#advertising #FamousPeople ##products #services #EffectiveAdvertising
Actor Matthew McConaughey sits in a laundromat in a light blue suit.
Turns out, he’s advertising for Salesforce.
First, why would a famous actor be in a laundromat? Second, why would he have a light blue suit on to do laundry? Third, what does laundry have to do with Salesforce?
This ad is memorable because McConaughey is in it. But, months or years later, will anyone remember what he was advertising?
Advertising is not exact science. But the goal of every ad is to sell the product or service that bought the time or space.
When the ad overwhelms the desired message, is it effective?
Many of us can remember popular ads from decades ago. Many of those memorable ads have jingles that include the product’s or service’s name. For example, “Winston tastes good like (as) a cigarette should.”
Other ads, like McConaughey’s, are memorable for who is in them. For example, the late Charlie Daniels walks into a restaurant that has a strolling violinist. He grabs the violin and bow from him, plays one of his patented fiddle riffs, shreds the bow in the process and gives him back the instrument saying, “that’s how it’s done, son.
It was a memorable ad, but does anyone remember the product or service Daniels was advertising?
The Daniels ad had a side educational benefit in showing the difference between a violin and a fiddle.
One has to presume that someone among the advertising company is monitoring whether ads are driving business.
It’s just hard to know how effective such ads can be.
The ad creators have to find the sweet spot in having a memorable ad that doesn’t make anyone forget the product or service being advertised.
It helps to have well-known spokespeople. But, they should be in a context that makes sense for the product or service being advertised.
McConaughey’s laundromat scene doesn’t seem to be the right context for Salesforce.
The myriad athletes, and former athletes, who advertise for Subway present excellent context for selling subs. Subs go well with watching games on TV.
In short, effective advertising is subjective. One person’s great idea may fall flat on the next person.
Marketing and advertising professionals make a living thinking of effective ways to advertise Product X or Service Y.
It helps to find a way to compel someone to watch, while having the product’s or service’s name and purpose remembered.
Also, one has to figure out which ads won’t get muted, or forwarded past, with clicker-happy viewers.
Most of us appreciate advertisers sponsoring our favorite shows, or helping keep our newspapers, magazines, Web sites and podcasts financially viable.
It helps when viewers can remember the product or service advertised, long after the ad has stopped airing.
Peter