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Television Commercials

“Greatest Marketing Campaigns” Analysis
Most consumers are exposed to voluminous flow of advertising messages. In the past ten years, the Internet has created an entirely new venue for advertising as well.  Today social media is ubiquitous; we cannot get away from the latest product message.  In addition, the reason for the vast number of ads we are exposed to daily?  Ads are used to urge the viewer to take an action usually to purchase the product or service shown in the ad.  After all, a company must sell its product or service to customers in order to be profitable.
This assignment requires us to select five (of your own favorite) advertisements from each of the traditional media outlets: radio, television, newsprint, magazine, and outdoor advertising (a total of 25 ads). Create and post an analysis for each ad on your blog.  Each of these five types of traditional media outlets will be aligned with a given week during this course

Television Commercials

T.V. Add: Maria Sharapova ESPN TV Commercial

Description: Maria Sharapova (famous tennis player) walks past Stuart Scott’s (ESPN’s Anchors) cubical while he is typing away.  Stuart stops Maria and refers to a can of tennis balls on his desk indicating that he received the tennis balls from a supplier.  He offers the can to Maria but she initially refuses them because she feels that she is being tricked.  Stuart uses reverse physiology and the guilt technique to persuade Maria into accepting the can.  Maria picks of the can opens it which launches the snake in a can prank.  Maria walks away while Stuart laughs hysterically.  At the end the there is a ESPN, Sportscaster imporsed in the on the screen.

Watch: Maria Sharapova ESPN TV Commercial

Technique used: ESPN uses the celebrity technique along with the wit and humor.

 Objectives:

  1. To portray a fun organization that has famous athletes that function like common folks.
  2. To show that ESPN is a organization that has the best athletes walking throughout their spaces and work center and that these athletes closely interacts with the anchors.

The description of the individual makes you think that if I were to drink dos equis then you would be interesting too.

Target Market: The target market for ESPN is all sports fans.

Action for consumers to take is to watch ESPN.  Side note, ESPN has some of my favorite commercials. 

T.V. Ad: 1990 Cadillac Sedan De Ville Car Commercial

Description: Man starts to explain how certain foreign cars do not have certain features; he does this while a smooth melody is playing in the background.  As different cars are being displayed, the commentator comments on them.  First the Mercedes then the Mercedes is replaced by a Lexus, which then is also replaced by a BMW.  While each car is displayed, the commentator says that these cars do not have a particular feature.  Finally, a Cadillac De Ville drives up while the commentator is saying that the car currently displayed offers the features that are not in those other competitor’s car at an affordable price range.

Watch: 1990 Cadillac Sedan Deville Car Commercial.

Technique used: Cadillac uses patriotism by first indicating that the luxury brands that will be compared to are not manufactured in the U.S.  Then Cadillac uses facts and figures technique to down play their competitors before displaying their product, which offers all the features that where neglect in its mentioned competitors.  Cadillac finishes the ad with a plain folks technique indicating that the car is priced at a fair amount.

Objectives: 

  1. The objective of the commercial is to downplay Cadillac’s competitions while building up their featured vehicle.
  2. Market Cadillac as an affordable luxury brand compared to its competitors.

Target Market: The target audience for this commercial are anyone that drives luxury brand vehicles.

Action:  After viewing this commercial consumers are to go buy Cadillac or at least go to a dealership and check one out.  Check out the graphic, I wonder how much it cost to do that during the early 90s.

 

T.V. Add: Samsung Galaxy Gear: Evolution

Description: The commercial starts by displaying different watches from different movies or shows associated with different eras.  The first watch is a watch from the Dick Tracy movie in 1946, the watches progress in years with the last watch displayed being from Star Trek in 1979.  The watch progression follows a natural state of technology evolution.  Each time a watch is displayed one or more characters voices from that associated movie or t.v. show are heard.  The final watch displayed is first slightly shown, the words “after all these years” is displayed.  The watch is slightly shown again followed by the words “it’s finally real” displayed.  The face of the watch is finally displayed; a finger is shown interacting with the watches interface.  The words “The next big thing is here” is displayed followed by Samsung Galaxy.

Watch: Samsung Galaxy Gear: Evolution

Technique used: Samsung uses demographic positioning in that the tech savy individual will recognize the watches being displayed.  Dramatic affect is used also by drawing the view by displaying these watches that have multiply functionalities.  The transfer of all of the make believe technology in past movies and shows are incorporated into a real life tangible watch.

 Objectives:

  1. Build excitement about a new product.
  2. Display the functions of the watch and also the ease of use of the watch.

Target Market: Those that like technology.

Action for consumers to take is find out more about this watch and eventually purchase the watch along with a Samsung galaxy phone. 

