Job Lot Hopes to go Viral with New Video Marketing Campaign

Ocean State Job Lot is a Rhode Island icon, known for low prices, an inventory that seems to encompass nearly every item ever sold and a unique sense of humor that embraces its Rhode Island roots.

Longtime Rhode Islanders know all about the stores, but North Kingstown-based Ocean State Job Lot, a leading closeout retailer with 113 stores in New England, New Jersey and New York, is trying something new to reach younger shoppers who might not otherwise have the name rolling off their tongues.

The company has launched a new video marketing campaign that has dropped a series of funny videos on YouTube and social media sites in the hopes of finding a life in the viralsphere.

Job Lot engaged Hollywood filmmaker/director Gabriel Sunday, allowing him creative freedom to conceptualize and produce a series of 12 short, upbeat videos that feature young adults using products sold at Job Lot stores in comedic, unexpected and interesting ways.

The videos, which were filmed in California and Rhode Island, follow a summer theme. The first video, “Summer is coming,” is a parody of the popular HBO megahit “Game of Thrones” and opens with a throne made of colorful pool noodles and ends with a ‘warg’ entering the mind of a plastic pink flamingo to see through its eyes.

Other videos include: “All Weather BBQ” – an underwater pool party BBQ complete with a grill, coolers and outdoor patio furniture; “Crinkle Hose Ballet” – crinkle garden hoses submerged in a pool which ‘dance’ to classical music; and “Summertime Striptease” – a young woman stripping off her Job Lot clothing and sunglasses down to her bathing suit while showing a total of $174 savings of the items compared to mall prices. The #OSJL branded hashtag appears at the end of the videos to facilitate social media engagement.

“It’s our goal to appeal to a younger, online-savvy shopping audience and this is an unconventional complement to our traditional brand advertising outreach,” said Paul Conforti, who is coordinating the campaign for Ocean State Job Lot. “We expect the videos to be shared online because their content is fresh and fun. This is an opportunity to talk about Ocean State Job Lot in an entirely new way.”

The latest video, “Quality Testers <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5znrxCh-U8> ,” is a 3-minute short mockumentary film that showcases the “rigorous” testing techniques that Job Lot’s quality testing personnel put their stores’ products through. It features cameo appearances by two of Job Lot’s co-founders, Marc Perlman and Roy Dubs, and made its world premiere recently at the 2014 Rhode Island International Film Festival.

“This project lets Job Lot show that behind the brand and products in the stores there are actually humans with a sense of humor willing to show their offbeat, creative side,” saod Mr. Sunday, who serves as principal writer, director and editor of the videos. The Los Angeles-based filmmaker is no stranger to social marketing. He is best known for writing and starring in Archie’s Final Project (2009), a teen comedy-drama that sparked a social media marketing campaign that promoted teen suicide awareness upon its release.

Each of the videos was filmed using GoPro cameras. “This is a GoPro-driven campaign because GoPros are made to capture the perspective and experience of a person on an adventure,” said Mr. Sunday. “Job Lot is the home of adventure shopping. Each video is unscripted and organic in the sense that I was inspired by the merchandise itself. For example, I discovered that crinkle hoses dance while submerged in water, so we created an entire video around that. For another, I was floating in an amphibious car pulling a kayak in a river and controlling a drone with a GoPro attached to it to get the right shot. I love using GoPro gear and it’s perfect to shoot action. I’m excited for this campaign to help spread the word about Job Lot in a most unexpected way.”

To complement the campaign using social media, Job Lot established an Instagram account featuring videos and photo postings of various Job Lot products being used.

“We took the Job Lot summer marketing intern, dressed her with sunglasses and a scarf with a fan blowing on her and created a ‘Diva Shoot’ with the tag, ‘Job Lot has all you need to look fabulous.’ I also filmed myself taking a nap in a comfortable dog bed,” Mr. Sunday said. “The Instagram posts are meant to bring style and attitude to the feed, not just to show non-engaging photos of bottles of shampoo. We want to reveal the real, humorous people behind this campaign and to encourage people to post similar content of their own using Job Lot products in creative ways. There are more GoPro videos using ideas submitted by the general public on Job Lot’s social media channels. We really tried to tap into people’s creative sides, and we received some fun responses.”

“We trusted Gabe Sunday’s ability in sharing the lighthearted side of Job Lot, to reach a younger audience that may not see or hear most of our traditional advertising,” said Marc Perlman, CEO/co-founder of Ocean State Job Lot. “It is our hope that these videos will encourage a wider viewership to consider the value Ocean State Job Lot offers, and inspire them to come and enjoy the shopping experience we create in our stores.”

Below is a playlist that will carry you through all the videos: