Just as everyone’s putting the final touches on their ‘09 marketing plans, I’d like to throw the proverbial wrench into the equation. I’m sure everyone’s got a nice chunk of their advertising budget set aside for print, a good bit for broadcast, maybe some for outdoor. Oh, and don’t forget the cool new(ish) kid on the block – online.

But what about those crazy ideas that come to you out-of-the-blue? The ones that don’t fit neatly into any of the categories mentioned above. These are often one-off type projects with limited impressions, but huge impact. These are the types of ideas Challenger Brands can thrive on, and we need to make sure these moments of genius come to fruition.

I’ve always been a big fan of planned spontaneity, and I think more marketing plans need to integrate the concept. Here’s what I propose: set aside a small amount of your budget (maybe 5-10%) every year for these “out-of-the-blue” projects. If by October nothing has been proposed that blows your socks off, then use the money to extend some other buy. Seems simple enough, but there’s probably a reason they don’t let creatives do the marketing plans.

And for inspiration, I’ve collected some examples of these nontraditional projects. Enjoy.

Mr. Clean takes it to the streets.

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