Recently, I encountered such an outrageously bad marketing tactic, contrasted with a fantastic marketing tactic, that I wanted to share it with you. No, there’s nothing about PowerPoint in this article, but I thought it was important enough to share with you.
What is up with this kiosk?
I was in the Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania. While waiting for my flight, I came across the kiosk pictured above.
It’s an advertisement for a local window installer. Inside you can see there’s a window of the type the installer is selling. There are brochures available for the taking and a little mail slot for slipping in an estimate form so that the window installer can contact you.
Overall, the kiosk idea would have been good except for one teeny tiny thing, hardly worth mentioning, really. Who is the advertiser targeting? Is it a frequent business traveler from out of town? Is it a family embarking on vacation? Seriously, I couldn’t come up with a single good reason that anybody would advertise this type of business in an international airport.
Location, location, location!
The target market for this service would be people like homeowners or landlords, right? How many of these people potentially travel through this airport? Wouldn’t a better location for this kiosk be a mall, a local fair, or a home show? Anyplace but the Harrisburg International Airport!
Window installations are probably dead last on your typical traveler’s to-do list. And I’m sure that renting an airport kiosk that is seen by hundreds of people every day can’t be cheap. Did the advertiser not connect the dots?
Here’s a business that gets it
Further exploration of the terminal revealed this business:
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Sensory Mini Spa. If this doesn’t look like a license to print money, I don’t know what does. In just a few minutes, weary travelers can unwind and ease their troubles away with a quick massage. With its accent lighting, carpeted floors, un-airportlike furnishings, and soothing music it’s a peaceful oasis in an otherwise chaotic airport.
I can think of no better place for a business of this kind! They offer a quick service, the walls are made of glass so passengers can keep an eye on their gates, and it’s a great antidote to a stressful day. In short, they are delivering a valuable service that people need in a place that offers few other options.
Your turn
I’ve presented you with two busineses, each advertising in a high-profile location. Which do you think is the better investment, the kiosk or the business space?