A Yoga Journal advertising train took off from Moscow to four major cities, partnering with the Federal Passenger Company and Yves Rocher to promote the magazine’s image.
While making its way to Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Yekaterinburg and Perm on Friday, the train displayed ads for free yoga lessons.
“It’s going to be like a circus. The railroad company will provide us with a specially painted wagon,” said Yoga Journal’s public relations director, Svetlana Bespalova.
Yoga Journal’s event is a case of niche marketing, with a specialized focus as opposed to a mass campaign. The carefully orchestrated affair creates customized appeal for the magazine, as a broad message to its readership might not be as effective.
News of the yoga train has been circulated online through social media such as Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter and various lifestyle news networks.
Denis Terekhov, a managing partner of the Social Networks Agency, said social networks have major advantages compared with conventional advertising.
“Social media allow one to alter a campaign and receive feedback in a couple of hours,” he said.
By contrast, it takes an advertiser at least a month to come up with a billboard design and book its space.
Once a year, the magazine organizes National Yoga Day, with outdoor classes across Moscow. Each class typically has 200 to 300 people.
Yoga Journal is not the only publication using cross-promotion and readily available online networks. Russia’s Glamour magazine organized a similar publicity stunt with 50-meter stiletto race, held in July. Dozens of women ran in their heels for a chance to win 100,000 rubles ($2,450) in shopping money. A heel of at least 3.5 inches was required to participate.
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