Commentary

What CPG Brands Can Learn From The Launch Of The Apple Watch

Working in the ad tech space, I am always intrigued by the latest technology, app or social networking platform that comes to market. My interest in the Apple Watch is no surprise, but falling for the “Apple Game” shocked me. I went to the Apple Store on April 10, the first day you could pre-order the watch, only to find out I needed to stand in line to actually touch one.

This made me eager with anticipation and by the time I got to the glass counter, I had to have one. Most marketers would agree that Apple’s tactic of creating scarcity and exclusivity works, and it surely worked on me. I left the Apple store with a watch ordered, upset to hear it was backordered ’til June (another tactic creating desire, as my watch arrived before May 1). 

Apple is not the only brand that can use the principles of scarcity and exclusivity to create demand and desire for their brand. McDonald’s Shamrock Shake makes headlines every February and lets us know spring is just around the corner. The Shamrock Shake was introduced in 1970, well before the pot of gold promise of the Apple Watch. McDonald’s knows a good thing when it invents one: Shamrock Shake is an anticipated harbinger of fast-fleeting spring. 

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Mars Chocolate introduced a limited-edition M&M in 1998 that had consumers going wild. When they took the Crispy M&M’s off the shelf seven years later, they created a scarcity that prompted phone calls and Facebook groups demanding their return. In 2015, when they returned to the market, they had the buzz they needed to boost sales.

Mallomars has used scarcity since long before the invention of the first Apple computer. The chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies were originally limited to manufacturing during the months of September through March in 1913, before the invention of chilled trucks. Today, even with chilled trucks, Nabisco has kept the limited-time offer to create scarcity and, certainly, desire. 

When thinking “like Apple” about how to leverage scarcity and exclusivity, there are several key points to remember: 

  • Educate your loyalists. Be sure to let your loyal customers know about the launch first and maybe even in advance. They are primed to advocate on your behalf and create the pre-launch excitement for you.
  • Activate influencers. Get the product in the hands of targeted influencers; they will be sure help create desire and demand among your key audience.
  • Focus on the motivations for sharing. Let’s face it; people want to look good in front of their friends. They are likely to shout from the rooftops when they can portray themselves as “the first” or someone who is “in the know.” Leverage this and use it to fuel your advocates, influencers and loyalists. According to a Harris poll, 76% of brand advocates said they were more likely to repurchase after recommending a brand or product to someone else. Let them be the star of their network. 

So, CPG brands, let’s not leave all of the excitement and hype to the Apple Watch. Create scarcity. Mete out your product to your best customers first, and let the demand begin.

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