Super Bowl is also known for its commercials. It has grown in popularity because it makes it entertaining for people that may not be interested in football (great marketing opportunity). These commercials/ads have a few seconds to get you to REMEMBER their message. Small businesses may think that because the the airtime is expensive that you could never do a commercial like this. Small businesses would be WRONG! But that’s good news for you. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about Super Bowl commercials:

• Which commercials do you remember the most?

• What makes those commercials so memorable?

• Do you need a large budget?

• Is the message clear?

• Does it solve a problem?

• Did they ever explicitly ask you to BUY?

• Are you approaching your ads the same way?

• What is your audience remembering about your commercial/product?

• What problem are you solving?

Let’s break them down a few of my most memorable commercials from this year (2023)

• Tax Season

• Farmer’s Dog

• Bud Light on Hold

Tax Season

If you provide a service that isn’t flashy but is very necessary, this was a really good way to go about it. The commercial portrays that if you do your taxes with H&R Block, they make it so easy, that it will feel as joyous as Christmas. People will be just as excited to have “tax season” come around. Would you actually hold them to this standard? Of course not, but it is a good way of portraying the message since Christmas does have that significance of joy.

• What makes this commercial memorable? It makes the product appear flashy and fun, for something that clearly does not have the reputation of being flashy or fun.

• Do you need a large budget? Not necessarily. This could’ve been portrayed in a number of ways, but still delivering the same message.

• Is the message clear? Yes. We make tax season so easy it’ll be joyous for you! Sometimes there’s a slogan that is just 2-3 words that makes you easily remember the message.

• Does it solve a problem? Yes. It makes the mundane task of doing taxes “appear” more “fun.”

• Did they ever explicitly ask you to BUY? NO! You are a spectator witnessing this, and makes you want to be a part of it. It simply IMPLIES what your life will be like after you buy.

Questions to ask yourself about your business.

• Are you approaching your ads the same way?

• What is your audience remembering about your commercial/product?

• What problem are you solving?

Farmer’s Dog

The Farmer’s Dog commercial shows the life of a dog. From a puppy and how it coincides with the dog’s human family. As the commercial goes on you see the dog getting older… and older… and you’re expecting the inevitable 😭… but then it doesn’t…How is this dog still around…? Because of good nutrition, you get extra years to make memories 🤯

• What makes this commercial memorable? Because we love dogs! More time with them is something we all want!

• Do you need a large budget? No. This could’ve been portrayed in a number of ways, but still delivering the same message.

• Is the message clear? Yes. Live longer by using our product and giving you the desired result of making more memories with them.

• Does it solve a problem? Yes. That dogs have a shorter life span than we would want, this helps extends their life through healthy lifestyle.

• Did they ever explicitly ask you to BUY? No. It simply IMPLIES what your life will be like after you buy. (Starting to see a pattern?)

Questions to ask yourself about your business.

• Are you approaching your ads the same way?

• What is your audience remembering about your commercial/product?

• What problem are you solving?

Bud Light

This one caught me off guard because usually these commercials are at a party scene. “Typical” situations where you would be drinking. Hanging out with friends, celebrating, etc. This one also had the very mundane task of being put on hold. So what’s a good way to liven things up and make the time FEEL like it’s going faster? Have a drink! Before you know it, you’re having fun and forgot you were on hold.

• What makes this commercial memorable? Very relatable task where we mindlessly wait to even talk to a real person

• Do you need a large budget? No. This was shot in a living room.

• Is the message clear? Yes. This product makes life temporarily more fun.

• Does it solve a problem? Yes. This product makes life temporarily more fun.

• Did they ever explicitly ask you to BUY? No. It Makes you remember the next time you’re in this situation. “Oh I wish I had X product that could’ve made this moment a little more tolerable. It simply IMPLIES what your life will be like after you buy. (Make them want it!)

Questions to ask yourself about your business.

• Are you approaching your ads the same way?

• What is your audience remembering about your commercial/product?

• What problem are you solving?

Small Business Takeaways

What is the ONE element that El Paso businesses are doing that these DID NOT…?

…

BUY NOW!! Which is obviously very necessary for a business, but for what reason?! What problem are you solving? The Futur is always talking about how people like to buy, but don’t like being sold to. the internet has really changed this, because if we have a problem, we know how to search. Before the internet, we had to be told what type of problems businesses were solving.

The average age of a small business owner is 44. Gen-X. Commercials from decades ago were very different, but many of us have not broken out of that model.

If you build it, they will come. Not anymore. What problem are you solving? Some of the biggest companies that came out of the last decade were solving a problem.

• Instagram - A social media platform that focused on images

• Square - Making it easy to take card payments.

• Spotify - Instead of having to buy music… you can RENT music.

• Uber - Turning consumers into suppliers

• Uber Eats (and other food delivery) - People want food, but don’t want to go out. There are drivers already out as Uber drivers.

Does this mean you have to invent some new app or totally change your business? No it just means you have to be more creative in the problems you are solving. And more than ever… people have all sorts of problems 😅.

Pick something you really relate to that your business may already be doing. Maybe this is why you got into the field to begin with. Focus THAT message. Do you have coffee shop, and you decided this because you didn’t like the way you were getting your coffee from somewhere else, so you’re trying to fix it. Focus THAT message. Better ingredients, more effective process, longer lasting, better prices. How do you make them want it? Reactions are a great way. Record reactions or have your customers send you reactions. You can offer an incentive if they send you a reaction. Free item or discount on their next visit.

Recap:

• Have clear message…

• That solves a problem…

• And makes them want to be a part of it…(without having to tell them to BUY)

Now that you have focused your message. Plan an event around your new message. Here are some tips on planning events in El Paso.