Once again the mega-advertising-agencies stumbled on the most important thing - selling products. The same story plays out each year: huge brands hired overpriced advertising agencies to create some very nice television ads --- and I can't remember what they were advertising. Sure, it could be my ADHD --- OR --- it could be that they've forgotten how to sell.
It seems that, for years, the advertising has attracted "creatives" that think up really cute ideas. Those ideas are supposed to sell products and they often fall short of that goal. Years ago, one of my clients related this story to me as he sat there crying (literally) about the huge amount of money he spent (wasted) on an advertising campaign. It was very creative --- part of it featured a video filled with very sexy camera moves, lit very well, great performances by the on-screen talent, fabulous musical score --- it, however, did nothing to sell his product. The advertising business has almost become the outlet for aspiring artists, musicians, and filmmakers to milk clients for money to live out their creative dreams without regard to their primary job - selling products and marketing brands.
Right off the bat, Springsteen told the audience to "put the chicken fingers down and turn the television way up!" Then, he hooked the audience with standard Springsteen energy and four songs - one of which was new. During that time he reached out to his audience in the stadium and the screens at home and left them wanting more. Without any wardrobe malfunctions he sucked in the audience and, aside from bad officiating, was the most memorable part of the 3 plus hour-long event.
My wager is that overall, Springsteen will sell more units and get more hits on his MySpace this week than any other product that had a commercial during the Super Bowl. I'd love to explain why, but that will be in my new book "Brand.gineering" and the subject of future blogs.
Rock On! --- Carl Hartman, CEO brandgineering.org
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