1-888-353-5012If there is anything refreshing coming from large corporate companies in recent years, it’s their fresher take on marketing and communications. Yes, most of the time they rely on traditional, brand-based advertising that is predictable and easy to ignore, but more and more often, particularly on social media, we see surprising content from them that pushes outside the norm and may actually get our attention.
The Ordinary is a skincare brand known for simple packaging, quality ingredients, and affordable pricing. In a world where consumers often spend up to $100 a month on skincare, they are a welcome option.
And a few months ago, they noticed something that everyone seemed to be talking about: the rising cost of eggs. I know you heard about it, and experienced it, too. Not only was it unavoidable in our supermarkets, it seemed that every news outlet (and person) was talking about it.
So what did The Ordinary do? They joined the conversation. They started selling cartons of eggs in their NYC stores for $3.37 a dozen. Did I mention they are a vegan skincare company?
You can imagine the reaction. People talked about it, social media did its thing, and news outlets covered it in numerous articles. And customers walked into their stores simply because they were curious. Did it cause some controversy since they’re a vegan company? Yes, it did. But that didn’t stop the attention, the foot traffic, or the conversation. Because they didn’t try to start something new… they stepped into a conversation people were already having. As a Royalty Rewards® Merchant, you’ve likely heard us talk about this concept before: Slipstream Marketing. It’s about stepping into, and leveraging, a conversation that your customer is already having, to get their attention.
It’s not forcing interest; it’s aligning with it.
The Ordinary, a skincare company, didn’t try to create a NEW conversation, they stepped into and leveraged one that was already happening. Eggcellent.
Slipstream marketing can also mean leaning into the ideas customers ALREADY have about your business, instead of trying to rewrite them.
Ryanair is a low-budget airline that prioritizes cheap flights over comfort… and they own their reputation, often acknowledging the reality of their business …instead of pretending it isn’t true. We’ve included one of their highlights below.
Now, this is NOT a recommendation to go to battle with your customers online. While it is entertaining to see, that approach only works for a select few companies with massive audiences and massive teams dedicated to dealing with the result.
Slipstream marketing isn’t only based on controversy; some of the best is based just on timing. You might remember during the 2013 Super Bowl, the stadium went dark due to a power outage. While millions of viewers sat watching and scrolling, Oreo posted a simple tweet: “You can still dunk in the dark.”
At Royalty Rewards®, all our marketing follows specific and proven marketing principles. The most critical: a compelling headline or story, a valuable offer, and a call to action. And, it’s all measurable. While we cannot expect these massive conglomerates to actually ‘get’ what works for a small business, we can certainly give credit to how they leveraged these moments.
The real takeaway here is recognizing the power of the slipstream: leaning into current events, seasonal moments, aligning your message with what customers are already thinking about… and using that to your marketing advantage.
Slipstream marketing is like drafting in a race. Instead of fighting the wind on your own, you catch a tailwind and position yourself behind momentum that already exists and let it pull you forward.
