Is Awareness Enough? Solving the Complicated Marketing Puzzle

Last year, Solo Brands, makers of the smokeless Solo outdoor fire pit, partnered with Snoop Dogg for a viral prank. After announcing that he was giving up “smoke,” Snoop Dogg revealed that he meant the smoke in his fire pit. With Snoop Dogg as the new spokesperson for Solo, the brand’s publicity surged online and was a pop culture phenomenon.

But in a surprising turn of events this month, Solo Brands announced that the marketing campaign fell flat, leading to a disappointing fourth quarter in sales. As a result, CEO John Morris stepped down and was replaced by new CEO Christopher Metz.

It’s a good lesson in the value of brand awareness, something we’ve already discussed a lot on the blog. Brand awareness is your consumer’s ability to recognize who you are and what you offer. And while this Snoop Dogg campaign was successful in driving that recognition, it didn’t translate into more customers for Solo. We’re big proponents of the value of building brand awareness, but brand awareness alone isn’t enough. It needs to work together with other key components to be successful and drive sales.

 So let’s put together the other pieces of the marketing puzzle with a marketing checklist you can reference and use to avoid going up and smoke ­– like Snoop Dogg and Solo.

You’ll need…

1. A clear understanding of your audience
Before building brand awareness, turn to your audience. What do you know about them? Looking at marketing metrics and even conducting some consumer research are great ways to get a better understanding of who loves your brand and why. Pay attention to their interests, income level and the places they love to shop. If you get the opportunity to speak with your audience directly, ask them about their lifestyles, values and what motivated them to buy into your brand.

Audience Considerations:

• Age
• Family status
• Lifestyle
• Values

With a hefty price tag of $300 plus dollars, Solo Stoves cater to the wealthier outdoor enthusiast. While Snoop Dogg has broad pop culture appeal, a marketing stunt that feels more focused on hiking and outdoor recreation may have resonated more with Solo’s prospective audience.

With a better understanding of your audience, you’re ready to move to step 2…

2. An ownable point of difference

Maybe it’s saving money, superior quality or something else entirely. Your point of difference is your key “it” factor that makes your brand unique. A great point of difference answers a key consumer need and allows you to stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace.

Point of difference considerations:

• Study your competitors to differentiate yourself
• Think about your consumer’s pain point
• Be memorable and succinct

By playing off Snoop Dogg giving up smoke, Solo did highlight their point of difference. However, there was definitely more opportunity for them to explore the value of a smoke-free fire experience and how that benefits the consumer.

With your point of difference settled, you’re ready to communicate your unique value in a compelling and succinct way.

A winning sales strategy brings together key learnings about the consumer audience as well as the point of difference to ensure success. To really drive sales, we have to think critically about every aspect of our consumer’s buying journey, from finding out about our product and first interaction to that excitement at checkout. Understanding this journey strategically informs where and how we advertise the product.

Sales Strategy Considerations:

• Placement (Digital, Social, Search, Email, Print, OOH)
• Frequency and cadence
• Ad focus (Brand specific, product specific, seasonal…)
• Incentive (BOGO, discount, exclusive offer)

Based on the lack of Q4 sales, it’s clear that Solo did not have an effective sales strategy to complement their marketing stunt. A potential solution could have been a fun Snoop Dogg themed sales event (“Use code SNOOP at checkout for 10% off”).

While Solo generated tons of brand awareness from its marketing stunt, it missed the mark because it lacked these other key considerations: an understanding of audience, an ownable point of difference and a strong sales strategy. But what happens when you add all those pieces together while raising brand awareness? You solve your marketing puzzle in a comprehensive and insight-driven way