Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Who said advertising can’t break through the clutter?

I took my two boys (ages 8 and 12) to a Triple-A baseball game recently, and I was impressed by the amount of fan interactivity and the superb integration efforts of some advertisers.

Example 1: The announcer called out a car license plate (as routinely happens), leading some fan to think he or she had left the lights on. But in a surprise twist, the announcer said: “Congratulations. Your car was voted the dirtiest in the parking lot, so Splash Car Wash is giving you a free car wash.”

Now that broke through the clutter in my mind and got my attention. But that’s not all.

Example 2: The announcer called out a seat number. Instead of offering the fan a free jug of windshield washer fluid, he said “Congratulations your seat is being upgraded by OptiCare, which also is giving you a free eye exam. Meantime you can see the game better from up close.” Again, breaking through the clutter with a well-integrated advertisement.

But that's still not all.

Example 3: The announcer called a lady onto the top of the third base dugout and presented her with a nice bouquet of flowers. The announcer said “Congratulations. You have been selected as the Queen of tonight’s baseball game, and these flowers are from City Line Florist.” Another surprise ending and another memorable advertisement.

Where’s the buzz? 3 for 3. I remembered every one of the advertisers' names, even after a beer at the game. That hands down beats any Super Bowl ad I have ever seen. Simply put, these regional advertisers deserve a lot of credit for knowing their audience and finding a good offer – an offer that probably doesn’t cost them very much, but buys them huge awareness in their target audience. Nicely done!

posted by Paul Dunay