Internet marketing has big potential for small companies

Not only does TV space require a large budget, it may not be the most effective way of reaching the target audience, CEO of men’s skin care company Bulldog told CosmeticsDesign.

According to Simon Duffy, the internet can be a fantastic way of reaching the target audience, in this case men in the 20-35 age range, however companies must be clever about it.

Branded soapbox ​

This week, the UK-based company is launching the soapbox – a series of branded comedy shorts with British comedian David Mitchell.

Diffusion of the soapbox will be uniquely internet, starting with internet-based production company Channel Flip. The short videos will also be available on the FHM website, and will be included into their weekly Friday lunchtime e mail newsletters.

The company will then be looking to viewers to promote the series’ diffusion.

“After FHM, the video podcasts will hopefully fly around the internet on itunes and youtube, adding to their viral spread,” ​said Duffy.

But the CEO is quick to point out that the soapbox is not advertising in the strictest sense of the word. Bulldog has no control over the script of the series, there will just be animated bulldog at the beginning and end of the pod, with a bulldog motif in the corner throughout, he explained.

Internet raises awareness not sales​

Although the company hopes to direct traffic to its own site from the videos, the internet is more about increasing brand awareness than online purchases.

Like a growing number of brands, the company also has a presence on the online social networking site Facebook, although it doesn’t plan on using the site for marketing purposes.

“We don’t really see this as a resource to tap into in anyway. Regular updates about the brand and products are possible but I doubt whether people really want this to happen,” ​he said.

There is a tendency to quickly assemble all these people online, but once there it is not clear what to do with them, he added.

For Bulldog offering content is cleverer. After all, traditional advertising relies on interrupting people’s day with a message they do not necessarily want to hear.

“The David Mitchell soapbox is a message we believe people want to hear,”​ Duffy added.

The first soapbox coincides with the launch of the company’s product range in UK health and beauty retailer Boots.