Five MasterChef marketing ideas

Right, I’ll admit it. Like millions of people around Australia, I have become a bit of a MasterChef junky over the last month or so and will be glued to the box on Sunday to see who wins the finale.

What’s been interesting about this series from a business point of view is the scrutiny that has been placed on the show’s revenue generation model, which uses a complex mix of partnerships, product placements and traditional advertising to generate millions.

So how can SMEs get a slice of the action? If you’re not a food company with deep pockets, it won’t be easy.

But there are some marketing ideas that I’ve picked up while watching the show that could spark you into action.

• Become an expert

While the show’s big advertising partners – like Coles – have received a lot of attention, it’s also been interesting to see how all the guest chefs have been given the chance to give their own businesses a big plug.

The lesson here is that being seen as an expert – and that might mean speaking at events, appearing at conference panel sessions or writing a blog – allows you to position you and your business as a credible market leader.

• Product placement works

The product placement in MasterChef is very obvious and very expensive, but there are plenty of other shows out there – can you get your product onto another (cheaper) show and highlight how it works in a memorable way?

• Event-based search marketing

Big media events like MasterChef launch lots of internet search traffic, so using search engine optimisation and search engine marketing strategies to tap into this is a great idea. Watching Google’s Insights for Search tool is a good guide to hot search trends.

• Testimonials and endorsements

What gives the show its credibility is the judges – they are experts in their field and when they praise a dish, we believe them. To me, this highlights the power of testimonials and endorsements. If someone who is seen as an industry leader uses your product or service, make sure you get a testimonial from them and display it prominently.

• Tell your story

Another thing that makes MasterChef so engaging is the back story of the contestants – we like to hear the highs and lows of their lives and see how they approach setbacks and successes. It reinforces the need for companies to ensure their brand has a real story that will help engage customers and build a relationship.