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I don’t know about you, but the buzz phrase, “Content is King” is getting pretty old.
The next level of this is the context vs. content debate. Clearly, CP+B really took this concept to heart when creating the new Microsoft commercial with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. However, I don’t think it’s working too well for them… my friends from college thought it was a commercial for Payless Shoes, my parents thought it was advertising Jerry Seinfeld coming to the Kravitz Center (not sure how they came up with that one) and while drunk, my brother thought it was for the Circus. Three different segments, three of Microsoft’s target demographics (especially according to their new campaign), zero understanding.
Now, let’s take a look at a third, often undervalued, “C”: Clarity. In comparison to the Microsoft ad, the Mac ads are short (30 vs. 90 seconds) and fairly light on content. But, they’re quite clear: Mac rules, Microsoft drools! The three segments referenced earlier? Yep, they all get the Mac ads. Okay, well maybe not so much my parents. But, they understand that the Mac ads are trying to sell a computer. In fact, my college friend even took the time to watch the commercial on YouTube. Um… that would be a “pull” form of marketing, which is a Company’s wet dream, and goes something like this: “STOP! How dare you search out our content. Damnit! Stop looking at our ads without us having to pay for space! You’re ruining our marketing plan.”
When your business model is DR focused and you’re constantly trying to move the needle NOW (and who isn’t), context and content don’t cut it alone. You need clarity. Not the clarity you and your marketing buddies understand, but the kind your parents understand. Maybe one day marketers will remember that third C.
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