The Superbowl has come and gone, but the memories of the commercials linger in the air like the smell of wet socks. From what I heard, a 30-second time slot ran the advertisers something like $2.7M. Or $100,000 a second. Just you reading my first three sentences would've cost $500,000, if you're a fast reader. Sure, there was some memorable moments like the E*Trade commercial with the baby who talked and spit up after buying stocks online, but for the most part, I'm not really sure that was money well spent.
Which made me think of my 30 second commercial.
I've heard when you meet someone, you have about a half a minute to make an impression. To communicate what you're about. The Superbowl commercials this year reminded me that my message is just as important as my delivery. In those thirty ticks of the clock, I have to get someone's attention, say something that reveals what I do, and create a desire for them to connect with me.
Countless hours go into the marketing department think tanks for the Superbowl commercials. I imagine a cluster of coffee-swilling, bleary-eyed PR execs filling a room and throwing out the most ludicrous ideas hoping something will resonate as a homerun of a concept. Do I spend that much effort on my 30 seconds? I get a lot of marketing program e-mails, and many of them have to do with templates and scripting and despite clicking the delete button every time, I know there is some truth to those spams. It would do me good to write out my half-minute message.
I need to know my script. My ad. I need to be able to sell myself (no, that doesn't involve taking my clothes off or harvesting an organ). I must be ready for the elevator test. If I meet someone in an elevator, what am I going to say in those moments to create a future client? Or do I just stare at the numbers? Our business is one of opportunities, and if we're not ready for them, then we're just another bad commercial with a talking panda or meaningless celebrity appearance.
Comments(2)