Hans Brinker: The Good, The Bad and The Honestly Terrible

First of all I’d like to apologise for the tenuous links in the forthcoming post, of which there are at least 2. They are all in a good cause I assure you, as if you haven’t yet seen the particular range of work I will later mention, I think you’ll be suitably amused enough to overlook my laziness. 

Disclaimer over and done with, I’ll get on with the shamelessness. Here it goes.

I’m off to Copenhagen! Hurrah! Very exciting for me, but "why should I care?" I hear you cry. Well, having purchased my extremely cheap Ryanair flights I am now faced with choosing from a particularly "nice" range of hostels. Do I want to pay £10 a night more to share with 5 people, or go cheaper and sleep in the same room as a whole 9 other people. Hmm, decisions, decisions... If only I was back in Amsterdam (tenuous link #1 : very vague geographical vicinity) where the only choice for broke 20-something backpackers is the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel (tenuous link #2 : accommodation type); and though it calls itself a hotel, it is most definitely a hostel. The same hostel my mum stayed in, in the 70s... 


What sets this hostel apart from the reams of others in Amsterdam is their unique advertising. For 15+ years ad agency Kessels Kramer has been creating some incredibly memorable and hilariously honest posters, books and promotions for Hans Brinker, which in 2009 they chronicled in 'The Worst Hotel in the World'. 

The crux of each and every campaign is the simple, absolute rubbishness of the accommodation. 

The website begins:
“The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel has been proudly disappointing travelers for forty years. Boasting levels of comfort comparable to a minimum-security prison.” 


A bold brand strategy but one that has paid off. It’s an incredible lesson in using humour and honesty to create brand awareness, and although they won’t be attracting middle class families to their doors anytime soon they have guaranteed their place as the number 1 stop for budget travelers to Amsterdam.

Of the portfolio of work produced by Kessels Kramer my favourite by far has been the “Accidentally Eco-Friendly” campaign from 2007. Check out the video:

…and the posters:

Some other memorable pieces from the book:

 

For a good laugh visit the website. You may even find yourself weirdly curious to check out the place. After all, it can’t actually be that bad, can it?

Simple Tips for Viral Marketing

‘Viral Marketing’ is one of those trendy phrases that has been floating around the Internet for the past couple of years, but it’s definition has often been murky. Is it simply a funny video, designed to be passed around offices up and down the country, or should it be used to define only those videos selling a product? Should brand it’s promoting be displayed loud and proud, or try and sneak it in when the viewer’s not looking? Well… these are all definitely questions…

Luckily the Viral Video Club approached us via Twitter and directed us towards a viral marketing event they would soon be hosting at Cargo in Shoreditch.
We arrived and, after propping up the bar for a few minutes, sank in to the over-sized beanbag chairs covering the floor and prepared to soak up all the knowledge from the line up of speakers. These included representatives from Unruly Media, ST16, EBuzzing, The Viral Factory and the king of the mash-up, Cassetteboy himself.

It was not a seminar or master class in the art of cracking a viral marketing campaign but more of an informal discussion around the topic. The speakers were good, apart from the slightly painful awkwardness and over-sized sunglasses of Cassetteboy – but we’ll forgive him because he makes a darn entertaining video.

I thought it might be useful to list some of the tips they gave us and these apply for any viral video content.

DO - Use Your Contacts

 

Any of your contacts could be good for distribution. You never know who just might know someone else, or is the cousin of someone’s brother-in-law’s aunt, so share share share - Within your own group of friends, contact lists and colleagues.

DO - Contact Influential Tweeters and Bloggers 

 

Often celebrities and influential members of the online community can be relied on to display your content to their many thousands of fans. Stephen Fry, Perez Hilton, and Lord Alan Sugar are amongst some of the most influential Twitter users online today and have a very high click-through rate.
Some of these celebs may be willing to do you a favour, especially if you already have a professional relationship with them, others however will definitely be hitting your wallets.

DON’T - Rely On Celebrities As Content 

 

Just because you have a great celebrity in your contact list does not guarantee a viral hit. For example when David Arquette & Courteney Cox featured in a viral campaign against domestic violence for The Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC), they came under a huge media and audience backlash who did not agree with the tone at all.




The moral of the story, make sure your content is targeting the right audience and tone before even considering which celebrity you should shoe-horn in.
Also take the Old Spice adverts for an example, no celebrity endorsement was needed but it currently has over 42 million views!

DON’T - Think You Have To Be Funny

 

Some great video pieces have been produced that raise awareness for different subjects, such as this one for Sussex Safer Roads. It is visually beautiful and thought provoking without needing humour.




At the end of the day it’s about getting a reaction from the viewer., do you want them to interact, laugh, cry, be amazed – probably you want them to buy something too. Granted, humorous videos are often the post popular and highly shareable but videos featuring public stunts and great cinematography can do just as well. And it goes without saying that viewers love a good shock proposal or surprise wedding too…

DO - Provide Value For Your Viewers 

 

People often share videos because it represents a viewpoint of character trait that they want others to know they have.
So if a viewer shares a funny video, they want their friends to know that this is their type of humour. If it’s a Cassetteboy mashup of David Cameron, then it is likely that they dislike his style of leadership. Often the most shared videos are large scale stunts, such as the Sony Bravia (Bouncy Balls) advert or public flash-mob style events, like Push For Drama.
The sense of disbelief you feel when watching them, the ‘omg-I-can’t-believe-they-did-this!’, makes you want to pass it around so others can also witness the epic feat and validate how they did it or whether, indeed, it is real.

DON’T - Limit Yourself On Time 

 

Commonly it’s thought that virals should be short and sweet, although it’s maybe good to think under 2 minutes, if you have a great idea that needs more time then hopefully the content should still keep viewers engaged.

Take for example one of the top viral ads of all time, DC Shoes: Gymkhana, which runs to 7 minutes 42 seconds, just enough time to make a cup of tea.


   

I realise there will always be exceptions that break these rules, but it's about trying different techniques and different types of content until you find a formula that works for you. And don't be afraid to fail - if you don't try, you can't succeed.

Keep watching this space as we continue to delve further in to the muddy waters of viral marketing!