the premises of Mall.cz in Prague 7, Holešovice.
Seeing the results of the collaboration between top technicians from Harley-Davidson and LEGO is something rather different from a picture on the relevant product page in an e-shop. But that’s not everything: marketing experts from the Prague office of Harley-Davidson went even a step further in their marketing activities and involved other marketing techniques in the form of influencer marketing and social media marketing. As a result, you could enjoy the first LEGO FAT BOY photos on Instagram almost instantly. But above all, it all has one common unique goal, and that is customer education in the form of an added value, which the customer not only appreciates but also actively seeks. The unique technical solution of products, which would otherwise belong to yesteryear time, is here, in front of our us, and the youngest generation of fans is getting acquainted with it. These fans have one more reason to understand why brands like Harley-Davidson, Porsche or LEGO are iconic and why some of their technical solutions have become real legends. Education-based marketing, i.e. innovative marketing methods based on customer education, is thus becoming a tactical tool and a marketing strategy that can tie the customer to the brand.
Such a FAT BOY in your office tells a little bit more about your hobbies, and it can also be a topic for small talk with your partners before starting an important business meeting. Besides, your toys can have a great time in your office or at home, as illustrated by the photo of one of the enthusiastic fans of iconic brands.
On the author:
PhDr. Ladislava Knihová, MBA is a senior university lecturer. Simultaneously, she is a PhD. student enrolled in the study program of Economics and Management, specializing in Marketing, at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Economics in Prague.
You can reach Ladislava at: kniha@educationonline.cz or visit the website www.educationonline.cz