Advertising Without Commercials

Since the creation of Tivo and the increasing ability to skip commercials, advertisers and agencies everywhere have had to find different ways to reach target audiences other than simply commercials and other print advertisements. This began the greater use of marketing and public relations campaigns.

A recent example of this is the advertising for the new Anchorman II movie. Instead of using a massive amounts of money to spend on advertisements, they have instead incorporated the concept of the movie in to everyday events.

For example, the movie's main character (for those of you who don't know), Ron Burgandy (played by Will Ferrel) is a less than humble, humorous anchorman for broadcast news television. Those in charge of advertising for the film have taken that aspect, and incorporated it into real life news broadcasting events.

Here's Ron Burgundy, in full character, broadcasting a curling event:

Here's Ron Burgandy in full character again, reporting real news for a North Dakota television station:

He even has taken part in interviewing sports stars like Peyton Manning on SportsCenter 

The marketing team for the film even had him create a book, in which he gives the reader helpful tips in the character of Ron Burgundy. Burgundy describes the book on an episode of Conan: 

So enough of the clips. Is this really going to help?
Absolutely. In doing this, the film is advertising to a number of different audiences. The movie is becoming appealing to the (few) who watch women's curling, the demographic from North Dakota, men who watch SportsCenter, and the late night television watchers who seek a laugh from the Conan O'Brien show. It's genius quite frankly, and it probably is costing just as much as the skippable 30 second television ad.

Aside from assimilating the movie's main character into real life broadcasting events, the marketing team for the film is also having the film star take part in Q & A's at journalism schools across the country. Earlier this week at Emerson College, the school held a press conference and ceremony with Ron Burgundy, where they renamed their school of communication, "The Ron Burgundy School of Communication"---for one day.

This was extremely beneficial for both parties, as the school and the movie gained press coverage across the country. The students even benefitted by seeing an exclusive screening of the event.

Way to go, Ron Burgundy. You stay classy, marketing team.

Emotional Strategies in Advertising

Today I will be discussing the most popular advertisement of the month, which has been garnering conversation all across the country.

Is this commercial from Doritos? Apple? Microsoft? Or any other of the advertising giants? Nope.

It's actually from Volvo, introducing their dynamic steering. However, the impressive thing isn't what they were advertising, but how they did it. Check it out.

This video, quite simply, makes you think and say "wow". You can't look away. A guy is looking a split between two cars.

Then the point of the ad is displayed, and immediately everyone thinks, "wow, thats incredible".

Every point of advertising is hit in this ad. You remember it, you talk about it, and you understand the message. Not to mention the song choice is glorious.