There is no doubt that we
are living in serious economic times, where even greater thoughtful and
creative measures are required to survive and thrive. Thanks to the mass love affair with Facebook
and Twitter, brands have additional means to get their products/services in
front of consumers in the hope of getting noticed.
TV land is still an
attractive channel to many brands, large and small, with the prices for scatter
ads falling 25% - 30% below previous year’s rates as recently reported by Ad
Age. However, its
branded entertainment deals that seem to be the darling of the ad world
again. Red Bull has been a leader in
this area through its own “Life Gives You Wings” campaign that has brought a
dizzying array of extreme sports videos from “air racing” and “sound clash” to
the “7 city hustle”. But inside the
world of Hollywood
Recently, Pepsi’s Izze
received kudos for
getting its pomegranate-flavored fruit beverage in the hands of one of Grey’s
Anatomy’s lead characters, Izzie Stevens.
One comment posted by Victor Profis who heads up Travel & Tourism
for Southern Living Magazine caught my eye:
“I saw that show and I never picked up on this. Well maybe PepsiCo did not get anywhere the
kind of meaningful exposure that one would have think they received. But good for them for getting on the show”
I didn’t catch this
particular episode myself – but I agree with Victor – its great to get on, but
how did Izze pomegranate contribute to the story? Is it enough in these hard economic times,
with every sort of media available bombarding consumers, to just “get on”….or
do fans/consumers need more in order to stop and notice brands?
Probably one of the greatest cinema stories of all time (or at least for my generation) is that of “E.T. – The Extraterrestrial”. Who could forget the amazing tale of friendship that develops between 8 year-old Elliott and the adorable E.T.? One of the key moments in the friendship journey took place over a sharing of Reeses Pieces – the delicious peanut butter with a hard candy shell. To this day, I still reach for a pack of Reeses anytime I’m in the mood to munch and share with friends. “E.T.” was quite a computer whiz – I was impressed with his groundbreaking adaptation of the “Speak and Spell” as a communication device. I spent hours as a kid trying to get my version to reach out beyond my bedroom walls. The story stuck with me and so did the brands that contributed to it.
Brands must not forget this
simple, but powerful example. Their
products/services must contribute and help build stories in order for consumers
to connect and make them part of their daily lives. So in looking at the Grey’s Anatomy example,
I’m wondering why Izzie Stevens chose this beverage instead of something else
at the hospital cafeteria. What about
the moment in the episode made that particular beverage the right one to enjoy?
1. Make the Moment Count
– Elliot knew that Reeses Pieces would be just the thing to coax his unusual
guest out of his shell. The folks at Izze
state when we “feel our best – we do our best at work”. How much more compelling would it have been
to see Izzie Stevens enjoying a refreshing Izze after a successful patient surgery? The Izze brand also values “cultural
discovery through philanthropic action” – so why not a scene depicting Izzie
Stephens volunteering at a culturally-related charity event? Either of these would have drawn me in and
help me make a relevant connection between the moment and the brand.
2. Keep the Plot Going
– Before jetting off in his spaceship, “E.T.” tells Elliott that he will be
right back. In 1982, social media was
limited to the “Speak and Spell” mobile phone “E.T.” used to phone home. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then
and now “E.T.” could stay in touch with Elliott and his friends through
Facebook, Twitter and his personal Tumblr blog.
I can only imagine the chatter about “E.T.s” next return. On their website, Izze talks about
pomegranate historically being used to “purge envy and hatred”. I can’t think of a better backstory to engage
the audience. What old grudges does
Izzie Stephens have that she would like to get rid of? Some additional post-show online only videos
depicting more of the story would be compelling.
3. Connect the Dots –
At the end of the movie, the government official tells Elliott that when he was
a little boy, he dreamed of meeting “E.T.” one day too. He was able to share in the story between
Elliott and “E.T.” Going back to our
evolving plotline, what grudges might you and I have that need expulsion? (okay, that would be an entire blog in
itself). Ask Grey’s fans to share their
envy moments that they want to purge and send them a coupon for their
submissions. Allow people to connect
over similar envy purging memories.
I hope that brands will
realize their potential to shape indelible stories for consumers as digital
media becomes increasingly pervasive. That
gets me thinking….wonder if my Speak and Spell still works….its been a while
since I phoned home.
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