 

T.V. Add: Snickers Godzilla Commercial

Description: Godzilla is hanging out with regular group of guys having fun.  Godzilla seems to be able to do everything right as he is fraught with the ability to have fun doing anything his friends are doing.  While at a basement party one of the guys mentioned that Godzilla is actually a cool guy, the other person throws a caveat and say that he is cool as long as he is not hungry.  The commercial cuts to Godzilla causing mayhem and destruction throughout the city while the guys try to get away.  One person grabs a Snickers bar and throws it into the mouth of Godzilla, which causes an instant positive reaction from Godzilla stopping it in its tracks.  There is a cut scene to Godzilla having fun again water skiing with the enjoyment of his friends.

Watch: Snickers Godzilla Commercial

Technique used: These snickers commercial are some of my favorite because I can relate to that feeling you get whenever you are hungry.  The techniques used in this commercial are wit and humor, transfer, emotion, exaggerations and promised benefits.

 Objectives:

  1. To promote Snickers candy bar as a fulfilling snack that can tackle all appetites.
  2. To promote the new Godzilla movie.

The commercial used to indicate that no matter what your appetite may be one snickers candy bar can quench it.

Target Market: The target market Snickers and this commercial are anyone that likes candy.

Action for consumers to take is to by snickers and watch the new Godzilla movie coming out.

 

T.V. Add: Michael Jordan Failure Nike Commercial

Description: Bigger than life moment, Michel Jordan steps out of a limousine with smooth melody playing in the background.  As he walks, he is greeted with flashing lights from cameras and fans held back barricades.  The commentator, which is Jordan, speaks about his failures, the shots he missed, the games that he has lost, and the last second shots that he has missed.  As he walks, he shakes the security guards hand and recognizes the janitor sweeping the area.  He walks towards the player entry door and as he approaches, the commentator indicates that since he has failed repeatedly in his life that is the reason why he is successful.  The Jordan symbol is displayed and then there is a fad to black.

Watch: Michael Jordan Failure Nike Commercial

Technique used:  Michael Jordan, MJ, uses Transfer, plain folks appeal.  The transfer is from the message of hard work and failing will come success, in which they try to associate with the Jordan brand.  The part of plain folks appeal is tricky, in that when MJ walks through his path he recognizes the common folk i.e. security guards, janitor.  I could be reaching on this one but there has to be an agenda to why MJ signals out these individuals to acknowledge.

 Objectives:

  1. To portray the Jordan brand as a brand that works hard to achieve greatness.

Target Market: The target market for Jordan is all sports fans and all athletes.

Jordan commercials are some of my favorite commercials; I do believe that the commercials are what helped MJ become such an iconic figure that transcended his sport like no other. 

3 thoughts on “Television Commercials”

  1. Toochikwu,

    The snickers commercial was great. Many of their famous character actors can be seen at this link

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFjWoM36TXM

    performing similar branding messages for Snickers. I can relate how I feel like a complexity different person when I am hungry, hence their tag line “your not you when your hungry.”

    My second favorite commercial was MJ’s. How often is it that we hear only negative comments about famous athletes and the public in general. It’s great for Michael to acknowledge his many “failures” as only being a small part of his success. We can all associate with failing, some more than others. We can also associate with success as a result of learning from our failures.
    The Jordan brand is identified with quality and winners. The logo of a flying man with a basketball in his hand can be identified with his more than human slam duck from on top of the key near the end of a basketball game. He’s amazing and so are his products.

    Thanks for sharing these classics.
    Ray

  2. Hey Toochikwu,

    Great Job! My favorite ads out of your selection was the Samsung Evolution ad and the Michael Jordan Failure ad.

    I had never seen that ad for the Samsung watch. I loved the concept of showing the evolution of all those watches from movies, tv shows, etc and to show how the watch actually exists now. I think it sends a powerful brand message and will definitely get peoples attention. Do you have or know anybody who has a smart watch? This seems like like it going to be one of the big new technologies. I know that there the Pebble watch, an iWatch concept, and I think a Windows concept soon coming out. Huge for Samsung to the first to the market with this technology, especially with them making such a big push on Apple.

    I have always loved that Jordan commercial. I think it sends a great positive message and anything with Michael Jordan will get any sports fan attention.

    Great job!
    Chris

  3. Hey Toochikwu.

    I agree with Chris. My favorite two commercials were the Samsung and MJ commercial.

    I enjoyed the Samsung because they appeal to a wide variety of viewers by taking a look back at gadgets or watches that were viewed as ahead of their time. The ending with the Samsung watch being real and here now was excellent.

    MJ commercial spoke to me since I am in this Entrepreneurship class. MJ spoke of failure and how ultimately this was his success. I agree with this statement and I can use this for self-motivation seeing that MJ is one of the greatest of all time.

    Thanks for this selection.

    T. Kwasikpui

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