TV commercials can be beneficial for a wide range of businesses and organizations, depending on their goals and target audience. Before we talk about how to create an effective television commercial, here are some examples of who might benefit from a TV commercial:
Product-based companies: Companies that sell physical products can benefit by showcasing their products to a wide audience and increase brand awareness.
Service-based companies: Companies that offer services, such as healthcare providers, financial institutions, and travel companies, can use TV commercials to highlight their services and build trust with potential customers.
Non-profit organizations: Non-profit organizations can raise awareness about their cause, encourage donations, and recruit volunteers.
Political campaigns: Political candidates can use them to reach a large audience and communicate their message to voters.
Retailers: Retailers can promote sales, discounts, and new products to potential customers.
Overall, any organization that wants to reach a wide audience and increase brand recognition can benefit from a well-crafted TV commercial.
Key steps to consider
Step 1
IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
Before you start creating your commercial, you need to know whom you are targeting. This will help you craft a message that resonates with your intended audience.
Step 2
Develop a strong message
Your message should be clear, concise, and memorable. It should highlight the unique selling proposition of your product or service and communicate it in a way that is compelling to your target audience.
Step 3
Use visuals to grab attention
Television is a visual medium, so it’s important to use strong visuals to grab the viewer’s attention. Use bright colors, dramatic lighting, interesting camera angles, and creative storytelling techniques to make your commercial stand out.
Step 4
keep it short and sweet
A typical commercial is usually 30 seconds long, so make sure you make every second counts.
Step 5
use music and sound effects
Music and sound effects can help set the tone for your commercial and make it more engaging. Choose music that complements your commercial’s message and helps create an emotional connection with your target audience.
Step 6
Test and refine your commercial
Once you have created your commercial, test it with a focus group. Use feedback to refine your message and make sure it resonates with your target audience.
By following these steps, you can create an effective television commercial that resonates with your target audience and drives results for your business.
At this point in history, we’re all very much aware of how culture can change at the speed of the Internet. And as long as you’re a public-facing entity, you’re fair game for scrutiny. Often, this scrutiny results in a person, brand, or organization getting “canceled.” (Sure, I could’ve spelled it “cancelled,” but I find the second “l” superfluous.) Cancel culture is as pervasive today as “Rickrolling” was in 2008. If one has Internet access, one has the power to “cancel.” In fact, in 2019, while speaking at the Obama Foundation Summit, former president Barack Obama had some thoughts on the issue:
“The cancel culture is predicated on this idea of purity; the illusion that you’ve never compromised and you’re always politically ‘woke’ and all that stuff.”
He continued, “You should get over that quickly. The world is messy, there are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids and share certain things with you.”
Every single person—living or dead—has made a mistake. Probably many. To err is human, after all. However, when it comes to brands and organizations, people expect perfect execution. So before we dive into the concept of cancel culture in advertising and marketing, let’s begin with a working definition so we’re all on the same page.
DEFINITION OF “CANCEL CULTURE”
It began with “call-out culture.” Those were the good ‘ol days when public humiliation was the worst-case scenario. This cultural phenomena usually entailed an individual or group “calling out” another individual or group—typically on social media—for problematic actions or statements.
Although similar to call-out culture, “cancel culture” takes the intensity up a few notches. Typically, the scenario plays out with a well-known figure publicly sharing a questionable, unpopular, or insensitive opinion, the public taking notice and reacting, and then the figure being subsequently “canceled”—boycotted—by her/his/their followers, supporters, sponsors, and the general public.
While call-out culture may include general outrage against a perceived offender, cancel culture may cause said offender to lose her/his/their livelihood. Cancelers often seek to financially harm the accused. This typically manifests as a demand for some form of punishment: the accused loses a job/position, power, influence, career opportunities, and endorsements. Cancel culture impacts entities such as comedians, actors, musicians, companies and brands, and even artistic expressions like songs and film.
According to Forbes, cancel culture, in short, refers to the practice of withdrawing support for a person or company—often on social media—based on their views or actions.
