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Honda mobilizes trick-or-treating with Twitter candy coupon

Honda is taking advantage of Twitter to surprise and delight consumers on Halloween via a one-day promotion built around an offer for free candy and spooky Vine videos. 

For today only, consumers who tweet a photo of themselves in a costume with the hashtag #TreatPromo to @Honda will receive a link to a coupon for a free box of Mike and Ike candy. Participating consumers will also receive a link to one of five eerie Vine videos featuring the redesigned CR-V opening up for trick-or-treaters.

?I love this campaign form Honda as it builds on how they are trying to create a brand persona around delivering happiness,? said Stacy DeBroff, CEO of Influence Central. ?This motif has been a highly successful tactic of many brands as of late. 

?It is under the surprise and delight school of marketing,? she said. ?Take for example Uber cars delivering ice creams treats or puppies at your office and Coke machines that deliver huge surprises for customers. 

?The branding for Honda creates a halo effect of the brand being fun, playful, adventurous, which is not typically the way consumers think of Honda.?

Real-time promotions
The Honda promotion is an example of how marketers, including retailers, are increasing looking to Twitter as a way to support their promotional activity tied to real-time events. 

Honda is using promoted tweets with video cards to announce the effort on Twitter. 

Just Born Quality Confections, maker of Mike and Ike candy, as well as Honda will also promote the effort on Facebook and Twitter. 

The offer period starts at 6 am PT on Oct. 31 and ends at 5:59:50 PT or when there are no more coupons available. 

Consumers who tweet a photo of themselves in a costume will receive a tweet directing them to direct message Honda to receive a link to the coupon, which can be downloaded and printed. The coupon is good for $1.50 off one box of Mike and Ike candy between 3.7 and 8.3 ounces in size. 

?I think that it is great that they picked Mike and Ike, because it is actually a candy that has transcended multiple generations,? Ms. DeBroff said.  

?Also, the creepy Vine videos really appeal to millennials and I think that attracting a millennial market is a huge goal for Honda because a lot of millennials? first car might be a Honda Civic or one of the starter Honda cars.?

Commerce potential
The campaign is the latest example of Twitter?s potential in the commerce world.
 

For example, Twitter?s is testing a ?Buy? button, giving users exclusive access to offers and merchandise they can act on right in the Twitter applications for Android and iOS (see story). 

New England jewelry retailer Alex and Ani is promoting its roots on Twitter with a social campaign awarding one winner with free tickets and a bangle bracelet to concerts at the House of Blues Boston (see story). 

?I think this idea that they are delivering happiness, and suddenly Honda goes from a practical, reliable sturdy car brand into this campy, Halloween focused, ready to have fun brand by delivering up ghoulish surprises on Vine or treats,? Ms. DeBroff said. 

?It is casting them as a very distinct personality which I think has not traditionally been associated with Honda,? she said.  

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York