Olympic Advertising

It only happens every 4 years...and with the excitement, heartbreak, feats of athleticism, and national heroes the Olympics brings, there is one part that can sometimes be overlooked- the ads.

Not to worry though, a Forbes magazine article made sure to give the Olympic advertisements their fair exposure.  They even cleverly ranked them with medals just like the Olympic sports they so brilliantly support.

They highlight the Proctor & Gamble ad for mothers as the "gold medal" Olympic advertisement, and I have to agree.  I know I've heard of the company before, but I could not definitively tell you what they do.  This ad grabbed my attention by tugging at the heartstrings.  I'm not a mom, but it made me feel proud of my country and the athletes that are representing the USA.

P&G supported their TV commercial with a social media campaign on Facebook starring Beijing Olympian Shawn Johnson as their spokesperson.  The site has numerous videos highlighting the mothers of star Olympians including Ryan Lochte, Gabby Douglas, and Jordyn Weiber. This emotional connection is sure to draw in fans wanting to know more about the athletes and their lives outside of the Olympics.  It already worked for over 700,000 people!

I still cannot remember all the companies that fall under P&G as they quickly flashed across the screen, but I will remember the ad and that is sure to build brand support.

Social Media: Branding

"How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?" 
Seth Godin, sethgodin.typepad.com

What is this great shift marketing expert, Seth Godin, is talking about? Social Media of couse!   Social Media is a vital part to many people's daily communication, and businesses are starting to realize the power of marketing on the web.

"Social Media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube are changing the way the world does business. I think this is in response to our desire to connect with others. Relationship Marketing is all about connecting with people first as human beings and then as customers later. For a real business relationship to work, both parties must receive value. If only one or neither does, that relationship won’t continue for long." 
Terry Brock, Marketing Coach & Syndicated Columnist, terrybrock.com


It's important for businesses to connect to their consumers on the a personal level when utilizing social media marketing.  There are several factors to consider while branding to customers:


1. Get Engaged. Not in the man getting down on one knee kind of way...but get involved in the consumers life by developing conversations.  Use Facebook and Twitter to pose interesting questions to your followers that they might share with their friends.  If you show interest in them, they will share that interest with others. According to an article on Mashable, 60% of consumers expect a brand to respond when they post a question or concern on social media.  It's all about the conversation.


2. Be Creative. Coca Cola came up with something as simple as a sticky hand to get users attention. The simple campaign was so successful they developed an app to continue it's appeal. It doesn't take a huge budget to make a successful ad.  All you need is one good idea to stick...sometimes quite literally.


3. Make a Presence.  When directing social media users to your brand, don't be a one-hit-wonder.  Keep content up to date and fresh.  Build the brand across different social media platforms to expand your target audience.

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