Considering the recent emphasis the ad world has put on real-time marketing — exemplified by Oreo's quick Twitter response to the Super Bowl blackout that immediately incited thousands of retweets and resulted in huge ad award wins — its safe to assume that companies' social media managers have their hands glued to their keyboards to be the first to tweet a memorable royal baby-related, branded tweet.
But marketers aren't just preparing for the
The Centre of Retail Research estimates that the child's birth will inject £240 million (or $366m USD) into the UK economy. And considering that Will and Kate's 2011 Royal Wedding helped boost retail sales in the US — Amazon sold a $23 replica engagement ring and Dunkin' Donuts had a limited edition "heart shaped donut filled with jelly and topped with vanilla icing and a chocolate drizzle," to name a few — the baby's birth should have an impact in America, too.
Ad Age reports Unilever has created royal baby-themed packs of Persil detergent and Comfort fabric softener, featuring photos of crowned infants, that will go on sale as soon as the child is born. Procter & Gamble is using the time leading to the birth to ask consumers to submit wishes to the royal baby that will then be knitted into "the world's biggest baby blanket." (A set of Pampers will be donated for every submitted wish.)
Barney's New York is selling royal baby clothes and the London Grosvenor House hotel has created a nursery suite "with a royal baby in mind," modeled off Prince William's nursery, that is going for £2300 ($4430) a night.
The coming days will show what marketers have dreamed up for after the baby's birth.