Food Trucks Promotions: The Perfect Advertising Platform

Food trucks are best known for their delicious and creative cuisine, often pushing the limits with crazy creations that can only be found at one of the mobile eateries seen cruising through your city.

But did you know food truck promotions are also seen as advertising tools? Used as a form of experiential marketing, food trucks are being wrapped with company logos and hitting the streets to provide consumers with the ultimate mobile pop-up experience.

Still not convinced that you should advertise a little differently? Well, check out these five reasons why food trucks are the perfect advertising platform.

NBA1

Food Truck Promotions Create Engagement

Using food trucks as an advertising platform is one of the best ways to create and promote engagement between your brand and customers.

In fact, just having the food truck alone will grab almost anyone’s attention. Levy Restaurants and the Barclays Center used a branded food truck to serve dishes that were meant to give a taste of the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend and offered a GIF booth that allowed participants to post the photos straight to their social media while utilizing the hashtag #bktaste.

We all know how addicting social media can be, but it can be extremely useful when it comes to campaigns. Besides the obvious engagement that comes from using the hashtags, a food truck that pulls up and starts dishing out free food and swag is sure to be talked about on social media out of sheer impressiveness, which will help grow the company’s brand awareness.

CLINIQUE_DALLAS_2016-6280 copy-2

Food Trucks Are Mobile Advertising Vehicles

Rather than spending tons of money on a singular, stationary billboard that can only be seen in one specific location, using a branded mobile vehicle allows for much more exposure.

Lufthansa Airlines used a redesigned burger truck – complete with an airplane tail fin – to drive across the country and serve food from their new in-flight menu. The strategy of going mobile allowed Lufthansa to gain national attention by engaging with more people.

VH-1 used food truck promotions for their hit show ‘Mob Wives’ by handing out free meatballs to New York City residents. They took a branded truck to the busiest and highest traffic areas in Brooklyn and Manhattan, proving that having a set of wheels is a huge advantage when aiming to get the most exposure for your message.

568ff737-4f0c-4def-96f4-758346204482

They Allow For Direct Interaction With Customers

Interaction is key when it comes to promotions and campaigns, as it is a chance for companies to truly engage with their customers, especially when you have brand ambassadors.

Flavorpill utilized a branded food truck, a marching band, and a cheerleading squad to create a Pepsi commercial that aired before and during the Super Bowl, which garnered national attention. They used brand ambassadors to hand out product and unsuspecting people in two major cities were surprised with the opportunity to appear in the commercial.

Singer Kelis garnered attention for her new album ‘Food’ by serving ribs and sliders herself from inside the food truck, interacting with South by Southwest attendees and making herself available for photos and interviews.

It’s these personal experiences with celebrities and huge brands that help create a form of direct interaction with customers and leave them with a lasting impression.

11325410_142472909425948_1936348330_n

They Help Create Buzz About A New Product

There’s no better way to generate buzz about a new product, TV show, or event than by hitting the streets using a mobile vehicle.

Civic Entertainment Group got sports fans excited about the NHL playoffs with an inventive campaign. They launched food trucks in Los Angeles, Chicago, Orange County, and Minnesota to spark excitement about the upcoming games with popsicles made out of each team’s home ice – a huge hit among hockey fans. It’s not often when you have the opportunity to eat ice from your favorite team’s home rink, but this campaign made it happen, making it an exceptional way to create buzz.

Shake Shack Truck NY Stock Exchange

People Love Food No Matter What the Occasion Is

At the end of the day, people love food, especially when it comes from a popular brand. Shake Shack announced that they were going to be a publicly traded company and employed the use of a branded food truck to get the word out.

They parked outside of the New York Stock Exchange and handed out burgers and milkshakes. Since people love food, especially free food from a trending brand like Shake Shack, the line for food grew around the block and then some, as hungry fans waited to snag a complimentary Shake Shack burger. Major press outlets covered the event on Wall Street, resulting in free promotion and publicity.

From custom menus and food creations to gift giveaways that get people talking, utilizing a food truck for marketing campaigns can be an exciting way to get the word out.

It’s the mobility, increased engagement, and candid, direct interaction with consumers that are just a few reasons why food trucks are the perfect advertising platform, so stop thinking about it and start spreading your message with one today!

If you’re looking for more information on food truck promotions or if you are looking to promote a food truck (as an owner/operator), you can continue to our food truck promotions article.