然而,在社交媒体上快速搜索一下后你会发现,网友们虽然深受感动,却并没有立刻跑去买一袋汰渍洗衣粉。
人人都喜欢温馨动人的瞬间,但是从商业的角度来说,让观众热泪盈眶是否真能带来利润呢?
答案是:确定无疑。
据宝洁估计,2012年伦敦夏季奥运会中,“感谢妈妈”活动共为公司增加了500万美元的收益。当《财富》杂志问及宝洁对索契冬季奥运会的销售预测时,宝洁北美营销与品牌运营副总裁乔迪艾伦回应道,她还没有准备好要讨论公司的销售目标。
OnMonday,amonthbeforethestartoftheSochiOlympics,Procter&Gamble,thecompanybehindhouseholdbrandslikeTide,Pampers,Gillette,Duracell,andBounty,releasedthelatestcommercialinitsThankYouMomcampaign.It'satwo-minutespotthatfollowsathletesfromtheirchildhoodtumblestotheirtriumphsattheGamesandendswiththetagline,"Forteachingusthatfallingonlymakesusstronger.Thankyou,Mom."
ByTuesdaymorning,viewershadwatchedtheadabout1.3milliontimesonYouTube,andthereactionwasnearlyunanimous:It'sanemotionalrollercoaster."Tissuesattheready,"tweetedAdNewswhenitlinkedtothespot.Othertweetscalledthead"touching"anda"guaranteedtearjerker."
YetaquicksearchonsocialmediayieldednoresponsesthatindicatedthatithadmovedsomeonetoimmediatelyruntothestoreandbuysomeTide.
Everyonelovesawarm-and-fuzzynowandthen,butfromabusinessperspective,doesitpaytomakeyourconsumersteary-eyed
Inaword:definitely.
Adsthatturnonthewaterworksdon'ttranslatedirectlytoincreasedsales,buttheycreateanemotionalbondbetweenacompanyanditscustomers,saysEdwardRussell,anadvertisingprofessoratSyracuseUniversity.Thatbondencouragesconsumerstopaymoreforacompany'sproducts.InP&G's(PG)case,iftheadcommunicatesthatthecompanyunderstandsitsconsumersandwhatthey'regoingthrough,viewersarelikelytoconcludethatthecompany'sproductsfitthembetterthanothers,Russellsays.
Tuggingatconsumers'heartstringsisalsoawayforcompanieswithsomewhatrun-of-the-millproductstostandout."LookatHallmark,"Russellsays.Itsemotionalads"bringabondtoaparticularbrandthat'sfairlygenericinitscategory.It'safriggin'card,"Russellsays."Butconsumersfeelthatbondtothatbrandandarewillingtopaymoreforit."ThesamecouldbesaidforP&Ganditsstableofhouseholdproductslikelaundrydetergent,razors,andbatteries.
P&GhasestimatedthatitsThankYouMomcampaignforthe2012summerOlympicsinLondonresultedina$500millionsaleslift.WhenaskedaboutsalesprojectionsfortheSochicampaign,JodiAllen,P&GvicepresidentofNorthAmericanMarketingandBrandOperations,toldFortuneshewasn'tpreparedtodiscussthecompany'sgoals.
P&GsaysthattheSochiadwascreatedtotellthestoryofallmomsintheirquesttoteachtheirchildrenresiliencyanddetermination.ThecompanyissupplementingitsP&Gadswithindividualbrandadsthattell"authenticstories"consistentwith"theequityofthebrand,"liketheVicksadsfeaturingU.S.skierTedLigety,Allensays."WehavelearnedthatconsumershaveapositiveassociationwhenproductsaremadebyP&G,"Allensays.
EmotionaladsareespeciallyprevalentduringtheOlympics--anagainst-all-odds-themedtelevisioneventthatprimesviewersforsentimentalstories,evenifthey'reaimedatsellingdiapersandpapergoods.Visa'sGoWorldcampaign,Nike'sFindYourGreatnessad,andBudLight's1984Heartlandcommercialhaveallstruckasimilarlygoosebump-inducingtone.