Was Nando’s Mango Gate a genius marketing move?
See whether the sensational stunt helped or hurt the PERi-PERi brand.
When the iconic Big Mango in north Queensland went missing in the last week of February, Australians were puzzled at who could possibly steal a 10-meter, seven-tonne mango installation – and more importantly, why?
Overnight everyone was calling it the great “Mango Gate” heist. Until Nando’s revealed they “borrowed” the Big Mango as part of a buzz campaign for its newly launched Mango and Lime flavour PERi-PERi.
Newsworthy success
The brilliance of the campaign was in drumming up headline-grabbing news that captured the attention of media outlets, said Nigel Patient, Managing Director at Head Mark, a brand and marketing agency.
He said, ultimately, the buzz campaign achieved its main goal in spades: To let everyone know about the new Mango and Lime-flavored menu at Nando’s with nationwide coverage and a relatively minimal advertising budget.
“When it comes to launching a new product it is bloody difficult to get the journalists interested in running your story unless it is something really newsworthy. By taking this approach they have created something newsworthy which then enables them to get their actual message across—Nando’s have a new mango and lime sauce,” said Patient.
“The stunt has to tie in with the brand’s personality, in Nando’s case they are known for being a little unconventional. So it works,” he added.
Criticisms and sustainability
But Patient noted that Nando’s may have left itself vulnerable to criticisms by going this splashy promotions route.
“It’s a great way to create a buzz and some interest in a new product, without spending dollars on media placement. It does however come with risks. You are opening your brand up to scrutiny because it can encourage bad behaviour by individuals, as well as negative comments from customers about other elements in your business.”
Patient cited comments disparaging the quality of chickens served at Nando’s, and suggestions that the brand spend their money on improving their product rather than stunts.
“You have to be ready to respond on any negative comments instantly otherwise your hard work can become undone in a matter of minutes. That’s the power of social media,” he said.
The Nando’s stunt may have generated a lot of media mileage and got people to talk about the new Mango and Lime menu, but to call it marketing genius would be a stretch if there are no follow-up promotions to sustain the initial hype, reckons Mark Cario, Managing Director at The Marketing Revolution, a retail marketing agency with specialist expertise and experience in local marketing for the retail and franchise industries.
“It’s a fun clever one off stunt to raise awareness, but without an ongoing strategy it will be quickly be forgotten and then what. Marketing genius would be the development and execution of a coordinated plan over a period of time, which included a range of activities which might include this stunt,” said Cario.
