3 Takeaways from the Tide Super Bowl Commercials
I know it’s been a minute since Super Bowl Sunday, but I keep finding myself thinking about the Tide ad. Each year the competition is fierce among the top brands in their pursuit for the best commercial. While there is a clear winner to the game, choosing the best ad is a bit more subjective. This year’s compilation of nostalgia and humor made it a close race, but as far as I’m concerned one came out on top—Tide.
If you haven’t seen it, take a minute to watch—it’s worth it.
Here’s why I think Tide outpaced the others in their approach to this year’s advertising throw-down and the lessons we can learn:
- Elaborating on an existing idea can be incredibly innovative. The simple yet genius approach that Tide took for this year’s Super Bowl ad is a great reminder that rethinking an existing concept can be incredibly impactful. Not only did Tide piggyback on ideas from dozens of Super Bowl ads of yore, they took a creative approach to reshaping the scenarios in a way that kept viewers engaged, wondering “which one will they incorporate next?”Implementing a refreshed look or cleaner design on an existing framework can make an impactful impression while also keeping established user or customer recall intact.
- Perspective is key. The ad could have stopped at the humorous portrayal of the other common, recognizable (and arguably overdone) ads that we’ve all come to know and love. Instead, Tide took it a step further and introduced a new perspective for all of us viewers—asking “So, does this make every Super Bowl ad a Tide ad?” Well played, Tide. Well played.The same perspective shift can happen with a product or service. If you spend a lot of time talking to potential clients about the problem you solve or how your product works, think about incorporating a perspective shift in your sales process.For example, if your product helps make a team more efficient by automating 50% of their tasks—think about working with an existing client to talk about the activities they weren’t doing before using your product that they are able to do now. Perhaps they are more active in their field as thought leaders because their subject matter experts now have more time to go out and participate in events, or maybe it’s a faster development cycle.It’s common to talk more about the product and its features as examples for what it can bring to the table, but it’s also an age-old adage to “sell the sizzle, not the steak”—not because the quality of the steak isn’t important, but because the sizzle is what catches people’s attention. My preference is to keep both in mind.
- Repetition is powerful. I didn’t count out exactly how many times Tide was mentioned throughout the duration of each of their spots, but it was up there. And I’d bet most of the people that tuned in had a faint ringing of “It’s a Tide ad” in their heads the following week.Writing or reviewing content that will be used throughout your product or customer journey can sometimes seem redundant, but repetition is key to ensuring clients notice and retain important information.
Do you think one of the other ads deserves the number one spot? Let us know!
