Playfulness and responsibility in promotions

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2023/6-7.

Péter Geszti
marketing communication specialist, producer,
performing artist

Marketing communication specialist, producer and performing artist Péter Geszti gave the keynote speech at the event. He told: one of the reasons why he has always liked the communication business is that there is a playful side to it. Especially since the conquest of digital culture, as today not only large corporations can send messages to the consumers, but the consumers can also tell the companies what they want to. Mr Geszti underlined that one of the most important experiences from the past 20 years is that the thought itself must always be valuable – no matter whether we are talking about a price promotion, an image campaign or something else.

Let’s avoid clichés!

Péter Geszti reckons that playfulness is important in promotions, because when one has to communicate in compliance with strict rules, in a limited communication space, either with brands or people, then a living, attractive thought becomes the most important. When an advertisement communicates a price promotion, it tries to pass on the value of a product or product range with a discount, but because the focus is on being cheaper, typically it isn’t value that we associate with the product. Clichés don’t work, they devaluate the product, so we should never give up the urge to advertise it creatively and better than others.

Fame and credibility

Mr Geszti also talked about the influencer trend that started about 10 years ago. In his view companies like to use famous people when they are running out of new ideas. The credibility and relevance of these figures is essential, e.g. it is enough to think of the case of Kanye West and adidas. When the rapper was the face of the brand, he said something stupid and unacceptable, which caused serious damage to the brand and the whole collection had to be destroyed, because consumers associated negative messages with it.

Beyond sales promotion

Péter Geszti’s conclusion was that it is still sales promotion that sets then directions of campaigns. At the same time companies are doing a thousand things – from food saving to packaging-free solutions – for a more sustainable world. He showed videos of large firms all over the world finding exciting ways of doing something for the environment. Today a good promotion needs to be efficient, but also sustainable and send a message that is useful from the society’s perspective. The future requires new solutions and a new way of thinking: promotional activities that set a good example and serve the community. Plus in today’s world that is full of stimuli, it also has to be playful, innovative and sometimes even revolutionary.

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