Raking it in without
breaking your soul

Solving Real Problems

Laptops were supposed to be a symbol of freedom from the chains of the desktop computer. It was sold like You can work anywhere!

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But it ended up being more like: You can work. Anywhere.

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Ash Ambridge has been talking about how tech was supposed to save us but it actually only made it possible for us to work even more. Crap.

That pace increased even more when we all went work-from-home. In that time, according to one source, the work day increased 2.5 hours.

NO THANKS!

Enter Heineken.

Yes, Heineken.

The beer company that was a central feature of your undergrad days.

They invented a tech-enabled beer bottle opener that automatically shuts down your laptop and any work-related apps.

Friends.

I haven’t had a Heineken since 2004 but I kinda want one now.

Because this is genius.

This marketing campaign hits the Surprise and Delight buttons for consumers.

And it solves a real world problem.

The bottle opener isn’t even their main product. Nor will it ever be. They only produced a limited number and, sorry, your window of opportunity is over for now.

But it was an ancillary product that led people to their main seller.

The bottle opener is a tool that lets the beer drinker become the marketer. You know someone is taking that to the next party, with a case of Heines, and showing everyone how it works.

Think about this the next time you’re looking for a thank you gift for clients, some conference swag, or a small product to add to your ladder. No one needs another totebag.

What could you do instead that aligns with your brand, solves a real problem, and makes people smile?

We usually think of marketing as paid ads or social media posts but – especially because everyone else is zigging digital – when you zag physical, you corner the attention.

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