Guinness World Records plots marketing push and attraction launch
As it celebrates its 60-year anniversary, Guinness World Records says it is aiming to work more with brands and launch its own amusement park as it looks to boost its commercial revenues and convince more brands and customers to become world record holders.
The record breaking annual has sold more than 134 million copies since its inception in 1955. However Nadine Causey, Guinness World Records’ SVP of the EMEA/APAC region, says the brand is now committed to expanding its work with brands.
Since developing a dedicated commercial and marketing division in 2005, Causey says Guinness World Records has achieved 800 brand activations in 68 countries.
She told Marketing Week: “It’s been a huge success and by partnering with brands we are giving them a chance to use our record breaking to amplify their messages.
“In 2005, we started at around 90% publishing, through the annual, and 10% commercial opportunities. But through our work with outside brands and hosting events, commercial now accounts for 30% of the business. It is my hope that it will soon even out and be a 50/50 split.”
Earlier this year, Hyundai worked with Guinness World Records for its “Message to Space” campaign.
It saw the car brand break the Guinness World Record for the “largest tire track image” as Hyundai carved a message into the Nevada desert that was visible from the International Space Station. It resulted in an advert showing an astronaut reading the markings, which were a message from his daughter.
“Hyundai licensed our logo, put out a behind-the-scenes video on their website and subsequently gained 199 million global online impressions and 69 million YouTube views,” explained Causey. “The emotional message really resonated and I think showed the level of advertising creativity we can bring to brands.”
Guinness World Records is currently planning an amusement park, which is set to open late next year in partnership with its sister company Ripleys.
“We are working on the concept of a Guinness attraction park, which will be the same size as Madame Tussauds and enable anybody to become a record holder through live interactive activities,” revealed Causey.
“We have to keep on top of what consumers are passionate about and interested in. Having an attraction anyone can visit and interact with the brand, while breaking records, is something the public will love.”
Although the Guinness World Records annual is now available in e-book and app form, Causey insists that the print edition still remains relevant due to the brand’s “warm resonance” with the general public.
In order to appeal to the younger generation, the brand has introduced augmented reality sections to its annual as well as new records for social media – such as the record for tweeting and selfie-taking – and standalone record books for subjects such as gaming. It is also preparing a new book on movies, tentatively titled “Blockbusters”.
Causey concluded: “We get 1,000 record-breaking applications every single week and the book still sells in huge numbers I don’t think there is any decline in our brand, it’s stronger than ever.”
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