Super Bowl commercials are like your drunken friend that shows up late to the party, trying to earn everyone’s attention. Sometimes it’s funny, but other times it’s painstakingly embarrassing. During national events, marketers have the opportunity to broadcast their creative genius – but sometimes you’re left wondering, “What in the world were they thinking?”
This isn’t to negate the importance of risk taking, but with one third of American consumers stating that they’d avoid a brand due to distasteful marketing, it’s time to rethink the advertising strategy. Whether it’s blogging for business or creating television spots a la major brands, strategic planning has never been more critical. The thing is, the principles behind a superior marketing campaign are the same across all marketing mediums. Fortunately, we can learn from these televised mishaps.
Tackling Repetitiveness Head-On
Halfway through this commercial, we can’t help but wonder whether or not we’re listening to a badly scratched CD. Even though the advertisement repeats the phrase “HeadOn, applied directly to the forehead!” no less than a dozen times, we still have no idea what the product does. Is it to cure headaches, acne, or lightheadedness? Your guess is as good as ours.
HeadOn exemplifies the importance of building trust with consumers via content marketing. Failing to provide clarity and explain the services rendered only frustrates the consumer. We all love slogans, but they should enhance our marketing efforts, not drive them.
Burger King’s Whopper Gets Whopped
In a creative effort to mix reality television with advertising, Burger King spent millions to create an on-the-spot comparative taste test between its signature Whopper and the Big Mac. The problem? The taste test was conducted in countries such as Greenland, Transylvania, and Thailand, where an estimated 30 percent of the country’s inhabitants could never afford a burger.
Critics blasted Burger King’s insensitivity, upset that the chain didn’t even acknowledge the hunger existing in the areas where they filmed. What an excellent reminder that blogging is an effective way out of a crisis. When your content marketing strategy admits faults, announces a plan of action, listens to responses, engages readers, and continuously keeps the situation under of control, your brand will be able to leverage its blog (or your client’s) as a crisis aversion tool.
Quizno’s Woes
When you think of tasty subs, chances are the first jingle that comes to mind is:
Five
Five Dolla
Five Dolla Footloooong!
If you’re surprised that Quizno’s has it’s own jingle, you’re not alone. It probably didn’t help that the advertisement looked like a cheap knock-off of a YouTube video. Seriously, how many people want rodents singing about the food they’re about to eat? While the concept might have worked online, it certainly didn’t resonate with the television audience.
Remember, resonating with readers is paramount to making your content shareable. When your content is difficult to share, you fail to get the traffic, conversions, and potential leads that you deserve. Plus, why erect a roadblock after all the time, effort, and elbow grease you’ve put into your content marketing strategy?
Does Heating It Up Speed Things Up?
The nation couldn’t stop talking (and gagging) when supermodel Bar Refaeli made out with nerd and geek (actor) Jesse Heiman for GoDaddy’s 2013 Super Bowl commercial. The advertisement made headlines for heating things up with its racy and provocative content. It was arguably the most memorable commercial that year, if not the most overdone.
Interestingly, though, sexy ads aren’t as effective as you’d think, especially for women. There’s a fine line between sexy and sexist, which has a drastic impact on the success of an ad. It’s true that sex grabs attention, but the old adage that “sex sells” isn’t necessarily true, especially if your brand isn’t openly associated with vulgar content. To speed up conversion rates and increase brand awareness, you’re better off sticking to comedic content.
The Worst Holiday Commercial…Ever?
When the most memorable line of a commercial is, “Hey, pretty lady. It’s me, Jack,” you know something’s amiss. Whether it’s the wooden acting or the fact that the entire ad is about a stalker, there are many reasons Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smart watch commercial has been named one of the worst of all time. It’d be impossible to explain everything that’s wrong with this ad, so you’ll have to see what’s so gut wrenching for yourself. There’s a reason ratings and comments have been disabled on the official video.
Similarly, working with a professional writing service is critical to ensuring that you and your clients publish content that you’re proud of. Failing to invest in quality content can result in consumer backlash, especially if it fails to connect with consumers at an emotional level. Brand storytelling is critical not only for your image, but ensuring that sales continue to grow and that prospective clients are guided through the sales funnel. A well-planned content strategy will ensure that your marketing isn’t wooden, creepy, or boring. Rather, it’ll ensure that your brand’s marketing tactics are firing on all cylinders.
With so many lessons to learn from five of the worst commercials of all time, it’s critical to remember these tips and keep your brand above its competitors. Has your brand made any of these mistakes?