The Marketing Strategy No One Expected: How notwoways’ CCTV Footage Transformed Formula Zoysia’s Success
- Published: 25/09/2024
- 9 minutes read
How notwoways' CCTV Footage Transformed Formula Zoysia’s Success
- Published: 25/09/2024
- 9 minutes read
Introduction
In the rapidly changing and fast-based marketing environment, brands constantly strive to come up with something out of the box to gain a competitive advantage. notwoways is a shoe brand that did an excellent job with this thinking-outside-the-box type of marketing strategy. They created a viral video format combining CCTV and guerrilla marketing for the Formula Zoysia collection promotional campaign.
In this blog, we will dive deep into the magic behind the notwoways CCTV ad, uncovering why it resonated with audiences and how your brand can harness this powerful marketing tactic.
The Formula Zoysia Campaign: Blending CCTV with Guerrilla Marketing
@notwoways introducing formula ZOYSIA - live 26th march.
♬ original sound - notwoways
Formula Zoysia breaks away from traditional advertising with notwoways’ idea of using CCTV footage captured in high-traffic streets and retail areas. They decided not to film an overly produced ad and instead wished for footage from surveillance cameras that displayed real people walking in their sneakers on crowded city streets or malls.
This tactic resonated with people because it was real. It captured an audience who appreciated unscripted, genuine content made by real people, showing products in the actual urban environment, not in fake settings on a billboard or white table. This approach produced a genuine narrative that seemed more than welcome compared to the hyper-polished “freedom of speech” consuming the apparel market.
Meanwhile, the campaign was also a textbook example of guerrilla marketing — employing various unconventional, often low-cost tactics to get maximum results. By repurposing CCTV footage, notwoways cut production costs while producing a video that felt spontaneous and real. That super efficiency in the use of resources is the definition of guerrilla marketing – when a surprising idea trumps the advantage that scale would bring.
The Formula Zoysia Campaign: Blending CCTV with Guerrilla Marketing
Formula Zoysia breaks away from traditional advertising with notwoways’ idea of using CCTV footage captured in high-traffic streets and retail areas. They decided not to film an overly produced ad and instead wished for footage from surveillance cameras that displayed real people walking in their sneakers on crowded city streets or malls.
This tactic resonated with people because it was real. It captured an audience who appreciated unscripted, genuine content made by real people, showing products in the actual urban environment, not in fake settings on a billboard or white table. This approach produced a genuine narrative that seemed more than welcome compared to the hyper-polished “freedom of speech” consuming the apparel market.
Meanwhile, the campaign was also a textbook example of guerrilla marketing — employing various unconventional, often low-cost tactics to get maximum results. By repurposing CCTV footage, notwoways cut production costs while producing a video that felt spontaneous and real. That super efficiency in the use of resources is the definition of guerrilla marketing – when a surprising idea trumps the advantage that scale would bring.
@notwoways introducing formula ZOYSIA - live 26th march.
♬ original sound - notwoways
Why is CCTV a New Approach to Advertising Authenticity?
notwoways’ use of CCTV footage as a marketing tool was not just a creative twist; it was a strategic decision to highlight authenticity. There is an increasing need for actual, relevant content at a time when highly produced and carefully edited ads flood the consumers.notwoways took CCTV footage, generally associated with security, to depict their sneakers worn in everyday scenes. By doing this, they were able to seamlessly integrate into the fabric of daily urban life. The moments captured are real-world, with people walking on a city street, shopping, or commuting. The Formula Zoysia sneakers fit into these moments.
The ad sparked excitement, and viewers enthusiastically expressed their thrill in the comments, proving its powerful impact.
This strategy made the brand seem much more transparent and relevant to its target audience of sneakerheads and urban dwellers. The raw and undirected video offered a touch of originality and familiarity that was great for building trust with the audience.
Why is CCTV a New Approach to Advertising Authenticity?
notwoways’ use of CCTV footage as a marketing tool was not just a creative twist; it was a strategic decision to highlight authenticity. There is an increasing need for actual, relevant content at a time when highly produced and carefully edited ads flood the consumers.notwoways took CCTV footage, generally associated with security, to depict their sneakers worn in everyday scenes. By doing this, they were able to seamlessly integrate into the fabric of daily urban life. The moments captured are real-world, with people walking on a city street, shopping, or commuting. The Formula Zoysia sneakers fit into these moments.
The ad sparked excitement, and viewers enthusiastically expressed their thrill in the comments, proving its powerful impact.
