With the big game coming up, even those of you who aren’t sports fans are wondering at least one thing: what commercials are we going to see?
Every February, die-hard football fanatics and casual viewers come together over cheese dip and chicken wings to watch some of the most exciting television footage of the year – and we’re not just talking about the football game.
Over time, the Super Bowl has attracted enough popularity to make a short commercial spot worth the hefty rate a company must pay to secure it. And because it’s so pricey, these brands bring out their A-game with the content and quality of their video advertisements.
There’s a lot that marketers can take away from the continued fandom for these brief TV spots and video promotions in general. We’ve pulled together a few key things that we think are important for your marketing strategies this year, whether they’re just kicking off or running a long game. Keep reading for three things marketers should know about commercials and video.
Why is video marketing important?
Studies that your target audience is watching video, which is probably the only benefit you need to hear. But if not, studies also show that:
- Over four billion videos are watched on YouTube every day.
- 92% of B2B prospects consume online video.
- About one-third of shoppers will purchase a product after viewing a video ad.
Put a face to the name.
As most marketers know by now, video is taking off on all platforms, but especially on social media. From Facebook to Instagram, followers engage more and more with content that speaks to them – literally.
Video content, like commercials, lends itself to a whole other method of storytelling. By using living, breathing, moving subjects, videos can supplement a brand’s personality traits so that written social media posts and blog publications can’t. That’s not to say we recommend ditching those content marketing gems, just that you use the right technology to back them up with visuals of your company culture.
Appeal to the senses.
Quality video content appeals to several major sensory areas at once: sight, sound, and motion. When all three of those come together, even for only a few seconds, they create something that can keep your followers invested in what your brand will have to say next.
Think about the last great commercial you saw. Something about it stuck with you, whether it was advertising a product or a message. Chances are, you can link that eye-catching feature back to one or a combination of those sensory areas. And when you plan your video content to include the same kind of qualities, you add new meaning to the term “user experience.”
Expand your horizons.
One of the reasons commercials can become so popular so quickly is that they’re widely broadcast and take almost no effort on the casual observer’s part to experience it organically at some point in their daily routine. The same can be said about video content in the digital sphere. Part of why it’s so widely embraced is that it’s easy to digest quickly, and you can share it in the blink of an eye.
By incorporating on-brand video content, you can use your marketing strategy to expand your business’s horizons, reach new audiences, and diversify your following in ways that will ultimately help keep your content fresh and engaging. Video is perfect for general and targeted messaging, from reintroducing your brand messaging to current fans to giving newcomers a crash course into who you are.
So, as you watch those fantastic commercials this weekend, take good notes! It doesn’t matter if it’s an animal that carries a catchy tune, a mouthwatering close-up on your favorite snack, or a heartrending storyline; the inspiration is everywhere. And if you need someone to bounce your new marketing campaign ideas off of, reach out to Sage Island!