Have you ever fallen in love with a brand because of an ad? I have. My favorite of all time is the ‘Stop the Car’ IKEA commercial. You know the one. Second fave has to be Justin Bieber’s Tim Hortons cold brew commercial (“I’m glad you said it first.”).
To me, those aren’t just ads, they’re advertainment – and they were also my favorite types of ads to write when I was a creative producer at CTV.
Successful brands know advertising is more entertaining than intrusive.
And they know making a good first impression is uber important when crafting an advertising campaign of any size.
Your potential customers should feel like you are engaging with them by capturing their interest and giving them what they need, versus advertising at them by interrupting their day to tell them what they want.
In fact, we think advertising is a lot like dating.
Here’s why.
On a first date, you are trying to grab the attention of the person you’re with by demonstrating your wit, charm, attractiveness, and integrity. How can they resist? You’re everything they want in a partner and more!
That said, not everyone is going to be the right match. The key to a great connection is to always be authentic from the get-go. Not by boasting about your best traits, or by telling your date what you think they’d like to hear, but being your best self and exploring how your wants, needs, interests and goals align.
Likewise, your advertising needs to play matchmaker with much larger audience. The way you position yourself should make it obvious to your ideal customers that you are the right fit for them. You don’t just hope that customers like you because you’re telling them that they should.
Instead, you find natural ways to demonstrate how you can enhance their lives simply by being your authentic self and doing whatever you do best.
Be real. That’s how you find your people.
In both cases, you want to be seen as happy, engaging, and capable. You want to show your potential partner/customers that you’re interested in what they think, how they feel, and let them know that they are special to you. It’s important for them to know that you actually care.
The more your date or your customers get to know and like you, the better the chance that they may eventually fall head over heels in love with you.
And if you keep your promise to not only deliver what they expect, but even exceed expectations, then you may even get to enjoy their loyalty for a lifetime.
Whether you’re advertising or dating, the matchmaker take-aways are all the same. Be yourself. Don’t interrupt, engage. Communication should be a two-way street – listen to their needs and respond appropriately. Foster your connections, giving them time to get to know you and love you. If you are consistent and kind, your relationship will blossom, your heart will fill, and so will your till (cheesy but true!).