You might spend months coming up with the perfect strategy, but sometimes you simply have to recognize a great opportunity.
Home Depot spotted a chance to connect with customers through an unlikely friend: Woody, from Toy Story fame.
It all began when a customer left a Woody toy behind at the Plaistow, New Hampshire Home Depot parking lot.
Rather than simply tossing Woody in to a lost-and-found bin, the employee fitted old Woody with a Home Depot apron and began posing the doll helping out around the store.
Woody got a chance to pitch in across a number of departments, mixing up some fun in the paint department and testing a chainsaw for the store. An employee began posting the pictures on social media to help connect Woody with his owner and create some fun around Woody’s visit.
The posts took off, with one customer even purchasing a Buzz Lightyear toy to keep Woody company while he waited to go home. Eventually, Wood was reunited with his two-year-old owner, but not before Home Depot and their customers had a lot of fun with him.
Woody’s Charm
The photos were successful in helping the store reconnect Woody with his owner, but they did much more. Home Depot was able to show a human, authentic side to a large retail organization while communicating that its stores were fun and silly. It also demonstrated their care for customers and the importance of one toy to a child.
The Takeaway
Before you start surreptitiously snatching toys from your customers’ kids, there’s a lesson here that can be applied to your marketing strategy:
- Develop a great strategy, but be ready to grab an unexpected opportunity to connect with your customers.
- When you genuinely care about your customers, it will play out in unusual ways. Home Depot’s ability to inspire a customer to purchase a buddy for Woody probably isn’t an accident; they prioritize customers.
- Remember that you’re a person, connecting with another person, even when you’re in B2B marketing. Look for ways to relate authentically.
Do you need help making room for the unexpected in your marketing strategy? Contact us at SJC Marketing, where we have ideas for authentic connection with your audience.