Boise is essentially an island- it tends to create its own cultures that thrive within themselves. Downtown Boise doesn’t see many chain restaurants or brand name stores; instead, it’s sprinkled with niche retail experiences and unique cafes. Effective marketing happens through word-of-mouth and spreads like wildfire or burns out like a comet’s tail. Bodega Boise needed a spark.
10th and Main is an iconic location. Bodega Boise had the spot, had the history but was lacking the conversion. They say that the first step is the hardest to take and we needed to direct those steps in the front door. Too many people were trapped in the monotony they had created for themselves and we gave them a reason to break their routine to allow their curiosity to steer them into the Bodega.
Our job was to make sure everyone accidentally found it. Subtle, guerrilla marketing was our approach which began with a reverse graffiti campaign through the sidewalks of downtown Boise. If people weren’t going to look up to see it, we’d capture those who looked down. The messaging we used ignited a renewed curiosity in many, forcing passersby to answer the question, “what is a bodega?”. These stencils spanned across the city directing the adventurous to 10th and Main.
If curiosity wasn’t someone’s motivation then we tapped into their FOMO. We created a “Missing Poster” letting everyone know that the only thing lost was their experience at Bodega Boise. The missing posters contained pull tabs to redeem for a free Red Bull when they visited the storefront.
These guerrilla tactics combined with a strategic social media campaign proved to be the spark that Bodega Boise needed. They saw a significant increase in traffic and earned a reputation for being hip, convenient, and creative.
