PPB April 2019

BRANDABLE Tinder FeelsThe Promotional Love A popular dating app launches a collection of branded merch. Online dating is ubiquitous. Dating apps? Even more so. Today there are far-reaching options for those seeking companionship or romance, from traditional web-based platforms like Match.com, eHarmony and OkCupid, to more specific, niche sites, like Equestrian Singles, Sea Captain Date and Farmers Only. Then there’s the slew of mobile apps, like Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel and Happn, with more being introduced to market each year. But one of the most popular mobile dating apps, especially amongst Millennials, is Tinder. Tinder uses location-based technology to match users with potential suitors within a preset locality. Daters are invited to peruse a sea of suitors by swiping through profiles to find who or what they’re seeking. The rules are simple: if you like a profile, swipe right, and if you don’t, swipe left. If both users “like” each other, they are matched and allowed to message privately. If one or both users swipe left, no match is made, and the process continues. But according to the company website, many, many matches have been made thus far—more than 30 billion spanning 190 countries, with an average of one million dates each week. That’s sure a lot of mingling. To celebrate its couples who found love and to spice things up for enthusiastic users, Tinder entered the promotional products space—just in time for Valentine’s Day. The company found its match in Stradivarius, a lifestyle brand based in Spain, collaborating to design a branded tee collection boasting flirty and comical sayings. “Love Me Tinder” is being marketed as the romantic option, while “I’m Your Right Swipe” is said to be about empowerment and “You looked taller on Tinder” underscores honesty; three characteristics that make for a quality relationship—and Tinder experience. The shirts are currently available in all Stradivarius stores and online. WATERCOOLER Payless’s Palessi Publicity Stunt What we can learn from the store’s faux luxury line. It’s safe to say that Payless ShoeSource may have seen better days. The discount shoe store, which recently announced the closing of all its 2,100 locations across the United States and Puerto Rico this year, was once the go-to destination for busy moms, back-to-school wear and, of course, for scoring last-minute finds. The reasons? The rise in storefront costs, the shift to shopping online versus in-store and the disruption from web-based giants, like Amazon. To stay relevant during a time of radiant creativity, with new brands surfacing constantly, Payless decided to jump on board—by launching a faux luxury line. Dubbed Palessi after fictional Italian designer Bruno Palessi, Payless temporarily took over an Armani store in Santa Monica, California, where it announced the line during a two-day, invitation-only launch party. The company used a myriad of advertising tactics, like displaying the shoes on glass shelves or being worn by lavish gold mannequins, and the use of a sophisticated website and sleek Instagram page. The entry to the launch party, which was attended by fashion influencers, included velvet ropes and a camera crew. Unbeknownst to attendees, the Palessi brand was selling Payless shoes, which typically ranged from $20 to $40, for $200 to $600. One guest at the party purchased a $36 pair for a whopping $640. When the event culminated, Payless revealed its secrets, returned the customers’ money and offered them a stipend to be featured in a Payless commercial. The plan behind the stunt was to remind customers that Payless shoes are so well crafted, they are indistinguishable from high-end brands—and are sold for a much lower price tag. The reveal was met with mixed feelings. Some guests said it was crafty advertising for Payless to use its own resources, essentially, to leverage exposure. Others claimed it was wrong for Payless to deceive the influencers who attended the party. But all in all, Payless’s stunt revealed the power of marketing. Although the company’s efforts didn’t necessarily pay off in the long term, the event generated media coverage and indicated the effectiveness of staging on consumers’ perception. The effort was so effective that some influencers were willing to pay 17 times the original price—an impressive, and perhaps unexpected, outcome. 68 | APRIL 2019 | THINK