JYSK is a Danish company who traditionally sold beds and bedding accessories. Back in the 1990s they introduced an audio logo that was loosely based on a traditional song sung by Danish people. The sonic tagline used in this commercial doesn’t have international meaning but it is easily recognized by anyone and is a great source of pride for the company. As we’ve always believed music is an international language and this is a great example.
So the Patriots are set to take on the Giants in this year’s Superbowl showdown. As a marketer you’re more excited about the ads.
Just like the players on the field the game brings out the best and the worst in creative people. Most of the time it’s great creative work and other times the strategy just breaks under pressure.
The Superbowl advertising spots are among the most expensive you will ever encounter as a marketer. To me it almost seems like a city hosting the Olympic games. They pay a ton of money for recognition but they never seem to make a profit as the cost is too high.
That being said some companies have started teasers to get the ball rolling early and for less money. This seems like a great approach that should help the overall campaign reach closer to a positive return on investment.
I really like the pre-campaign done by Volks Wagon (seen below). I’m looking forward to seeing what the endgame is.
What are you expecting from the ads this year at the Superbowl?
Ivan Pavlov would be proud to watch this commercial.
In a recent TV advertisement (seen above) by Nestlé Purina, sound is used to make a direct pitch to dogs. This might seem counter intuitive because dogs don’t buy food. But, in the highly competitive market of pet food it’s a smart way to break through the clutter.
Because pet owners are reluctant to change brands once they find one that works it’s a challenge to get people to convert. The idea here is to get dogs to react to the commercial. In doing so the pet owners may subconsciously remember that when the purchase Fido’s dinner.
To attract the target animal the commercial uses sounds that only dogs can hear. The Beneful ad features a “squeak” that is similar to the sound of a dog toy, a high-frequency tone, similar to a dog whistle, which humans can barely hear, and a soft, high-pitched “ping” which can be heard by dogs and people.
So far the commercial has only been displayed in Germany and is soon to hit Austria. However, according to the Toronto Star Nestlé Purina has no plans to launch the commercial in Canada this year but it may consider it in 2012.
This might seem a bit odd considering TreBrand specializes in audio branding, but silence can be vital to a successful TV commercial. However, I wouldn’t advise this for radio – you might get someone fired.
Below are two commercials that have used silence quite well.
MADD Canada
Although not complete silence the dramatic point is made with only ambient sounds.
International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD)
A similar style commercial, but a more dramatic use of silence.
You can think of silence in commercials like white space in print advertising – it’s a palette cleanser for the ears. I suggest that you use silence to emphasize something, a call to action maybe, but also for dramatic effect like the videos above.
Have you experimented with silence in your ads? Let me know your experience in the comments section.
Well, it seems that the US government has listened to consumers.
Just recently, according to Yahoo! News the US senate has passed a bill that will require broadcasters to keep their T.V. commercials at a respectable level.
Now, you’re wondering why commercials are so loud in the first place?
The last few weeks I’m sure you have noticed the barrage of Christmas commercials on the TV and radio. It’s definitely a big time of year if you are in business and that has a lot of owners on edge about the final push of year.
What are the keys to creating a brand that people believe in? A brand that people will buy from? And how do you do it at a time like Christmas where time is of the essence?