Now that this year’s Super Bowl is officially behind us, it’s safe to say the TV commercials shown throughout were as highly viewed as the game itself, in which advertisers showed their commercials to an audience of 113 million, the biggest in the past six years[1].
Whether it was comedian Will Ferrell pitching public acceptance for electric vehicles (EVs) on behalf of GM or Jeep remixing the popular “electric slide” line dance when promoting its second Stellantis offering, the automotive industry definitely played a large role during this year’s big game.
However, automotive TV ads aren’t just for car shoppers anymore, as the entire automotive industry, in all facets of automotive operations, has turned more attention toward advertising their products and services throughout the rest of the 2023 and beyond. Nowadays, the industry leverages creative video in a variety of ways, not only to stand out amongst competitors, but to position their brands for greater success.
When looking at how the automotive industry can utilize creative video in their advertising efforts, there are a few elements to keep in mind.
Put People Front & Center
Even though it’s key to position the product or service in the best way possible, having a person or multiple people front and center of the advertisement as the “mascot(s)” is a great way to drive attention to the brand and sell its value to the industry.
By utilizing the human experience to showcase how the product or service can be of use to the automotive organization, a personal, more powerful connection between the brand and the audience can be built, ultimately putting a face to the product that viewers can recognize.
Even if it’s casting a professional actor or just using some of your company’s employees, people simply bring credibility to the story being told and communicate the company’s strategic messages, thus showing real feelings of how the product or service produces a need in the market.
Capture the Power of the Product
Action drives attention and when potential customers and industry partners see the product or service how it would operate in a typical dealership or lender setting, they will better understand how it can positively impact their automotive operations. There is no better way to leverage video than to show the product or service how it would operate in real-time, which emphasizes ease-of-use and quality results.
As a challenge in the automotive industry continues to be building trust with customers, seeing the product or service how it would work to improve automotive operations enhances how it can resolve a specific issue. Giving a “behind-the-scenes” look into what the product or service does on a daily basis can significantly impact purchase decisions and can help find the ideal customer in the process.
Add Comedy and Have Fun!
Just like the Super Bowl commercials, automotive video advertisements should also include some comedic material to it and be a fun way of showcasing an automotive product or service.
There’s nothing that creates a more memorable video than humor and the fact that the advertisement may not focus on the product or service at all times shows the audience that they aren’t just being sold on something, but being genuinely entertained.
As dealers know that a car with zero photos receives zero clicks and ultimately few leads, a video is no different and an entertaining video can be a huge difference maker when customers look for ways to see how a local dealership stands out amongst its competitors.
With creative video on the rise and continuing to grow throughout the automotive industry, your advertising efforts can be improved immensely with these elements. Throughout 2023 and beyond, the industry can take a less salesy approach and create stories that not only resonate with customers, but also increase the value of brands.
Peter Duffy is the founder/CEO of Dealer Image Pro based out of Sacramento, CA.
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/super-bowl-2023-commercials-best-and-worst/
