As the saying goes; curiosity killed the cat. Appeal to your year groups’ curious side by releasing a series of yearbook teasers ahead of the big reveal. You’ll probably be familiar with this type of campaign leading up to releases of new smartphones, cars and blockbuster films. Swear all yearbook committee and staff members to secrecy while the campaign rolls out and watch the anticipation build. Let’s talk about a few ideas used widely in the spheres of marketing.
Countdown to launch
Build anticipation with a countdown to a launch date. The launch date could be when you plan to start taking orders for your yearbook, or just to reveal what the project is. Put up posters simply stating a date (and a teaser strapline – see below), or post on social each day as a countdown: “seven days to go”, “six days to go”, etc. You could also release a small clue each day and encourage people to guess what’s happening! Don’t forget to use a hashtag for your campaign, so people can follow along easily.
Strap lines of suspense
Make teaser posters with strap lines such as “we’ve got a surprise for you”, “it’s coming”, “most likely to buy a…”. Alternatively use a more abstract, but yearbook-related line, such as “remember forever”. A marketer’s best buddy is a hashtag, so drop one in as part of your strapline. In the past we’ve used #LetsMakeMemories which related to the marketing campaign’s online and offline messages. Got a creative title for your yearbook? Use that as your strapline – easy!
Visual teasers
Give your campaign an eye-catching visual cue to build the campaign’s momentum. A book under a red satin cover (think car campaign-style) will give enough of a clue to the object without giving away its content. If you’ve started designing your yearbook, output a PDF proof from Yearbook Hub and crop a small portion as a teaser (like the image above), or obscure the page in some way with a blur, page rip, etc. Add extra details to your imagery like thought clouds and cameras to represent memories.
The BIG reveal
When the day arrives to unveil your yearbook, remove the satin cover and unleash the surprise! Tell people what they need to contribute content-wise and where to send it. Don’t forget to give details on how to order a copy and a price.
