We Now Return to Your Regularly Scheduled Advertising

The NFL officially gets the credit for making commercials “must-see TV.” Over half of the Super Bowl audience watches the event for the advertisements alone. Last year’s ad rates were $4 million for a 30-second spot and $8 million for a 60-second spot [1] , so those paying top dollar try to ensure they are as engaging as possible and discussed around the modern water cooler (aka social media). But for the rest of the year, organizations (along with their commercial agencies) now have to innovate outside of their comfort zone in order to get in front of customers after the advent of digital video recording. Some companies succeed using linearly integrated branding within programming (i.e. Kraft products used as cooking ingredients on “Top Chef”) while others make events of their commercials (i.e. Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer). The evolution of the aforementioned tactics are the approaches taken by Marriott Hotels International and AT&T to target the millennial generation (and younger) in order to drive it to their respective social media platforms through ingenious free advertising.

At the end of September 2014, Marriott announced the launch of its Global Content Studio, focusing on short-form content for next-generation travelers. The programming will “consist of three groups: a Creative agency, Entertainment and Live – all focused on developing multi-platform content to engage consumers across all screens and formats worldwide,” according to Karin Timpone, Marriott’s global marketing officer [2]. To that end, the GCS announced several deals including: becoming the first major hotel chain (with its own channel) on Snapchat partnering with popular platform influencers to tell unique stories while traveling at Marriott Hotel properties; launching a new travel lifestyle brand on Medium, the blog-publishing platform by Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone; co-producing the short film, Two Bellmen with Substance Over Hype, a dance/parkour/martial arts, (etc…) collective around its properties; and exclusive deals with Louis Cole and the Vagabrothers, youth-oriented travel influencers on YouTube, Twitter and Instragram [3]. Marriott has made a bold move forward, not only within hospitality, but for the service industry overall. By pivoting away from more traditional advertising concepts to ally itself with digital personae who come across as either authentic/entertaining, Marriott may be leading the charge of how companies adapt on customer acquisition.

While Marriott’s measures haven’t hit distribution yet, AT&T’s venture has. AT&T partnered with the Chernin Group, Omnicom Group and BBDO to produce a reality TV show, “Summer Break,” with 5-10 minute episodes which follow Los Angeles teens over their (guess what?) summer break. The show has already aired two seasons, solely via online platforms (AT&T’s branded Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, Instragram, Snapchat and Vine channels). AT&T consistently holds the number two spot in wireless carriers, and have taken an intriguing approach to targeting the millennials who will (eventually) leave their parent’s family plans: producing content in-which the “stars” to use its products on-screen [4]. After the first two months following the show’s second season premiere, AT&T garnered 44,500 followers without any paid media on its brand-new Snapchat channel but took in huge numbers via its YouTube channel with over 20 million views and over 350k subscribers! [5] AT&T is keeping mum about the effect this programming has had on its bottom line, but obviously, those won’t be apparent for a while.

In the foreseeable future, there will be a need for advertising in the traditional mediums of TV and print. But as savvy consumers avoid “old school” commercials, marketing departments will have to create the next must-see messaging that transmits the genuineness millennials seek. Marriott and AT&T have chosen a dynamic path toward that end by pursuing the next generation of "services consumers" via content partnership with producers who previously succeeded in attracting the demographic organically. Sooner rather than later the results will be in and if positive, so will the reproductions.