THE CULTURAL IMPACT OF THE INTERNET
When the world shut down for a year-and-a-half due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people became more active online. Humans are tribal creatures, so it’s only natural to look for community wherever it’s accessible. Social isolation, therefore, facilitated more online interaction. During this time, and on the heels of the #MeToo movement, the Black Lives Matter movement sparked a renewed wave of social activism. With so much of life restricted by COVID protocol, people were hungry to make meaningful change and be a part of something larger than themselves. People were ready to talk, and listen, and talk some more.
But people have always talked. People withdrawing support from individuals, groups, or organizations once discovering they said or did something contradictory to the “values” they claim has always happened. However, what was once restricted to comment cards and letters to the editor is now Facebook updates, tweets, Instagram posts, Yelp reviews, TikTok videos, and YouTube comments. Social media has turned disagreements into calls-to-action: if someone with a social media account (70 percent of the U.S. population) discovers that a public entity said or did something that doesn’t sit right with her/him/them, they often urge other members of their communities to “cancel” the offending entity.
We no longer live in a world where we can’t pay attention—particularly post-lockdown. We’ve spent a lot of time online in the past couple of years, so it’s only natural that we’re more keen to the words and actions of businesses, their executives, and the people with whom they associate.
The explosion and proliferation of social media has given power to the masses to share their opinions about brands—and sway others’ opinions in the process—but 73% of those surveyed said they’re less likely to cancel a purpose-driven brand.
THE ROLE OF CANCEL CULTURE IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING
Historically speaking, brands have stayed out of politics. They believed that if they became politically involved—particularly with regard to a divisive issue—they could potentially alienate a large chunk of their customer base. But the times, they are a-changin’.
Brands in today’s marketplace can no longer afford to remain neutral about the issues plaguing modern consumers. Because neutral is perceived as complicit—and complicit is a death sentence. In today’s increasingly polarized political and social climate, not taking a side or a stand can be a bigger risk than alienating certain members of your customer base. If modern brands don’t adhere to their promises and “walk the walk” with regard to their mission or vision statements, consumers possess the knowledge, determination, and platforms to share this information with anyone who will listen (er, read).
“Owning and managing a brand in the age of social media is a chaotic and fast-paced responsibility.”
The majority of people on social media live a carefully curated online existence. Millennials and Gen-Z spend a higher proportion of time online than their older peers, so it has become commonplace for these generations to meticulously select every detail of their outward-facing social “personas”—it also means that many of them indulge in virtue signalling, and encourage a *very specific* strain of “wokeness” among friends, followers, and even business or brand accounts. However, the idea of being “woke” means different things to different people, so it’s essentially guaranteed that mistakes will be made. Businesses and brands are comprised of humans, and humans are fallible. Further, businesses and brands are being held to—let’s get real—often “performative” standards that no amount of awareness or eggshell-walking can help them live up to. They can’t be all things to all people.
According to a 2021 Porter Novelli study, no brand is excluded from cancel culture, even those with loyal fans. Among those surveyed:
66% of people say even if they love a company’s products or services, they will still “cancel” a company if it does something wrong or offensive.
CONSUMER REACTION MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
In a 2018 study, Global communications firm, Edelman, found that two-thirds of consumers worldwide now buy based on beliefs.
However, the same study found that 56% of consumers believe too many brands “use societal issues as a marketing ploy to sell more of their product.” Cancel culture is not always directed at outwardly irresponsible brands, but also toward brands perceived to be “overplaying their social and environmental credentials.”
Swedish vegan milk brand Oatly, for example, has always been a favorite of eco-friendly consumers (and this writer) for their sustainable practices. However, in September 2020, fans of the brand began boycotting the company after learning via a Twitter thread that it sold $200 million shares to a consortium that includes Blackstone, an investment firm that has been accused of contributing to deforestation in the Amazon.
HOW TO NAVIGATE YOUR BRAND THROUGH CANCEL CULTURE
As the old adage goes, “reputation is everything,” and no one feels this more than brands trying to manage, sustain, and continuously engage their consumer base under the increasingly vigilant eye of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.
