November 7, 2002 / Marketing / Winter 2002

Get in Their Face

Written by Marketing Staff

Some of the most successful companies and products in the world rely heavily on something called “brand awareness” to boost sales. Brand awareness is the level at which people are able to recognize a certain product or company.

For example, when you see the “golden arches,” even without words, you know the product is from McDonalds.

You can use the same principles to boost yearbook sales awareness in your school. If people see promotion of the yearbook everywhere they look, they will be much more likely to remember to buy one. If the promotions are really good ones, they will also be more intrigued about the book and more likely to want one.

Below are some easy, creative ways you can boost “brand awareness” for your yearbook.

Toilet Times
What better place to target a captive audience than in the restroom? Signs posted on the mirrors, backs of stall doors and above urinals will be noticed.

Unfinished Poster
Pique everyone’s curiosity. Hang a blank banner up out of reach of any students. The next day, fill in only a few letters of some of the words that announce the upcoming yearbook sale. Each day, randomly add a few more letters. People will wonder about it for days until the message becomes clear (and they will remember it!)

Footprints
Cut out footprints in school colors. Stick them to the floor so they lead to a big poster announcing book sales.

Ceiling Signs
Hang signs on the ceiling. Putting them flat on the ceiling works, but you could also make small signs, one word at a time, and hang them in a series so as students walk down the hall, they get the whole message.

Buttons
Hang up posters around the school that read “Ask someone who knows.” All yearbook staffers should also wear buttons that say “I know.” When anyone asks them what it means, the staffer tells him or her about the upcoming yearbook sale, and gives them an “I know” sticker to wear.

Clock Signs
Students and teachers look at the clock all day long. Therefore, this is a valuable advertising location! Create clock signs to hang in the middle of the face, where they can be seen but will not hide the actual hands and numbers.

Soda Cans
Get permission from the administration to stick a mailing label or other sticker to the aluminum cans as they are being restocked in your school’s vending machines (stickers will not interfere with the operation of the machine).

These are just a few great ideas! For more ideas and in-depth information on everything from developing a ladder to selling a book, check out Walsworth’s brand new Yourbook yearbook curriculum.

2 Responses to “Get in Their Face”

March 03, 2011 at 11:01 pm, luke mckenzie said:

this was a great article i have a marketing background but i would not have thought of most of these things thank you very much

October 18, 2013 at 1:17 pm, Bria Battle said:

How can we keep the stickers on an aluminum can?? What if the can gets cold? Will the sticker fall off??

Comments are closed.

Marketing Staff

Marketing Staff reports are posts compiled by the Walsworth Yearbooks Marketing Department, covering a wide range of yearbook topics.