New York City readers may have noticed Borders signs and pushcarts around the city this week–all part of an unusual marketing campaign for a new book.
Today on the Morning Media Menu, we interviewed Aaron Shapiro, the CEO of the international digital agency, HUGE. Shapiro introduced his new book, Users Not Customers: Who Really Determines the Success of Your Business.
Shapiro explained his campaign: “We recruited a bunch of ex-Borders employees and they are pushing little book kiosks around the city in their old Borders uniform and everything else. They are selling the book and proselytizing the warning to people: ‘If you don’t make this transition, this same thing could happen’–they’re out of a job because their company wasn’t successful.”
The campaign also included billboards: “We put up a large billboard in Times Square that says ‘Now on Sale at Borders.’ Except tapped over the word ‘Borders’ is ‘Amazon.com.’ Then it says ‘Adapt your business before it’s too late.’ There are wildcat posters all around the city, warning people that if you don’t transition your business, you risk following the same fate as Borders.”