This strategy made the brand seem much more transparent and relevant to its target audience of sneakerheads and urban dwellers. The raw and undirected video offered a touch of originality and familiarity that was great for building trust with the audience.
Guerrilla Marketing in Action: High-Impact, Low-Cost Marketing Tactics
The most important aspect of why notwoways campaign stood out was its clever use of guerrilla marketing. These strategies use unconventional, low-cost, high-impact approaches to disrupt the traditional marketing environment by using an unexpected venue or method in public spaces. Here, notwoways used the existing CCTV footage from urban areas and retail spaces.
This concept not only kept production costs minimal (compared to a TV campaign, for example) but also used an invisible infrastructure in the real world to generate awareness about their product. There was no big-budget shoot, but the impact came from the simplicity and originality of the footage.
Key elements of guerrilla marketing that notwoways leveraged in this campaign include:
1. Surprise factor: Unexpectedly using CCTV footage, catching their audience’s attention.
2. Authenticity: The footage’s real-world context made the campaign feel genuine, aligning with the brand’s positioning.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: By using footage that was already available, they reduced production costs without sacrificing impact.
These guerrilla tactics allowed notwoways to reach their audience in an engaging, memorable way without needing to rely on expensive advertising or complex production processes.
The Role of CCTV in Data-Driven Marketing
notwoways didn’t choose random locations to gather their CCTV footage. They utilized a data-driven model to identify areas, where their target audience, urban sneaker enthusiasts, was most probably the pedestrian stepping stones. Through evaluating the foot traffic in the high-pedestrian traffic urban scenes and the retail locations, notwoways practically confirmed that the feed they caught was genuine and that it matched their desired customer base.
The method exemplified here emphasizes the role of creativity and data in the modern marketing landscape. The campaign’s uniqueness and authenticity were delivered through the CCTV footage, whereas the campaign’s data analysis guaranteed its right context to the right audience.
Privacy and Ethical Considerations in Using CCTV in Marketing Strategy
The use of recorded CCTV footage in promotional videos as part of an innovative marketing strategy presents a problem that is associated with using privacy in an ethical and legal manner. People from notwoways managed to overcome this by making sure that they used only footage where permission was acquired, and the individuals who appeared were either unidentified or had consented.
Being transparent was critical for the success of this campaign. notwoways assured their audience how the assets would be used and provided a choice for voluntarily participating in the campaign for people who did not wish to take part in it. It helped them earn the trust of the audience and proved that the brand was responsible for its marketing strategies.
What Can We Learn from notwoways?
notwoways’ Formula Zoysia campaign offers several valuable lessons for the brands willing to integrate similar innovative marketing strategies:
1. Use Authentic Content
Nowadays, people want more than just the perfect aesthetically pleasing ad; they wish to see the real thing, the core of the brand. Using archival footage like CCTV adds more credibility to marketing ads.
2. Adopt Guerrilla Marketing Tactics
Brands can make an impact through guerrilla marketing. Do not be afraid to brainstorm and examine various ideas for how to best adapt them for your campaign.
3. Engage Your Audience
Making customers take part in your campaign creates a special bond between them and your brand, thus enhancing brand loyalty. User-generated content is a powerful strategy for driving organic growth.
4. Prioritize Privacy
When working with CCTV footage, ethical issues should always be the first consideration.
Whenever images or segments of personal data are needed, follow all protocols to protect customers’ privacy.
The Future of CCTV as part of Guerrilla Marketing
With the changes in marketing strategies, it is anticipated that more and more brands will incorporate the use of CCTV footage and guerrilla marketing in their campaigns. The Zoysia campaign of notwoways raised the bar on how brands can merge the two approaches for creating cost-effective and high-yield marketing strategies.
This trend can also be seen in the rise in relevance of marketing activities that are supported by the analysis of customer behavior data in justifying the campaigns and strategies.
Conclusion
notwoways’ Formula Zoysia campaign is a great example of how a brand strategically uses CCTV footage and guerilla marketing for campaigns that will stick in one’s memory for a long while. Combining the elements of authenticity, creativity, and data, notwoways developed an innovative marketing strategy that was beautifully aligned with its audience but at the same time did not require a huge production budget.
For brands in general, this case is very educational in terms of the importance of creativity and constant inventive marketing tactics. Whether it is CCTV footage, some amateur video, or guerilla marketing actions, there are plenty of ways how brands may reach and engage their customers in a different and better way.
If you found this marketing strategy intriguing, wait until you see the others we’ve uncovered—explore our latest insights like Dollar Shave Club vs Gillette: How Copy Makes a Brand Stand Out to discover even more powerful tactics that could transform your brand.