Each year, advertisers
with super sized budgets sink millions of dollars into Super Bowl
advertising. While most of us do not have a large enough budget to
advertise on the Super Bowl, the commercials -- both past and present
-- demonstrate several marketing techniques we can apply elsewhere.
Here are some lessons
for us all, as demonstrated by Super Bowl advertisers:
Make Advertisements Entertaining
The primary focus of Super
Bowl advertisements is usually entertainment. After the fact, discussion
and analysis revolve around how amusing or interesting the commercials
were. Little or no mention, however, is made of how effective they
were in advertising the product.
I love an entertaining
commercial as well as the next person, but entertainment value can
be a two-edged sword. Sometimes, the creators get so caught up in
the entertainment aspect they forget the ultimate goal -- to sell
more product.
To me, the advertisers
guiltiest of forgetting to sell are those that give no branding clue
until the very end. People come away thinking how cute, funny, or
otherwise entertaining the advertisement, but with little or no idea
of the actual product.
There are, however, ways
to entertain while communicating your brand throughout the commercial.
Remember the frogs -- Bud, Weis, and Er? Total entertainment, yet
who didn't know it was a Budweiser commercial?
You can do the same with
your own marketing. Whatever form of entertainment you choose -- games,
performances, contests, etc. -- remember to simultaneously reinforce
your brand or business. A couple of ideas: (1) display your logo prominently
and (2) give premiums, coupons, or other discounts to participants.
Gain Celebrity Endorsements
Celebrity endorsements
are frequent in Super Bowl advertisements. Past and present endorsements
include Coke's Mean Joe Green (1980), McDonald's Larry Bird and Michael
Jordan (1993), and MasterCard’s Homer Simpson (2004).
Celebrity endorsements
are a way to draw initial attention to a product or company, which
creates an opportunity to deliver the marketing message. If the celebrity
is highly regarded by your target audience, endorsements can also
give credibility to a brand.
If you do not have a large
enough budget to hire a national celebrity, try redefining "celebrity"
by thinking in niche terms. Your "celebrity" could be someone
well known in the industry -- one of your customers or suppliers,
for example.
Another way to redefine
"celebrity" is to think locally. Brainstorm a list of people
who are well known locally in certain circles. Your list could include
well-regarded business people, minor league sports personalities,
and other high-profile citizens. Then, approach your favorites with
a proposal. The key is hiring someone known and respected by your
target customers.
Demonstrate an Important Product Benefit or Feature
My favorite Super Bowl
commercial of all time is the 1998 Tabasco commercial. The commercial
shows a man sitting, eating pizza on his front porch. Before each
bite he splashes on a liberal dose of Tabasco. A mosquito flies in,
bites the guy on the hand, and flies off. A second later, we see the
mosquito explode in a mass of flames. Cut to the guy chewing and smiling,
Tabasco bottle clearly displayed on screen.
Besides being incredibly
entertaining, the commercial demonstrates the product's primary benefit
in a way that is simple and straightforward. All the while, very clearly
communicating the brand.
There are many ways to
demonstrate an important product feature to your audience. Think of
other commercials you've seen and adapt the technique to your own
budget and situation.
Detergent commercials,
for example, often show how the product removes stains better than
the competition. You can set up your own comparison and communicate
it through print ads, on a Website, or in a retail store.
Target The Audience
Have you noticed an abundance
of fast car, junk food, and beverage commercials during the Super
Bowl? A major reason for this is targeting. Smart marketers try to
get their products seen in places where their target audience hangs
out.
It is not too much of a
stretch to imagine that folks attracted to testosterone-laden football
may also like speedy cars. And if you watch football, you most certainly
like to snack during the game. Hence, we see an abundance of junk
food, beer, and soda commercials.
When putting together your
own marketing programs, try to imagine where your target audience
can be found and think of ways you can be seen in those venues. If
you are a Virtual Assistant, for example, participating online in
small business groups makes much more sense than being seen in sports
groups.
Associate Your Brand with a Mascot or Symbol
My favorite commercial
from this year's Super Bowl was the donkey that wanted to be a Budweiser
Clydesdale. I must confess the Clydesdales are near and dear to my
heart (I live less than a mile from Grant's Farm where they breed
and raise the Budweiser Clydesdales). I'm pretty sure, though, I'd
love this commercial anyway.
Besides telling a cute,
heartwarming story, the entire commercial reinforces the connection
between the Clydesdales and Budweiser beer. It's a connection that
Anheuser Busch has worked hard to establish and maintain over the
years. Today, I'm sure most people immediately think "Budweiser"
when catching a glimpse of the famous Clydesdales.
So you don't have billions
of dollars and decades of time to invest in a mascot? Think smaller.
How about hiring a freelance
illustrator or art student to develop a character, then begin using
that character at key points of contact with your audience. To name
a few, you could use your "mascot" in a logo, on postcards,
on your Website, and/or on store signage.
Take these techniques to
heart, apply them diligently, and watch your business grow.
About the Author
Bobette Kyle draws upon
12+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, Marketing MBA, and online
marketing research in her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web
Site Marketing Plan Network, http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com,
and author of the marketing plan and Web promotion book "How
Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Website Marketing For Small Budget
Business." ( HowMuchForSpider.com/TOC.htm )
Copyright 2004, Bobette
Kyle. All rights reserved.
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