Since beginning my career in marketing, I have become an ad geek. Unlike most, I give a video more than 5 seconds to wow me before I skip it.
If I’m hooked around the 10- to 15-second mark, I might even hang on and watch the whole thing through, but that’s because I work in marketing.
How do we create memorable advertising that hooks people? And how do we convince customers to give us more than 5 seconds of their attention?
I don’t have a cookie-cutter answer, but there are some foundational principles that will set you up for success.
Use Humor
It has been proven that humor is one of the BEST ways to connect with your audience and create an impression. It also makes you memorable and increases your ad recall rate.
The virality of the Allstate Mayhem segments has allowed an insurance company to create a mini-series of relatable and cringe-worthy clips that keep the audience captivated. It is genius.
Another fan favorite are the Anchorman Dodge Durango commercials. They are hard to forget and feature everyone’s favorite elf, Will Ferrell.
Tell a Story
The next option you have is to tell a compelling story. Budweiser did just that when it released the tear-jerking puppy and Clydesdales commercial. In just a few minutes we met our protagonist, antagonist and went through an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. Hearts won.
A newer and long-form example of storytelling by Apple was released during the height of the pandemic. While it is almost seven minutes long, it is so relatable and engaging that you feel like you are watching a short film.
Make Your Viewer the Hero
If you can, it is always best to make your audience the hero – and to empower them to self-assign this title.
The key is to focus on the customer. Nike has done a fantastic job of building a tribe and creating a hero culture. This video example is a little older, but it illustrates the emphasis Nike has placed on positioning its customers as the hero through the years.
Keep it Simple
This tip should be in every blog post related to marketing hacks. A wildly successful company that has built its brand on this principle is Apple.
Its ad creative always grabs your attention with clean visuals and messaging. Apple never makes you guess what you are watching.
The Bottom Line…
If you know your customer well enough, you can create something that they will not be able to skip. Just remember to entertain – don’t sell.
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