So if you’ve come here for cut-and-dry answers, you’ve come to the wrong place. Because there are noclearanswers to this modern dilemma. It’s easy to say, “Just do the right thing!” But at this point in history, what seems like the “right thing” externally may have negative or unethical implications behind the scenes. There’s no surefire way to protect businesses and brands from getting “canceled”—especially if said business or brand employs many people; each with her/his/their own musings and belief systems. It’s just not sustainable (or pleasant) for one’s higher-ups to micromanage on this type of person-to-person level.
CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN
As individuals, we only have the power to control our own thoughts, actions, and reactions to others. So that’s what we must focus on. As passive as this may seem, we just have to have a little faith in our fellow humans to make good decisions. If I can’t remember what I ate for dinner two nights ago, I certainly can’t remember something I may have said in passing 10 years ago. And sure, social media makes it much easier to keep “receipts,” but isn’t part of being a “progressive” society realizing that mistakes happen, and practicing a little forgiveness? Societal mores change. Hell, I was only able to legally marry my wife six years ago. Let that sink in. That’s only half as long as “The Big Bang Theory” was on the air. That’s only a “four lost teeth” amount of time for an average child. That’s one digit more than being able to count the years on one hand. And let’s not forget that prominent “liberal” figures were not always so supportive of LGBTQ+ rights. But we grow, and adapt, and evolve—and part of that is admitting when we were wrong and making amends.
REALIZE THAT NOT ALL CANCELLATIONS ARE CREATED EQUAL
In Kevin Hart’s case, he tweeted some unsavory things about the LGBTQ+ community in 2009 and 2011. Let’s remember a few things:
Kevin Hart is a comic; he jokes for a living
He apologized for what he wrote nearly a decade prior
See my previous point about gay marriage only becoming legalized in 2015
In Harvey Weinstein’s case, he used his power and influence to sexually harass and assault young women for 20+ years. He did severe psychological (and potentially physical) damage to countless impressionable women who were desperate to get a foot in Hollywood’s door.
The severity of these offenses is verydifferent. I know a certain Jewish carpenter who *may* disagree, but in the case of cancel culture, not all sins are the same.
Then there’s the backlash from those perpetuating that the “cancel culture” narrative is for the weak. These types of people condemn Hasbro for demonstrating inclusivity by dropping the “Mr.” in their “Potato Head” toy. Many of these same people are up-in-arms about Dr. Seuss’s estate removing six books with racially insensitive content from his collection. Ironically, the Venn diagram for the “cancel culture is for weak” people and the “I’m going to boycott Nike or the NFL because one of its players put his entire career on the line to stand up for what’s right” people is essentially a perfect circle.
DETERMINE A SET OF VALUES AND STICK BY THEM
Sure, it would be lovely if everyone was thoughtful, and true equality existed, and TSA didn’t pat me down nearly every time I go through security because they enter my gender as male in the x-ray machine and my bra’s metal clasp sets off an alarm, but it’s just not in the cards for us. Until we expand our circles to include people, and opinions, that differ from our own, cancellations will continue. Because once we can empathize with, and understand, those who look/act/talk/believe differently than we do, we will be less likely to say or do something that may hurt them in the first place.
Then again, if your brand is based on these very differences (e.g., “male” vs. “female” products), you may need to fully lean in. However, you can have pride in who you are and how you identify without purposely offending anyone. With the exception of those restaurants where the serving staff is mean to you “for fun,” I can’t think of a single successful brand that has a mission to hurt or offend people.
So stand up for what you believe in, support your brand’s mission, but do so knowing that there’s absolutely no way to make everyone happy all the time. And that’s okay.
BE PROACTIVE
Being proactive goes beyond having a disaster plan. Yes, businesses and brands should have a plan to best respond to backlash if it were to occur: rather than feverishly deleting offensive social media posts, make sure management is prepared to speak to, and most likely apologize for, whatever incident may have occurred. However, holding a press conference or releasing a well-prepared statement is more “reactive” than “proactive.”
Instead, consider the following:
Ensure diverse hiring practices in every sense of the word: race, religion, gender identity, body type, etc. If you really want your product or service to speak to the masses, you have to have a sense of what the “masses” look/feel/sound/act like. And although you surely have a “target audience,” you’re not just “selling” to a homogeneous group.
