Ever since online social networking giant Twitter launched the short-video sharing platform Vine in early 2013, Internet marketers have been paying close attention to how certain brands are taking advantage of this new social media outlet. It’s no secret that Vine is a mobile powerhouse with more than 40 million users. The positive marketing results have been astounding thus far, and the eight brands discussed below are great examples of how marketing on Vine can not just generate buzz but also increase brand recognition.
Urban Outfitters
https://vine.co/v/b5HEYV0IQPJ
This brand has always been on the cutting edge of lightning-fast trends of today’s youth culture. Just five days after Vine was officially launched by Twitter, Urban Outfitters was explaining the app in a short blog post with a neat video of adorable puppies. What makes their marketing effort really stand out is that they were able to encapsulate exactly what the new video sharing network accomplished: GIFs with sound. Since that day, Urban Outfitters has not stopped feeding the Vine machine with videos they know will achieve viral status while extending their brand’s online reach.
General Electric
https://vine.co/v/bXJAmFLBaat
This venerable brand is known for everything from home appliances to financial services and rocket engines to sustainable energy projects. With such a great range of business and asset diversity, it is sometimes be difficult for General Electric to focus on marketing efforts that cultivate a hip image. This industry giant may not have warmed up to Vine as fast as Urban Outfitters, but its entry in August 2013 was nothing less than fascinating.
Science is the most unifying aspect of General Electric’s business success. The company’s #6SecondScienceFair identified the rising stars of Vine and recruited them to make amazing six-second videos that portrayed cool science projects with flair and visual style. As expected, the classic volcano eruption school science fair project was not missing from the video collection, but the light bulb powered by a potato was unforeseen by many. The best part about GE’s Vine science fair marketing campaign was its integration with Tumblr, another social network of great interest among young users.
Silicon Beach Training
https://vine.co/v/bPwZxagDaud
This digital media marketing firm from Brighton capitalizes on Vine by succinctly explaining Vine. Skeptic business owners may remain Vine doubters even after watching a few videos and playing around with the mobile app. Silicon Beach Training effectively compares Vines to elevator pitches in the sense that the six-second video length should be approached as a challenge and not as a limitation. This marketing firm actually shared their first attempt at Vine on their website and invited visitors to follow them on Twitter as they became more proficient. They delivered on their promise and now have thousands of followers.
Lowe’s
https://vine.co/v/hYW0hYPF3uH
“The medium is the message.”
Canadian media philosopher Marshall McLuhan very likely had something like Vine in mind when he made that memorable observation. To this effect, home improvement retail giant Lowe’s seems to understand that Vine’s six-second medium is clearly the message behind the #LowesFixInSix video campaign of quick home improvement tips. Lowe’s had previously used its website and social media presence to share these tips in text form, but Vine proved to be a more effective outlet. Some are mundane tips made more attractive by the Vine format, but tips such as removing stripped screws with a rubber band are amazing.
Bacardi Rum
https://vine.co/v/bnqj5qmnIwQ
Similar to Lowe’s and General Electric, the popular and esteemed Bacardi brand of Puerto Rican rums took a practical approach to Vine with its nifty #SixSecondCocktail collection of short online videos. These ultra-short cocktail recipe videos teach viewers exactly what they need to know. As expected, the Bacardi brand is prominently displayed in the different cocktail recipes, and the presentation is clever and unpretentious.
Malibu Rum has also taken to vine, but their approach is a little different – they chose to tell a short story about how pineapple juice and Malibu are perfect for each other instead of providing a practical video. Still, Malibu’s approach to Vine is effective and commendable insofar as extending brand reach, entertaining audiences and establishing a social media presence. These are the types of Vine videos that mobile users enjoy sharing.
20th Century Fox
https://vine.co/v/bDExaiMjJ1F
Television commercial producers have experienced mixed results with Vine, and one of the reasons for their less-than-stellar attempt to compress their original creations down to six seconds. Film trailer producers, on the other hand, have experience going from movie theater trailers to TV commercials and from film festival previews to YouTube. Announcing a new film on Vine can hardly be called a trailer or preview; it’s more like a teaser. (Which may explain why 20th Century Fox chose “tweaser” to describe its Vine announcement of its 2013 feature film The Wolverine.) The Vine tease of The Wolverine was well-received, especially since it actually directed viewers to MTV’s website for a longer trailer. Film producers may have to dig deeper when creating Vine teasers for movies not as action-packed. Another film production label chose to split the entire 2012 dark comedy It’s a Disaster into multiple Vines, which did not have the same impact as The Wolverine.
Taco Bell
https://vine.co/v/bvlaYggdIiU
Thanks to Taco Bell, Internet marketers know that Vine is an excellent platform for product launch campaigns. The fast-food giant’s Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos was one of the most popular in 2013, and it made use of Vine in a very clever fashion. In the past, Taco Bell had made extensive use of social media to promote other Doritos menu items, and so its choice of Vine did not come as a surprise. In fact, Taco Bell’s presence on Vine proved to be very timely as it was covered and dissected by popular websites such as Buzzfeed.
NBC New York
https://vine.co/v/b5PlQO6lQId
Brevity is a challenge that all news media providers encounter regularly. Many journalists feel obligated to add context to their content when a news story is short. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it often results in a news story that feels over drawn. This is not the case with Vine, particularly when it comes to delivering breaking news.
When a dolphin became entangled in the Gowanus Creek Canal of Brooklyn last year, local network affiliate NBC New York broke the news via Vine. There was no need to add too much context or stretch the story of the trapped dolphin, which ultimately died; however, breaking the news on Vine prompted people from around the world to visit the NBC New York website and follow the story.
Vine can be a great platform to market your business or brand. It’s not only a mobile platform, but it’s also web friendly now. Have questions or suggestions about what does or doesn’t work on vine? Leave a comment below!
Image Source via Vine.Co
