What Snooki Can Teach Marketers

10 Marketing Tactics From the Jersey Shore

Snooki, star of MTV’s hit show Jersey Shore with her trademark big black hair and thick false eyelashes is unquestionably a pop culture phenomenon. But do you know that Snooki can also teach marketers a few things, especially when it comes to using social media marketing? Before you think that Snooki is too over-the-top for your rather staid firm, bear in mind that Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi has attracted over 1 million followers on Twitter with her larger than life personality, which is significantly more than many major brands.

10 Snooki Style Marketing Lessons

Here are ten tips that Snooki can teach marketers.

  1. Always be yourself. Even in front of the television camera, Snooki is always herself; she puts herself out there without pretension. Snooki doesn’t try to be someone else. What you see is what you get. How can you show your prospects, customers and the public what your company, products and brands are really like? Remember that in today’s social media environment, your audience may know more about your firm than you do!
  2. Brand matters. Known for her poofy hair and tight dresses, Snooki has her own sense of how to present herself. Similarly, marketers must think about how they present their organizations, brands and products. What image do you want to project? How will your customers and prospects respond? Remember you don’t want to have the next Gap rebrand fiasco on your hands. Additionally, think in terms of where your brand will appear and how to make it relevant to its surroundings.
  3. Be consistent. You have to hand it to Snooki; she’s dependable. Snooki’s attitude is this is who I am and her fans know what they’re getting. For marketers, this translates to delivering the same product or service regardless of what channel you are using. This can be difficult if you’re trying to adapt be what each of your different audiences wants.
  4. Get in shape for the public. Just as the Jersey Shore crew prepares for going out by going to the gym, working on their tan, and doing their laundry, marketers need to prepare for the public outings by ensuring that all parts of their marketing mix are integrated and that their product, operations and customer service can support transactions before they open their doors, online or offline.
  5. Let’s party! Snooki is always ready to have a good time and always brings her posse with her. What are you doing to socialize with your prospects, customers, fans and the public? Do you have a social media tribe? How do you make it easy for them to engage with your company? Do you and your target market have fun or is it all business? Remember you can’t always be focused on driving sales, especially when you’re on social media platforms.
  6. Don’t play it safe just because others do. Snooki doesn’t wait for someone to tell her how to act in any given situation. Nor does she necessarily choose the safest path. As a marketer, you need to think about when it’s worth jumping into the fray. For example with social media and other new technologies, being involved early can help you build credibility and a following.
  7. Always expect the unexpected. One thing’s for sure, you never know what Snooki is going to do or say. As a marketer in a social media world where every consumer has a megaphone and a following, you must be ready to respond. Therefore ensure that your company is ready for the unexpected whenever surprises arise about your firm, your customers or your competitors.
  8. Maximize those aspects of your offering that resonate with the public. Realizing that her look motivates fans to shop, Snooki jumped on this trend with licensing agreements. In terms of licensed product options, Snooki thinks broadly about where she influences her fans. Of course, as any licensing expert will tell you, it’s important to manage your brand and not let it get so overused that its value is diminished. Are you offering your prospects and customers the a full line of brand appropriate products to meet their needs? If you’re not sure, can you use your social media outreach, customer service and surveys to learn what is missing?
  9. Use the limelight to extend your reach. When the Jersey Shore producers were turned down trying to add to New Year’s festivities with a Snooki ball drop in the Times Square near MTV at the last moment, they held their party on the, you guessed it, the Jersey Shore. How is your firm using real-time events to get noticed and extend your audience? Are there major news-worthy issues with which you can associate your company?
  10. Use different content platforms. While Snooki made her name as the star of MTV’s hot television show The Jersey Shore, she’s not sitting back and resting between shows. She’s out there making public appearances and creating other forms of content from PR to social media to books to merchandise. Snooki’s a media magnet. Unlike others in the spotlight, Snooki provides upbeat panache with a New Jersey twist. A quick glance at her 1+ million twitter followers reveals she’s on to something, even if she doesn’t always get it right. In typical Snooki fashion, her book, A Shore Thing garnered extreme reviews on Amazon from a five star “It’s no Jane Austen” to a one star “Milking the cow for all it’s worth” How can you create content for other platforms? What different types of content could work for you and how can you promote them?

As a marketer, you need to consistently deliver what your prospects, customers, fans and the public want, just like Snooki. The challenge is to do so in a way that allows you to highlight your best features while engaging with the public.

Are there any other lessons that Snooki has taught us as marketers? If so, what are they and how can we use them? Please include your insights in the comments section below.

Happy marketing,
Heidi Cohen


Tip of my hat to Snooki and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew for inspiring this post.

Photo credit: ChicagoPhotoShop Via Flicker

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