What Does Customer Obsession Have to Do With Super Bowl Ads?

The big game is over and besides the winners on the field, we're also taking stock of the winners and losers in the ad sweepstakes. There are a few commercials that everybody is talking about and a lot that they aren’t.? That proves that whether it's the shopping experience, the servicing experience or ads, you still have to work backward from the customer.? In other words, Customer Obsession is important even when putting together and airing commercials. ?If you’re going to spend $7M to air an ad let alone produce it and pay celebrity talent to participate in it, you’d better make it count. ?Yet, this year there’s no shortage of examples where it’s fair to say companies didn’t make it count. Below are some of the ads nobody is talking about, and for that reason you might say they were $7M misses. The question is why? Why were they so forgettable?

• Squarespace - A website makes it real
• Crowdstrike - We stop breaches
• Stok Cold Brew Coffee
• Salomon
• DuoLingo - Do your duo lingo
• Elf Beauty

Now if you remember these ads and they resonated with you, I stand corrected, but if you have very little recollection of them or remember thinking "what was that all about?" then you get the point.

Below are some of the key elements for success (or for failure in case they’re lacking) for Super Bowl ads. All of the much talked about ads nailed these elements of success. Not so much for the ones that aren't getting the post-game chatter.

• Humor / Wit?- (e.g., Dunkings, State Farm, T-mobile Internet)
• Emotional connection?- (e.g., Kia, Dove, Google Pixel Guided Frame with AI, He gets us)
• Relevance / Messaging -?(e.g., Verizon Internet, Doordash-all-the-ads)
• Memorableness - (e.g., No T in Skechers, Hellmans talking cat)
• Lead up to the game / Follow-up?after the game - (e.g., Booking.com , Homes.com )
• Timing - Brands might want to think twice about placing ads right after halftime because people leave Super Bowl parties to get home or placing ads near the end of the game because the hour is late and there may be some audience drop off especially if the game is not in doubt. Some ads that might have been better placed earlier in the game this year include>> T-Mobile Internet vs. T-mobile Magenta Status>> NYX Professional Makeup

The common denominator for all of these success elements is that they revolve around effectively establishing a connection with the customer and leaving a lasting impression. They place the customer at the center of ad production and execution.

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