The best(and sometimes the worst) promos around! Have something you'd like to share? Email me at donsjr@hotmail.com
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Skytrak Weather Team: Ready for Winter
This spot is sure to get the attention of the viewers! A different approach to winter weather promotion:
10 comments:
Anonymous
said...
This doesn't give me any reason to watch. Pass.
They can swing shovels in unison (kind of), but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign.
Sometimes I think producers try to think so outside the box (A.K.A. cut the clutter) that it hurts them a lot more than help them.
But what's the purpose of the swinging shovels? How does this promo raise ratings/increase viewership? It offers nothing to the viewer. All it says is that they're "ready for Winter". How? Because they have shovels? Show the viewer how you're here to help them instead of trying to look "cute".
I'm sure it's just supposed to be "cute" and attention getting.
I am also sure that this is not the extent of their entire weather promotion.
We also don;t know the extent of the how popular the talent already is in the market. From a distance it may seem silly, but to the locals it may be very likable and increase viewers.
I'll take clever spot like this over the bland and boring "We have the biggest radar and most experienced team and when the weather turns nasty we will be there to let you know what to expect" drivel every time. It's 2013, not 1988. What worked 25 years ago doesn't work now. Times have changed, as has how people respond to advertising. Look at successful national commercial campaigns now vs. 25 years ago. Old Spice body wash commercials don't really tell me much about Old Spice body wash, but they make me laugh and get my attention. When I'm at the store buying body wash, I remember that name more than others, and purchase their brand. Power words/phrases like "Accurate and Trustworthy" doesn't mean anything when used by the station to describe the station...they only have value when coming from someone else who is describing you. I can say I am anything I want to be, but that doesn't make it so. If I can see in your promo that you're doing something different that catches my attention, I'm going to sample you. I know that a weather team on tv is going to keep me informed when weather hits just as I know that a car salesman is going to try to sell me a car. That's their job, and I don't need to be told what their job is...I need a reason to like them better than the other guys. That doesn't happen for me with a boring spot that tries to hit on selling points.
I found myself rooting for the spot..and really trying to like it. But then I tried to imagine the way I'd feel every time I looked up and saw that spot running on my air for my storm team...and I got a pit in my stomach. I love the idea of doing something new and different...but I'm not sure this is it for me. Maybe it works in their market...and I'll give them slack for knowing their market better than me.
"but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign."
Great idea, maybe it only runs a couple weeks so people don't get tired of it... The people knocking it must all work at the same station, they all have the exact same ideas...
"but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign."
Couple things:
1) Local TV is not an authority anymore and never will be again. Stop writing spots that live in 1998. The user/viewer is the authority. THEY decide with every piece of content whether it's relevant and important to them. You don't get to tell them otherwise or your further our demise to smart phones.
2) People expect "accuracy". That's to be expected. That's a product deliverable, not a selling point. That would be like Apple saying in their spots "Plus! The phone works!" Or McDonalds saying "ZOMG! We have fries!!"
3) From a viewer perspective, most stations in most markets are the same. So, writing from a "better than" perspective is to write something people tune out. Learn from cable or radio or any other form of media or advertising: Product Differentiation. That's the key. That's how you stand out and become "better"... And then you have fans who are willing to argue that you're better on your behalf.
I agree with some things here and some things I don't.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what works in your market and your brand. I know that this type of promo would not work in my market and it would not connect with my viewers who are familiar with our well established brand.
Kudos to the producer for trying something different.
10 comments:
This doesn't give me any reason to watch. Pass.
They can swing shovels in unison (kind of), but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign.
Sometimes I think producers try to think so outside the box (A.K.A. cut the clutter) that it hurts them a lot more than help them.
^^^ Accurate... Trustworthy... blah, blah, blah. I'll take swinging shovels over that any day!
But what's the purpose of the swinging shovels? How does this promo raise ratings/increase viewership? It offers nothing to the viewer. All it says is that they're "ready for Winter". How? Because they have shovels? Show the viewer how you're here to help them instead of trying to look "cute".
I'm sure it's just supposed to be "cute" and attention getting.
I am also sure that this is not the extent of their entire weather promotion.
We also don;t know the extent of the how popular the talent already is in the market. From a distance it may seem silly, but to the locals it may be very likable and increase viewers.
I'll take clever spot like this over the bland and boring "We have the biggest radar and most experienced team and when the weather turns nasty we will be there to let you know what to expect" drivel every time. It's 2013, not 1988. What worked 25 years ago doesn't work now. Times have changed, as has how people respond to advertising. Look at successful national commercial campaigns now vs. 25 years ago. Old Spice body wash commercials don't really tell me much about Old Spice body wash, but they make me laugh and get my attention. When I'm at the store buying body wash, I remember that name more than others, and purchase their brand. Power words/phrases like "Accurate and Trustworthy" doesn't mean anything when used by the station to describe the station...they only have value when coming from someone else who is describing you. I can say I am anything I want to be, but that doesn't make it so. If I can see in your promo that you're doing something different that catches my attention, I'm going to sample you. I know that a weather team on tv is going to keep me informed when weather hits just as I know that a car salesman is going to try to sell me a car. That's their job, and I don't need to be told what their job is...I need a reason to like them better than the other guys. That doesn't happen for me with a boring spot that tries to hit on selling points.
I found myself rooting for the spot..and really trying to like it. But then I tried to imagine the way I'd feel every time I looked up and saw that spot running on my air for my storm team...and I got a pit in my stomach. I love the idea of doing something new and different...but I'm not sure this is it for me. Maybe it works in their market...and I'll give them slack for knowing their market better than me.
"but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign."
You mean you want them to lie?
Great idea, maybe it only runs a couple weeks so people don't get tired of it... The people knocking it must all work at the same station, they all have the exact same ideas...
"but are they accurate? Trust worthy? Do I connect with them? How will they keep me safe when severe weather hits? These are things a producer needs to ask when when crafting a weather campaign."
Couple things:
1) Local TV is not an authority anymore and never will be again. Stop writing spots that live in 1998. The user/viewer is the authority. THEY decide with every piece of content whether it's relevant and important to them. You don't get to tell them otherwise or your further our demise to smart phones.
2) People expect "accuracy". That's to be expected. That's a product deliverable, not a selling point. That would be like Apple saying in their spots "Plus! The phone works!" Or McDonalds saying "ZOMG! We have fries!!"
3) From a viewer perspective, most stations in most markets are the same. So, writing from a "better than" perspective is to write something people tune out. Learn from cable or radio or any other form of media or advertising: Product Differentiation. That's the key. That's how you stand out and become "better"... And then you have fans who are willing to argue that you're better on your behalf.
I agree with some things here and some things I don't.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what works in your market and your brand. I know that this type of promo would not work in my market and it would not connect with my viewers who are familiar with our well established brand.
Kudos to the producer for trying something different.
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