See how one small event-planning business is taking a creative approach to marketing

The Wynwood Art Walk has become the premier monthly event in Miami. Lots of other neighborhoods have tried imitating it; none have succeeded. The epicenter (Northwest Second Avenue at Northwest 24th Street) gathers easily 20,000 to 30,000 people every second Saturday of the month beginning around 7 p.m.

J & M Creations advertising its services in a very unique way at the Wynwood Art Walk.

Walking down Northwest Second Avenue, I see a curious sight. It is easy to be cynical about the entire thing; after all, these are two girls (and three part-time employees!) standing on the sidewalk of a busy street, advertising their event-planning company. How undignified!

Then, I stopped to talk to them.

You know how we often read articles about thinking outside the box? About using social media to engage consumers? About targeting? About the power of promotions? About word of mouth?

Well, Merci Rodriguez and Jennie Fortun (J & M Creations) managed to roll all of these concepts into one:

• Thinking outside the box? Check! Every second Saturday brings out several photographers and artists who show their work on the sidewalk to either get contacts or directly sell. Often, they are joined by musicians who work for tips (I have friends who’ve made $400 in one night). This is a completely different thing altogether, though: an “event company” advertising directly on the sidewalk.
• Which brings to mind, first of all, targeting. Check! Of the 20,000 to 30,000 people who will see this ad, there have to be at least 50 to 60 gallery owners, a couple of hundred brides-to-be thinking about their upcoming event and maybe another couple of hundred entrepreneurs who could use help organizing samplings, smaller events, etc. And all the event planners need is 10 or 20 customers to make their month. So, yep, makes sense from the targeting side.