Tags
#Commercials
Share your purpose publicly
In 2016, Airbnb launched a campaign sharing their purpose with the world. By doing this, they made themselves and their Hosts accountable for ensuring "Anyone can Belong Anywhere." The campaign included:
- An online platform that allowed people to create their own version of the Airbnb logo
- A variety of communications, billboards, and merchandise
- A social challenge to create #onelessstranger, which included sending $10 to 100,000 community members and asking them to use the money to deliver a personal or creative act of kindness
- The 'Don't Go There. Live There.' video
The rebellious creator
Rebellious creators are visionaries with a calling to change the world. They are not here to be liked, they are here to create things that make a difference. They define themselves, not by their job title, but by the impact they make.
They cannot be put into a single mold as they come from all backgrounds. They are artists, musicians, historians, and even zoologists. Their rebellious spirit is what connects them and motivates them to do things differently—to stand up to the status quo.
They are fearless. They are not afraid to show who they are and what they stand for, and have even gone so far as to raise a skull-and-crossbones flag above their headquarters. They cannot be deterred or ignored, and they are never going away.
They are the crazy ones.
Showcase your cause, not your product
Apple's 1984 ad, which introduced the Macintosh, shows no images and describes no details about the product. It is an ad focused solely on what drives Apple as a company and is considered one of the best television ads of all time.
Emphasize what's really important to your customers
When surveying their customer-base, Chick-fil-A found that "93% of respondents said quality time together is the single most important ingredient to creating favorite holiday memories, in front of food, decorating, music, parties and gifts." This lead to the creation of their holiday Time Shop ad.
Challenge internal taboos
Parisian Love was Google's first ever TV spot created by Special Guest. Conventionally, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were opposed to big television campaigns, as they saw them as a waste of resources that could be better spent on hiring more engineers. But this cultural norm was the exact reason why they ended up creating the ad. As Larry Page described it, the ad "sort of violates every known principle that we have, and every once in a while, you should test that you really have the right principles. You don't want to end up too rigid."
In the end, Ad Age called it "one of the best campaigns of the 21st century," and Time put it on its list of the "19 Best Super Bowl Ads of all Time.”
Emphasize the experiences you offer, not the product
The Ritz-Carlton used to focus their messaging on the elegance of their properties, but as the company evolved, so has their messaging. Imagery and stories now focus on the unique and exotic experiences that their locations offer, as highlighted in their short-film series, The Stay.
Create ads that express your personality and embrace your values
During the Great Recession, McDonald's began running billboard ads attacking the high cost of Starbucks coffee with their Four Bucks is Dumb campaign. In response to this, CEO Howard Schultz worked with creative agency, BBDO, to create a commercial that didn't attack others, but instead, showcased Starbucks' personality and their belief in the power of community. On November 2nd, the following commercial was aired only once, during Saturday Night Live.
