Each year, the suspense builds, as game watchers eagerly await those memorable Super Bowl ads. You might not have the $4 million budget required to purchase a similar advertising message, but you can still learn some valuable marketing lessons from the Big Game.
In short, Super Bowl commercials engage consumers in 30 to 60 seconds, imprinting a memorable message in their minds, using visual imagery and a clever presentation. The challenge to small companies: Do it sans the big marketing budget. Take heart. It is possible. The good news is some of the general concepts behind the most effective ads can be applied on a much smaller scale. As you gain insight and learn from these best and brightest marketing gurus, you can improve your game, and come out looking like a marketing genius!
Here are a few takeaways for small-business marketers from the 2013 Super Bowl Game.
- Include a call to action. It’s amazing how often the essential aspect of asking for a buying decision is omitted from the marketing appeal. If you’re making a video, don’t forget to include a closing call to action, and repeat it at least twice.
- Stand out from the crowd. Promote those qualities that distinguish you from your competitors. Tout what makes your product or service unique, and use plenty of visuals in your video promotion.
- Underscore value. It always comes down to the value proposition. So, include a brief explanation in your sales pitch. Make your slogan relevant and memorable, in a similar fashion to Nike’s slogan: “Just Do It.”
- Be edgy, but don’t overdo it. Gauge the tolerance of your market to over-the-top advertising campaigns. If you’re in San Francisco, the cultural volume is louder and you’ll have to work harder to be noticed in the crowd. If you’re in a small town in Iowa, you’ll probably want to temper the edginess of the ad, and not go for a Superbowl-style shocker.