Selling a brothel in Pimlico

A simple tale of remarkable marketing

Being brave enough to take the road less travelled and to be seen doing something different yet simple is what can set your business apart, and make it remarkable rather than just another ‘me too’ offer.

And being remarkable not only generates awareness and interest, but also presents new opportunities for sales, which in turn generate more income.

Way back in the 1950’s and early 1960‘s (and long before most of us came about), a gentleman by the name of Roy Brooks decided to do something to distinguish his business from all the others operating in his space. It was not only remarkable, it was way ahead of its time and incredibly brave.

Mr Brooks decided to take the risk on behalf of his business and on behalf of his clients. He decided on a marketing strategy that took precisely the opposite approach of everyone else. In doing so, he moved his business out of the ordinary in one of the most ‘me too’ sectors and into advertising folklore.

You see Mr Brooks was an estate agent who decided to tell the complete, unwholesome truth about the properties he advertised for sale in an innovative, outrageous and funny way. In an industry known for hyperbole and clichés, he was completely original in his property descriptions and scathingly, though not offensively, honest.

The strategy brought great success for the business and personal fame for him. The advertisements transcended the property sector and became destination reading in the Sunday papers.
The estate agency confined its marketplace to specific areas of London. But in a forerunner of what we today would call ‘inbound marketing’, they were regularly approached to sell properties in the shires and beyond, and would need to place advertisements to decline these and advise potential vendors of their position. How many companies have that luxury today?

Innovation is not necessarily about having a better product, or a better offer or even about changing the fundamentals of your business. It’s about doing the same things differently - doing things that can change the way people engage with and think about your business.

Purple Frog create original thinking and remarkable campaigns that generate income for businesses. Working with brave clients to develop value propositions, ingenious ideas and alternative approaches to communications that change the way people think.

If you would like to try being brave and remarkable, why not contact us on 01844 295 170 or see how brave you are currently by trying our quiz?

Who would have thought a visit to a brothel could be this enlightening?