Forge quality partnerships: by aligning your brand with others that have similar values, you’re making a public statement that you’re committed to the cause (even if that cause is celebrating the androgyny of an anthropomorphized potato).
Lead with your actions: they really do speak louder than words. Build great products, offer stellar services, “walk the walk”—that way, even if you happen to make a social mistake, your intentions and the quality of your brand will win out in the end.
Don’t confuse compliance with leadership: bowing to your accusers is not the same as taking a stand. Performative activism is notreal activism.
As former president Obama stated, “The world is messy, there are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws.” And who are any of us to believe that we’re not flawed (the pathologically delusional, I suppose). Businesses and brands are made up of humans, and humans are inherently faulty—we can’t get away from it. But what we can do is try our best.
If companies commit to this—trying to create the best products and services possible, trying to hire the best people, trying to communicate openly and empathetically—that’s all consumers could ask for. When a company has a transparent culture, everyone benefits—just ask Patagonia, Warby Parker, or Zappos. In the case of “cancel culture,” transparency could simply mean admitting fault, or apologizing when wrong, or even going the opposite direction and taking a firmer stance on specific hot-button issues, but explaining the reasoning behind the position. Because at the end of the day—no matter the issue—all people want is to be seen, heard, and understood.
We’re currently living in a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a page on its website that includes the following passage: “The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. However, these actions are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
What a time to be alive, huh?
The good news is, as you’ve heard from every advertising agency, “we’re in this together.” We’re just not all experiencing it in the same way. We have to learn to be okay with this, which is difficult, but not impossible. It’s easy to slip into a division mindset; we’re pack animals. In times of crisis, we look to our “own” to protect us. But now is the time to really put the human in humanity, and prove (to yourself) what you’re made of. This all begins with simple, realistic changes.
Take a look at our 7 small steps that create big results and (hopefully) a better end to 2020.
1. MANAGE YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION
The irony is not lost on me that this is being presented to you in the form of digital media, but here we are.
Media consumption in the time of COVID is off-the-charts. According to a March 2019 vs. March 2020 study by Nielsen, the U.S. spends 215% more time this year accessing current events and news on mobile devices. Of course, we all want to stay informed, but at what point does the desire to gather relevant information turn into to full-on obsession; or addiction, even?
In an interview with CNBC, Joshua Morganstein, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on Psychiatric Dimensions of Disasters, explains that in times of distress and uncertainty, “the tendency is to really almost drown in [the news].” It’s not about cutting ourselves off from information, but about the ability to “dial down our exposure to media content,” Morganstein says. This is especially true for social media, which is often biased, can be vague or sensationalized, or just plain incorrect.
Even if we simply keep our phones out of the bathroom (we all do it), we’ll cut down on consumption minutes that lead to hours that lead to days of media freedom. Because research has shown that in times of disaster or terrorist events (times of uncertainty, essentially), “as people’s media exposure increases, so does their distress.” Simply put: prolonged daily media consumption is making us anxious af. The good news is, we can do something about it.
2. SET YOURSELF UP TO SLEEP BETTER
Sleep isn’t something that comes easily to many of us—especially during a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. However, there are things you can do to optimize your sleep success. According to the CDC, the following are tips for better sleep (along with some of our own supplemental info):
Be consistent with your sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night, and wake up at the same time each morning.
Remove electronic devices—i.e. TVs, laptops, phones, etc.—from the bedroom.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature. DID YOU KNOW: The optimal sleeping temperature is around 65 degrees (F).
Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol prior to bedtime. Experts say two to three hours is a good buffer.
Get some exercise during the day. It will help you fall asleep more easily at night.
Psychologist and founder of the Health Psychology Clinic, Joanna Konstantopoulou, says, “It’s not just the 40-hour marathons without sleep which can be detrimental to your psychological health, but simply losing an hour or two on a regular basis can have a significant impact on your mind and well-being.” Further, poor sleep has been linked to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It also shortens your life expectancy.
