Week 8 EOC: Creative Concept

As stated before, the truck would be called Mobile Italy, and the approach to gaining customers would be made through Social Networking and Direct Marketing. It is very important that a base of customers is established as quickly as possible so that we not only have regular customers, but also the base to build on through their connections. I feel that a personal communication with them is essential, to make it feel at home (" Direct marketers communicate directly with customers, often on a one-to-one, interactive basis. Using detailed databases, they tailor their marketing offers and communications to the needs of narrowly defined segments or even individual buyers." p.445). A Facebook account would be essential to this. We start by adding their friends, and we have them suggest friends to the Facebook profile. While this is going on, event pages would be set up letting people know when and where the truck will be. This would not be for a specific day, but for each stop. Personal communication via Facebook and Twitter is also essential because of the potential to establish one-on-one relationships with the customers, hear their compliments and their concerns and their suggestions to improve the menu and quality of the food (“Because of the one-to-one nature of direct marketing, companies can interact with customers by phone or online, learn more about their needs, and tailor products and services to specific customer tastes. In turn, customers can ask questions and volunteer feedback” p.447). We would also introduce a blog on our website that keeps updates on where the truck has been, pictures from said events (with lines of people waiting and eating), as well as posting customer reviews and input. Also, any video taken of said events that are posted on YouTube would certainly be exploited on these blogs. It’s the best commercial material out there right now.

Since funds are obviously limited for our start, I feel this is the best approach right now apart from an ad campaign that would be too expensive to produce at this time. Not to mention the better broad range it can reach in this digital age. Getting set up is the hard part, but once established, it can become the best tool. (“’You’re talking about conversations between groups of friends,’ says one analyst. “And in those conversations a brand has no right to be there, unless the conversation is already about that brand.” Rather than intruding, marketers must learn to become a valued part of the online experience.” p.469)