At the risk of sounding like Derek Zoolander, there is more to these people than toned bodies, symmetrical smiles and perfect hair. Some very clever marketer realised long ago that good looks and sex appeal sell.  Since then, no sidewalk, shopping centre or trade expo has been free of exposed midriffs and promotional leaflets.

It makes you wonder: in a world where consumers are bombarded with messages through so many different mediums (TV, radio, mobile, social media, online, POS) how is the ye olde promo skank still relevant?

A. As already stated, sex sells. And always will.

B. Promo staff adds a personal or relatable element to any product. I may be in a rush and I may not be in the market for roof insulation exfoliation, but I sure as hell won’t be the guy who tells little Tahrnya that.

C. When done well, promotional staff can be walking-talking ambassadors and testimonials for your brand/product. It’s on this last point that I will elaborate.

Last week Red PR continued its promotion of Domino’s new Oven Baked Sandwiches and to take these sandwiches to the streets and into the hands, hearts and mouths of our target public, we created Sandy the Sandwich Lady.

Sandy is the ultimate girl next door – friendly, warm, good looking, nice enough to meet your mother but playful enough to hang with the boys and happy to prepare oven baked sandwiches made-to-order in five tasty varieties. Though it may seem a trivial and superficial task, professionals should recognise that when choosing a promo model (often done from a website and with the input of the entire team), you are potentially leaving the success of your stunt in the hands of someone whose name doesn’t have a consonant.

Luckily the stunt was a huge success – largely due to Red PR’s pre-planning and the quality product, but also due to the fantastic promotional model who went out of her way to familiarise herself with the product, proudly represent the brand and make meaningful connections with customers.

We did learn a few lessons.  Never underestimate:

• the difficulty of a promotional model’s role
• the brains it takes to make modelling work
• the value it adds to a stunt/campaign when done well

Don’t get me wrong, I know we’ve all seen our fair share of bleached blondes wearing more hairspray than clothes and we’ve all been ambushed by pushy promo people who care as little for the product they are selling than their parents did of traditional name spelling, but to cut through these misconceptions and make a meaningful connection with consumers takes brains and personality.