Question

Two Lay’s chip flavors – Cheesy Garlic Bread and Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger –were created by consumers as part of Frito-Lay’s wildly successful “Do Us A Flavor” marketing campaign (www.dousaflavor.com). Launched in July 2012 in a pop-up shop in New York’s Times Square, the event took on new dimensions in 2015 by incorporating real-time marketing. In response to interesting tweets during the 3-month-long submission period, digital shop Deep Focus produced twenty 1-minute YouTube clips featuring two potato puppets named Marvin and Duncan (also known as the Taste Spuds). Google has now developed the “Flavorcast Heat Map” showing trending ingredients for each state, and consumers can see state-vs-state contests in the Flavor Showdown Gallery on the Web site. Consumers submit their flavor’s name, up to three ingredients, and a chip style. They can also vote online at the Web site or via social media, and finalists’ flavors are developed and shipped to stores a few months later, where they can be purchased and then voted upon. The creator of the winning flavor receives $1 million. But Lay’s is the big winner of this campaign. The first contest’s goal was 1.2 million submissions but Lay’s received 3.8 million submissions, 22.5 million Facebook visits a week, and a 12 percent increase in sales.

1-9. Define real-time marketing and responsive marketing. Some have argued that real-time marketing success is luck-based, whereas responsive marketing is more strategy-based. Research these two concepts and support or refute this statement. (AACSB: Communication; Reflective Thinking)

Answer 1

Real time Marketing and Responsive Marketing

Real time marketing involves marketing efforts that are opportunity based and expecting to engage customers through their feedback. It uses techniques to create marketing strategies instantaneously based on popular latest trends. Digital technology and social media has made it possible to get more response and influence a large audience.

Responsive marketing is a more planned approach which is relevant for a longer time. It is developed in advance around events and campaigns with a strategy based on customer expectations and response. It is a combination of the traditional marketing tactics with more agility and adapting as per the customer interests and market trends.

I agree wit the statement that real-time marketing is luck-based, whereas responsive marketing is more strategy-based. Real-time marketing depends on the customer likeability of an idea or marketing campaign planned and their real time response to the same. It is short term approach and needs to achieve its results and benefits from the limited time while Responsive marketing is more process based as the company uses its standard practices and resources for planning marketing efforts and campaigns around an event or theme in advance. It has more time to test the relevance of the content and marketing ideas planned and adapt to the customer response for its success. It has a longer time to influence the audience as it can be highlighted over a period of time.