How to "Heat Up" Your Marketing

In efforts to promote Burn This at Performance Network Theatre and to make way around a generic 11x17 poster, we came together as a staff and created something worthwhile. Not every opportunity is as hot as this one, we but thought of some small adjustments we could make to heat up our marketing.

Look familiar? A giant stack of posters and the nagging in 

your brain wondering if it was really worth it...

We took the promo posters to the extra mile in the hopes that they'll get people talking. After all, isn't that the point?

Step 1. 

We left a 4-in margin at the bottom of the poster to leave room for burning, but it was actually too much room. I recommend 2 1/2 inches instead. (The ripping effect along the bottom and the side provided an appropriate stressed look, however!)

Step 2.

GO OUTSIDE and use a torch to burn along the edges. Give it extra burns all over the page to make it look authentic.

Step 3.

Dip the burnt edges in tea to increase the brown-tint left behind by the flames. (Raspberry tea left the most tint!! Mmmm.)

Step 4.

Put them out there! Every poster will be 100% original and it sends the message that you took the time to create something AWESOME for your audience to look at. And you'll have fun doing it.

To Hang or Not to Hang?: Four Reasons to Say No to 11x17 Posters

Four Reasons to Say No to 11x17 Posters

(...but there's always room for healthy debate.)

1) Money Out the Window: If you order a bunch and happen to make a good deal with your printer, you're looking at about one dollar per a piece for a one-way communication device with a 2-10 week lifespan. But the spending doesn't stop there. Commissioning a designer to create a post-worthy poster costs time and creative energy.  And where would our posters be without the Interns of America? It takes an average of 10 minutes to hang one poster (between driving, walking, asking permission, and posting). 

2) Fear the Wall: This is not effective communication! This is clutter. Unless you have a compelling poster  (which doesn't always happen) your poster will be swallowed and surely covered by other meh-worthy paper bits.

3) Not Everyone Works in Your Organization: Have marketers ever considered the illusion that posters raise awareness is because we're prone to recognizing our brand? Of course you're going to notice your organizations posters everywhere, but how often do you actively seek opportunities by looking at posters?  People want to interact. Not be shouted at by an organization. Posters are not what's causing people to jam through your doors - YOU ARE!

4) There's Enough Waste in This World:  "It is a source of beauty. And without paper, it could not have happened... Unless, you had a camera." - Michael Scott. We live in a world that has too much waste and not enough trees. Think of how many ways your organization can SAVE per season if you eliminated posters all together. 

I believe every problem has a solution. Challenge and inspire your designers to create different forms of print. Target areas and locations and hang their innovative designs somewhere that matters. Take the money you would spend on a typical size to print and spend that on a round cut or a bigger landscape. Or branded coasters! Or temporary tattoos! Anything! All I'm saying folks - 11x17 posters should not be a go-to.