Flossie’s Man Vending Machine is a fantastic example of how to get your message across in an incredibly effective way without resorting to traditional advertising.
Their website claims that “Whatever You Need, It’s On Us”, and they wanted to prove it by offering the women of New Zealand
a big vending machine, packed full of real, live, single men (and a few vibrators) to satisfy women of all ages.
Their crew constructed the vending machine using a Coke machine from the 80s, and they held an Idol style competition to select the men, including Mr. Romantic, Mr. Rich, and Mr. Action.
Then, they put the machine on the street and let nature take its course:
Obviously the women that stumbled across this Man Vending Machine were more than a little surprised when a real, live, single man popped out, and you can imagine how many times the story got told over and over and passed along to friends of friends of friends, so the relatively small cost of a vending machine and a few men looking for dates was well worth the word of mouth exposure that this little stunt provided.
The Good:
- Creative thinking keeps costs down but still delivers good results.
- Perfectly targeted the intended market.
The Bad:
- Only a few people at a time can experience the ad.
The Future:
- ‘On the street’ advertising allows you to interact directly with consumers, and creates a lasting personal connection.
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Sun, Oct 12, 2008
Outdoor