Because of the time of year, I’ve been thinking a lot about sentimentality. We get all emotional during the holiday season, over family and friends, gift giving, parties, food, and the hard push to finish up every last detail of our clients’ end-of-the-year projects. We can’t help it; we’re overworked, out of time, and, usually on or before December 24th, out of cash – who wouldn’t get a little “emotional”? Sentimentality, it seems, is routine for the season, and I think most of us expect to see a good amount of it in the media and messaging that engage us from the weeks before Thanksgiving until the New Year.
Any time of year, though, a message that tugs at the ol’ heartstrings or ignites a passion can work wonders for brand awareness, engagement and new sales. Still, trying to evoke an emotional reaction can backfire. Without substance, follow-up or evidence of a targeted message, savvy consumers see right through disingenuous efforts, and can punish a brand for it, or at least mock it relentlessly. Even brands that most often get these types of ads right, like Nike, can sometimes misstep. This spot from the much-lauded “Find Your Greatness” campaign had mixed reviews and, in some minds, was considered an act of public shaming and bullying of a 12-year-old boy.
I have to admit, I get a little sentimental when I think of those old, sappy Hallmark commercials, and I get to thinking that we’re too sophisticated these days to see the value in a simple, heartfelt message. But even those “oldies but goodies” weren’t simple – since humans were first putting pencil to paper (or soot to a cave wall), we’ve been discovering, defining and redefining the best way to get our messages heard and understood. As always, whether it’s a retail ad screaming price point and product features, or a minimalist spot that whispers a brand’s ethos, a well-crafted ad is never as easy as it looks, and there’s likely months of research, revisions and leading-edge thinking behind it. It’s not just the sentiment that counts, that’s for sure.
Don Coleman, Chairman and CEO, GlobalHue