TV advertising
I am one of those rare people freaks that actually enjoys the ads just as much (and sometimes more) than the actualy programming on TV. Recently, this one really caught my eye.
The first is for the new State Farm Insurance “Now What” campaign. It is an attention-getter prompting viewers to visit the new website built for renter\’s insurance and auto insurance. I really wish I could find a clip of the commercials. They\’re classic! This campaign has a few \”viral\” qualities as well. I love the interactive website… I spent at least 10 minutes exploring the many scenarios and they didn\’t exactly sell me on renters insurance… but they got me thinking, which is a good start.
Also, while watching a Red Sox game at Tavern in the Square recently, I noticed the value of audio in TV advertising. The sound on the TV at the bar was muted, and some commercials were still 100% effective, while others were complete flops. This was never a topic of discussion in my advertising classes (which weren’t too advanced or sports related, so I may have just missed out), but I would think this should be a major consideration for ad developers and media buyers.
If I was developing or producing an ad, I would want to know when and where this was planned to air so I could build/design/produce accordingly. If I were purchasing time for the ad I would want to know what kind of ad it was so I could place it in the most appropriate time slot. Audio capabilities and background/environmental noise should definitly be considered when making these desisions, especially if you plan on tying your ad to any major sporting event, which is so often viewed in a loud and distracting drinking establishment. I was surprised at how much advertisers relied on audio for ads that were meant to air during a baseball broadcast.