The Harmon Brothers are my direct marketing YouTube heroes. They're famous for entertaining us, making us laugh and selling us products on YouTube. We're falling for it too – I own and am a huge fan of almost every product they've marketed. Except Camp Chef. I'm not in the target demo. Yesterday I got to sample delicious bbq and watch the world premiere of their YouTube video.
The first video that I had anything to do with was for Purple mattress (I did influencer marketing for the launch). There was no launch party that I know of. I really wish there was and that I didn't miss it. It's still a classic, no matter how many others they make – sort of like the original Star Wars – but in a different genre.
After that was Unicorn Gold by Squatty Potty. That was my first ever YouTube video launch party. This one had YouTube celebs galore and a castle theme complete with a throne. You can't see it but we're sitting on a toilet. I really didn't think anything of Unicorn Gold…until I tried it. Now it's a household staple at my house.
Here's the video:
Who knew you could get people to come to a party for what is essentially an ad? You can if the commercial is funny and you're famous. Oh, and these commercials aren't amateur productions. They cost millions to make. So you might not want to try this yourself, but if you do, here are some tips!
I've been to a few YouTube video launches now so I feel like I've got the recipe down. So if you want to host your own YouTube video launch party, here's how it's done – at least in Utah.
5 Steps to a Successful YouTube Video Launch Party:
- Serve food that matches the themes in the video.
For Camp Chef that meant a BBQ grilling contest with the most delicious meat all served up by real chefs on a Camp Chef grill. I wish I could go back again for lunch today – I'd pay for it! Also, I've watch BBQ gods slaving away all day at a grill and I don't understand the appeal. Seems like one of these grills would be better. - Create cutouts of the actors, products, or scenes from the video, for photo opps.
- At the PMD Kiss launch last week there was a huge rocket version of the product on display. Too bad we couldn't go inside and I don't have a good photo to share of it.
- Have the actual actors attend, in costume.
The PMD Kiss video (this one was from Travis Chambers Media, another local YouTube video producer) featured local actors and YouTube stars. I didn't realize that mega social media star Nicole Arbour and Brandi Marie King were in the house. I guess I missed that part but I ended up talking to Nicole and Brandi anyway. Utah blogger and local actress Jill Adler is in the video too. The theme? A dance party on the moon with an out of this world lip plumper.
Here's the video:
Yesterday, I met J.W. Hutson at the Camp Chef launch – he played the grill god. He was wonderful but I wish I'd gotten a close up shot of his tool belt of spices. There are plans to come out with grill god merchandise. That's the next evolution I think – make products from the video. That pudgy guy with a beard in the Purple videos? He could be commercialized into a bobble head and there should be tshirts too.
- Serve Non-alcoholic drinks. Invite Kids. Families too.*
Here's the uniquely Utah part. There are soft drinks or Italian sodas but I've never seen alcohol served. Plus there are kids – a lot of them (one screamed through most of the Camp Chef video debut). That includes little kids and babies. You'll see the Harmon Brothers, actors and others from the set, along with their entire family. It's sort of a work party and debut all in one! - Invite the press and relevant influencers.
With Camp Chef there were a few BBQ and food bloggers, but the majority were food press. Press is important and pretty much guaranteed now. AdWeek ran this story on the Camp Chef launch.
*Uniquely Utah
You can add a hashtag in there too and a few giveaways or contests. Throw in a showing of the outtakes and behind-the-scenes video too.
What's missing? Video and/or photos taking and sharing at the event. I don't see the brand or The Harmon Brothers taking or sharing photos or images from the event.
Another part of the recipe is humor…and Camp Chef had that.
Favorite one-liners from Camp Chef The Secret Weapon of BBQ Perfection Video
If this cow wanted to be cremated…he would've put it in his will.
You can achieve grill mastery easily. It's so easy, even a computer can do it. Because actually a computer does it.
It's so simple it feels like cheating. And maybe it is. But for these ribs? Grill god forgives you!
On a traditional gas grill hot spots and flare ups, which can leave your food burnt and raw at the same time. That's the devil's work!
Well hot ham! That's a steal!
Now you may be thinking, “do I need to buy a WoodWind?” “Can't I just put five Cubans in a chicken's mouth?” You could, but I don't think you understand how smokin' meat works.
Have you ever attended a YouTube video launch party for a brand? Which YouTube commercial is your favorite?
