Having worked at a digital marketing agency, I’ve seen dozens of marketing tactics at work.
But none quite like buzz marketing.
It can make news about a new product spread like wildfire, lighting up social media and sparking water-cooler conversations far and wide.
Curious yet?
In this post, I’ll cover the definition of buzz marketing, why it works and give you more than 10 awe-inspiring buzz marketing examples to get your brain “buzzing” with excitement!
Ready to see some really cool marketing campaigns at work?
Let’s get started.
What is Buzz Marketing?
Buzz marketing is a form of viral marketing designed to create conversation and excitement around a product or brand.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “aren’t all marketing tactics supposed to do that?”
Well, yeah — but buzz marketing takes it a step further by creating content or hosting an event that grabs people’s attention.
Think of a regular TV commercial vs a Super Bowl ad. While regular TV commercials can be great (and they advertise products well enough), I doubt you’ve ever found yourself talking about them at work the next day or posting about them on social media. Super bowl ads are especially funny, emotional or shocking, and they get people talking and posting about the brand.
That’s why they’re considered a form of buzz marketing.
Why is Buzz Marketing Important?
Buzz marketing can do wonders for brand awareness, reach each potential customer en masse, and even turn your brand into a trending topic on a social media platform.
Especially if you’re a newer brand, and the standard marketing techniques just aren’t giving your brand enough reach.
But even if you’re a well-known brand, buzz marketing can amp up public excitement about a new product launch, making your sales numbers skyrocket.
11 Successful Buzz Marketing Campaign Examples to Inspire Your Own
Now — speaking of rockets, let’s take a look at some of the best buzz marketing campaigns in recent years.
1. The Red Bull Stratos Jump
Red Bull‘s high-altitude skydiving stunt is the perfect example of buzz marketing done right.
The energy drink company teamed up with skydiver Felix Baumgartner to perform a record-breaking jump from the edge of space, a feat that captured the attention of the world.
The live-streamed event attracted millions of views, reinforcing Red Bull’s brand message of pushing limits and living life on the edge.
2. The Blair Witch Project
This indie horror film turned the usual marketing playbook on its head, demonstrating that you don’t always need a Hollywood budget to create an enormous buzz.
By cleverly deploying a mix of digital and guerrilla marketing tactics, the filmmakers generated a cloud of mystery and suspense around the “found footage.”
They claimed the footage was real, sparking curiosity and debate across internet forums and chat rooms.
This strategy led to a massive box-office success, underscoring the power of intrigue in catching your audience’s attention.
Unconventional tactics can sometimes yield the most compelling results, so don’t be afraid to challenge marketing norms.
3. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
When buzz marketing aligns with a meaningful cause, it can result in an unprecedented wave of positive engagement.
This is evident in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge buzz campaign.
This simple yet effective viral marketing campaign involved people dumping a bucket of ice-cold water over their heads to raise awareness and funds for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) research.
High-profile celebrities, athletes, and ordinary folks participated, posting their chilly escapades on social media and nominating others to do the same.
The campaign not only led to significant donations for ALS research but also raised global awareness about the disease.
This highlights how shared experiences, especially those rooted in empathy and goodwill, can resonate widely and cultivate a strong sense of community.
4. Warby Parker’s “Home Try-On” Campaign
Warby Parker shook up the eyewear industry with its innovative “Home Try-On” campaign.
Instead of the traditional route of choosing glasses in a store, Warby Parker offered customers the chance to select five frames online, which were then shipped to their homes for a free five-day trial.
This fresh approach not only created significant buzz but also emphasized the company’s commitment to customer convenience and satisfaction.
It reminds us that disrupting the norm and prioritizing customer needs are powerful tools for standing out in a crowded market.
5. Tesla’s Cybertruck Reveal
No stranger to the spotlight, Elon Musk managed to stun the world yet again with the unveiling of Tesla‘s Cybertruck.
Its futuristic, polygonal design looked like something straight out of a science fiction film, and it became a hotly debated topic overnight.
For days, social media platforms were abuzz with opinions and memes about the vehicle. Even though not everyone was a fan, Tesla succeeded in generating enormous attention for the Cybertruck and the brand.
With this bold campaign, Tesla managed to reach beyond its typical audience to a broader demographic that may not have been previously engaged.
6. Nike’s Colin Kaepernick Ad
Nike sparked a major controversy with an ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, the NFL player famous for taking a knee during the national anthem to protest racial inequality.
The campaign, with the tagline “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” made a powerful statement that resonated with many.
It also stirred up heated debates both online and offline, making Nike a dominant topic of conversation for weeks.
This strategy is a good example of aligning a brand with current social issues to spark conversation, even though it may be divisive.
Standing up for what you believe in can evoke strong emotions and reactions, driving significant engagement and attention towards the brand.
7. The iPhone Launch
Apple is the master of building anticipation. The secrecy around the features of their new iPhone models prior to launch creates a sense of mystery and intrigue among consumers.
The brand’s strategy of only releasing limited details and keeping the rest under wraps fuels rumors and speculation, generating enormous buzz in the tech world and beyond.
The hype around the iPhone launch is so intense that it often leads to consumers camping outside stores just to be among the first to own the latest model.
This example demonstrates that scarcity and exclusivity can be powerful tools to drum up interest and excitement, and that the promise of innovation can be just as enticing as the product itself.
8. Burger King’s Subservient Chicken
With this campaign, Burger King took the road less traveled. The fast-food chain created an interactive website featuring a man in a chicken costume who would perform any action typed in by users.
This bizarre and funny buzz campaign piqued the curiosity of internet users, leading to massive website traffic and intense discussion around the brand.
The sheer unpredictability and originality of the campaign made it memorable, demonstrating how thinking outside the box and embracing a bit of weirdness can generate buzz.
9. Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino
When Starbucks introduced its Unicorn Frappuccino for a limited time in 2017, the world went crazy!
This colorful concoction of pink powder blended into a crème Frappuccino with mango syrup, dusted with a blue drizzle, pink powder, and sour blue powder, quickly became an Instagram sensation.
Customers couldn’t resist snapping a picture of their vibrant beverage before savoring the sweet and sour taste.
Starbucks capitalized on the ‘Instagrammable’ aesthetic and FOMO (fear of missing out) factor, both of which contributed to creating an enormous buzz.
The takeaway message from this campaign? Understanding what appeals to your audience in a shared social environment can lead to impressive results.
10. IKEA’s BookBook
IKEA demonstrated its creativity and humor with its “BookBook” campaign in 2014, which parodied Apple’s product ads.
The Swedish furniture giant introduced its new catalogue as a “bookbook” with zero load time, eternal battery life, and a simple interface.
The video quickly garnered millions of views and shares, with viewers appreciating the tongue-in-cheek humor.
When done right, a dash of humor can lighten the mood, make your brand more relatable, and create a strong impression that lingers in people’s minds.
11. Google’s Year in Search
Each year, Google releases a video summarizing the year’s most popular search terms, which typically includes a mix of global news events, popular culture references, and breakout trends.
This ritual sparks discussion and anticipation, and effectively showcases Google’s essential role in everyday life.
From highlighting their technological prowess to subtly reminding users of their dependency on Google for information, the “Year in Search” campaign shows us the effectiveness of using user-generated content.
Buzz Marketing is Your Ticket to Unforgettable Campaigns
So what did you think of these buzz marketing examples?
Some of them were probably already seared in your mind from when you first saw them.
Others may have been completely new to you, but inspiring nonetheless.
One thing’s for sure: buzz marketing works!
So if you want to make sure your product is unforgettable — take a few tips from these marketing geniuses.
You’ll have your audience buzzing in no time!
