Humor is one of the most effective ways to engage consumers, but you risk being clear on what you are engaging them with. Many of the funniest commercials fail to relay their brand or brand message. This commercial, for example, is one minute long, and doesn’t mention the actual brand until the last two seconds of the ad. Not only that, but unless you have previously heard of Bridgestone, you would never know it was a tire company from this commercial. Bridgestone definitely took a risk with this ad.
When deciding whether or not to use humorous ads, companies have to consider how recognizable their brand is to consumers. Even McDonald’s, one of the most well-known brands on the planet, showed their logo longer than Bridgestone during this funny ad.
Let’s say you decide to make a funny commercial. How can you make it work? The ad has to be funny enough to engage the consumer until the end when they will finally see the brand. Also, you have to either be well-known enough that the consumer knows who the ad is for, or you have to make them curious enough to go find out. I think both Bridgestone and McDonald’s were successful in engaging consumers until the end of the ad, and are both recognizable enough that people knew what the ad was for. So, is your brand strong enough to be funny?
The election is approaching quickly. Soon we will all know the answer to the burning question: Obama or McCain? Last night I was on Facebook when I came across this video posted on my friend’s wall. The video is of a group of seventh graders from Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. The kids were originally broadcast on CNN are singing a political parody of T.I.’s “Whatever You Like.” Four days later on Youtube, the video has almost eighty thousand views.
What does this have to do with marketing? It is a perfect example of the effectiveness of viral videos. As soon as I saw this video, I put it in my status on Facebook. Why? Because I thought it was funny. And, I thought that that any one of my 1000+ Facebook friends, who range from my boss to my little brother, would want to click the link and watch the video. About five minutes after I did this, my sister put the video in her status as well, which expanded its reach to another thousand potential viewers.
Marketers can use viral videos as a tool to create buzz about their product or service. As long as the video is entertaining enough, it will get spread around. To use this tool successfully, marketers need to embed their message in something that people will want to watch and tell their friends about.
As we all hold our breath to see what the future of our country will be, this video provides a little comic relief. Yet, it still relays the message that as citizens, it is our civic duty to vote. Have you seen any other good videos lately?
Southwest does flying right, from their marketing and messaging to execution and follow up they stick to one rule that I feel most other airlines fail to consider. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. The old golden rule should be seen more in business than anywhere, yet it seems as companies continue to grow they dismiss it - diffusion of responsibility at work. Let’s break it down point by point.
1. Marketing
Their commercial, while lighthearted points out the very real fact that they aren’t out to nickle and dime you. I actually flew Southwest recently and someone in line actually Hallelujahed for me, which was pretty funny. It’s nice not to worry about paying for checked baggage.
2. Pricing / Booking
Of course most flights are booked the same way, online. Whether through an online broker like travelocity or expedia or directly through the airline itself. One thing I like, is that Southwest is straightforward about their pricing - what I see is what I pay. Other airlines will reduce their actual ticket fee and have it catch up with you when you actually fly, in the form of fees and little charges for each and every concession. They treat you like a person instead of seat number 16B.
3. Check In / Boarding
No one likes airport security, and I think it is the number one reason flying went from being considered a kind of novel traveling experience to a 4 hour excruciatingly boring exercise in dehumanization. But once you’ve run the gauntlet Southwest does what it can to make the experience more tolerable, or even enjoyable. Boarding is done in sections, and going back to what I said earlier about seat numbers, on Southwest you don’t have one. Sit where you like. I like that.
4. The Flight
I have numerous horror stories about sitting on the runway, or having a flight constantly delayed without notification and have heard even worse. I have never had that experience with Southwest, and to note my most recent flight, we actually confirmed everyone was at the terminal early, and boarded and took off early. I never knew that was even possible, but to avoid some upcoming bad weather they did it, and no one missed their flight. We landed back in DC over 40 minutes early.
Throughout the flight, one of the attendants we had may have very well been a practicing stand-up comedian. He made light of the normal passenger walk through and kept everyone entertained. It was probably the most enjoyable flight I’ve been on in a long time.
5. The Follow Up
Nothing says “I give a damn” like someone following up with you even after they have your money. You’ve probably experienced it before, you finally close a deal and hand over the check and don’t hear from the person who courted you for weeks on end. I can’t stand that and I will never do it to my clients (or even people who didn’t go with us.) That is why I like the follow up email I received from Southwest asking about my flight and letting me know that I got X reward points and some drink tickets for my next flight. It shows me they care about my business past each individual flight.
It’s the little things in business that make a difference and they add up quickly. Thanks Southwest!
Technology has helped us reach a new level of globalization. Globalization comes with its ups and downs like anything else. Communication lines opened up, people are able to travel all over the world and keep their friends and family close to them in their pockets or through the use of Internet cafes. I went to Costa Rica for a summer and even though I was in the middle of nowhere there were still Internet cafes and computer or telephone access. Although communication has opened up, globalization has also opened up opportunities for outsiders to get inside.
Technology has consequences just like anything else. But does that mean that it is wrong? Making things easier does not change the fact that people can build explosives without the lab research and the proper resources. Materials found in all sorts of technology can be used for and against people.
The U.S. Army Battalion 304 put out a report documenting the possible use of Twitter and GPS systems to change the world. GPS coordinates and Twitter’s instant communication could make it easy for terrorists to target certain places. With a combination of the two, the military could have, build and detonate explosives while communicating it in an instant. This does not mean that we should stop inventing and expanding into the global market place, there are just consequences like there are for anything else.
The U.S. spends hundreds of millions of dollars on technology like precision munitions that contrast the use of IEDs by insurgents. However, everyday people come up with easy and inexpensive ways to communicate and in a sense to kill.
What should we do? Stop inventing new technology or stop using it?
Ok, I get it, I really do, computer IT people do some really nerdy things. The talk computers with other computer people and say things like, “Linux is better than everything.” They start talking about Red Hates, Yellow Dogs, Woot and other things that generally turn people away.
To be honest nerds are a very interesting sub-sect of the demographic sphere. Typically they are early adopters, have large disposable incomes, and love tech. For a marketer they are a great target and easily identifiable. To be honest some of my best friends are nerds, and I happen to be a closet nerd myself. I may or may not have attended a Star Trek convention and I may love Zombies.
That’s why this ad disheartens me so. I understand what White Oaks. They are trying to attract other computer tech personnel to their company and they are trying to show White Oaks understands. But creating an ad solely on a stereotype is wrong.
This is similar to the ‘Mountain Dew’ demographic ads that bother me so. I get that some people are ‘extreme’ and enjoy a highly caffeinated beverage, but placating to these stereotypes seems to be the lowest form of advertising there is.
I could be wrong with this ad. I could be wrong about ‘EXTREME’ ads. Let me know.
