One of the success factors in business is to be original and stand out from your competitors, being at least one step ahead of them. This is the only way to get new customers to ensure good sales and worldwide fame. Today it is impossible to achieve good success with standard solutions in managing your business. To be successful, you need to come up with something non-standard and original. In this article, we will talk about companies that were able to outwit their competitors thanks to creative ideas and solutions.
Robert Taylor and liquid soap
In the 1970s, there was an American entrepreneur who invented liquid soap and sold it with his small business. However, the idea itself was not new, so the owner could not patent the invention. In addition, the pump mechanism that is needed for liquid soap was also invented a very long time ago. Robert Taylor knew that he would not be able to develop his business if the major household chemical manufacturers began to mass-produce liquid soap in dispensers.
Therefore, the entrepreneur decided to simply not give other manufacturers the opportunity to get the coveted plastic dispenser pumps that are attached to bottles of liquid soap. In those years, there were only two factories in the United States that made these pumps, and Taylor placed an order with both for their manufacture, worth twelve million dollars. About a hundred million dispensers were made for this amount, and for all subsequent years, both factories worked only to fulfill Taylor’s order. Its competitors could certainly make liquid soap, but it didn’t make sense without a handy dispenser package.
Consciously taking a huge risk, Taylor within a few years turned his small company into a huge Colgate-Palmolive business, producing liquid soaps, kinds of toothpaste, and other hygiene products.
Oakley and sunglasses
The success story of this company began thanks to unpleasant circumstances – in 2010, a mine collapse occurred in Chile. As a result, 33 workers found themselves at a depth of about 700 meters and could not get out on their own. Rescue operations lasted about three months – and all this time, caring people and organizations sent essential goods to the injured miners. Oakley donated its products, sunglasses, to the miners.
When the rescue of the miners was successfully completed and they were able to get out, they had to put on the glasses they received as a gift, since it was difficult for their eyes to look at daylight after such a long stay in the dark. Journalists from all known channels arrived on the scene – and they all captured the faces of the rescued workers wearing Oakley glasses. Thus, the company made itself a free advertisement, which was seen by a multimillion-dollar audience around the world.
Puma and tying shoelaces
Many well-known sports brands often place their ads during football matches. Some companies hang advertising posters in the stadium, others run a ticker on television during live broadcasts of matches. The Puma company decided to act in a more original way – the company’s management paid the football player Pele to tie the laces on his sneakers at the stadium just before the start of the match. Of course, the sneakers he wore were from Puma, and the actions of such a great football player always hit the main screens in close-up.
According to the results of the advertising campaign, it was found that this cunning marketing ploy turned out to be much more effective than advertising posters placed along with the stadium. Many sports brands also use to hang advertising posts on betting and gaming projects – for example, PlayAmo app has promoted some companies.
