A surprising experience

Joss Davidge, Business Director of brand experience agency BEcause, continues his weekly search for innovative marketing ideas. This week he looks how confectionary brand Mikado got people talking with a surprising sampling campaign.

Using an element of surprise is a common thread through many experiential campaigns.  Disrupting someone’s normal day-to-day with something interesting, fun and stimulating can leave a lasting impression.  This week I have found a nice campaign from Kraft confectionary brand Mikado, which exploits the element of surprise and gives shoppers something to talk about.
 
Mikado installed a vending machine in a shopping centre in France and posed the question “Should you always accept a packet of Mikado?”. Consumers were invited to take a sample box of Mikado from the vending machine on stage, and many succeeded in doing so.  Unbeknown to the gathering crowds, a few actors were placed in the mix.  When they pressed the button a trap door opened and they vanished.  A short sketch, which featured the recently lost soul, was then played on the big screen - much to the delight of the assembled crowd.
 
The experience is extended through YouTube where you can select a victim to drop through the trap door from a choice of five. I am sure that this fun campaign has given the shoppers and online viewers a great impression of the brand and that it may well influence purchase decisions in the future.

Read more from Joss Davidge in our Clubhouse.