by Larry EderDear and gentle readers. I spend much of my days (and nights) reading and viewing new ads, in many formats. In running shoes, ads are in about three categories: the loneliness of the long distance runner, running makes you cool and shoes that look like car ads.
Well, here is a car ad. This is one of the most effective, if not most original, that I have seen in some time. Why? Well, dear readers, grab that first cup of coffee and let me explain…
The mother in the commercial is not only believable, but humorous. Her descriptions of daily activities raising a child, keeping a household, dealing with spouse or husband evokes sympathy and RESPECT.
Her use of the English language is also commendable. My sophomore English teacher, a thoughtful, elegant Jesuit priest, would remind the class that if one was going to curse, it sure sounded better using latin or more colorful language than a simple four letter word. The writing in this commercial is crisp, the acting and actors keep us smiling and by the end, we think M.O.M. not only rocks, but perhaps, her Fiat may assist her in her daily survival in a world that is very real to most mothers and some fathers.
So, why do I show this on runblogrun.com? Okay, little grasshopper, we must embrace creativity in all of its forms. For running companies to get attention, we must step out of the mundane.
I have enjoyed a few companies recent communications. Oiselle did a nice job on making uniforms that fit the IAAF rules, Brooks keeps a goofy hand in most of their ads, ASICS did an ad with Christophe Lemaitre that was stunning (in Russian), and I still think the Nick Symmonds video with the naked running camp could have been a barn burner.
There seems to be this thought process among some marketers in running that they do not need to advertise and that runners just get it. The funny thing is, communications is more confusing now than twenty years ago. Even with digital ads, mobile ads, print ads (yes, still there, and most running titles are growing, thanks to multi platform media), enewsletters, run specialty still survives on people coming into stores. With 48 brands that the Running Network follows in the running footwear business, brand differentiation is more important than ever. Running brands, no matter how big, should not take the 32 million runners and 40 million walkers who buy their shoes for granted. And for the most part, the successful brands do not.
This video has over two million viewers in the UK since December 12, 2012. Pretty impressive. For Fiat to succeed, they need to keep the line of communication open, and allow it to grow.
For running related products to gain users, one must develop a line of communication, using digital, video, social media, and yes, print, that is consistent. Runners are NOT lemmings. They want to know about technology, the people who make shoes, and they also want to look at, read something, view something and go, wow, my life is similar to that, time to put on the shoes, have a run and let the world just float away….