Try going to bed ten minutes earlier than usual each night for a week. The following week, add another 10, and so on until you reach your optimal sleep schedule. This small step can mean huge positive changes—like improved memory, reduction in anxiety and transportation of toxins out of the brain—in the long-run. Simple, realistic changes are key.
3. GO OUTSIDE for 10 minutes
Have you ever heard of “earthing” or “grounding”? If not, here’s a hoity-toity article from the Journal of Environmental and Public Health explaining its benefits. For the “TL;DR” crowd, the main takeaways are: 1) the Earth is covered with electrons; 2) modern life has separated humans from these electrons with concrete and cubicles; 3) research suggests that this separation may be a major contributor to 21st century ills; and 4) reconnecting directly with the Earth’s surface (and its electrons) has produced measurable benefits—particularly with regard to sleep and reduced pain. So if you’re able to do so, take your shoes off and get in the grass for a little while each day.
If that seems far-fetched for your lifestyle (which is completely understandable), you can probably go outside for at least 10 minutes each day (it doesn’t even have to be consecutive!). As a general trend, most of us are Vitamin D deficient. Getting only 10 minutes of sun exposure each day provides us with our daily dose! Don’t forget the SPF.
Exposure to natural light can also elevate your mood, improve your concentration and help you to heal from surgery or injury faster. Additionally, fresh air can help clear your lungs, give you more energy, lower blood pressure and improve digestion. So whether it’s a full-on barefoot walk in the woods (one of my favorite hobbies) or an al fresco coffee break, try to get outside when and where you can!
4. BE NICER TO YOURSELF
Negative self-talk is so2000-and-late. Think about the way you speak to yourself when you’re unhappy. Now imagine someone saying those things to your best friend. Is ‘someone’ getting punched in the face in your mind? Probably. Now punch yourself in the face—with love.
For the most part, you create your own future. Thoughts do become things. Everything begins in the mind, so once you learn to better control your thoughts, you can better control the environment around you. Or, at the very least, learn what you’re able to control (more on that later in the post). Giving yourself the same grace and forgiveness that you’d give a colleague, friend or loved one is paramount.
Don’t know where to start? Roseann Capanna-Hodge, pediatric mental health expert and psychologist, suggests adjusting your everyday vocabulary—both your internal and external dialogue. “Instead of always focusing on the negative, flip your dialogue to only positive outcomes. For example, instead of saying ‘If I get that job,’ switch it to ‘When I get that job.’ Those subtle changes in using positive language helps to change your mindset.” You can train your mind to transmute feelings of lack to those of abundance.
One small way to increase the flow of positive mental vibes is to repeat a personal mantra when you hit points of stress. The best way to do this is to make it something simple to remember that reminds you of the important things in your life. Examples include:
Everything is temporary.
This too shall pass.
I am stronger than I think I am.
This is a learning experience.
I am evolving.
I am resilient.
I am not alone.
Make it your own and take your power back. It sends a clear message (if only to yourself) that you can’t be taken down so easily. Once you’ve internalized this idea, things that once stressed you out will now be put in their place.
5. DRINK 1 MORE GLASS OF WAtER
Chances are high that you’re not drinking enough water. Because barely any of us are. And of course you know that all humans need water to survive—we can only go three or four days without it. (For perspective, we can go about three weeks without food.) Drinking more water is probably one of the easiest, yet most beneficial, habits you can form. But “more water” means different things to different people.
Start small. Replace just one of your daily beverages with water. Maybe it’s your morning juice, or afternoon tea, or third cup of coffee. If you’re mindful about what you’re putting into your body, you’ll be able to make this an intentional choice.
Trigger yourself by leaving a big glass out on the counter or table. Or do what I do, and get a big travel mug with a lid. At night, I fill it up with a lot of ice and a bit of water, and in the morning it’s waiting for me: a nice, cool cup of water. Flush the toxins, kickstart your system, wake yourself up.
No longer just a buzzword, people are starting to grasp what it really means to be “mindful.” When people speak of “mindfulness,” it’s often in the form of meditation, but it can also be practiced in other ways, such as breathing, walking or eating.
Practicing mindfulness can be as easy as paying specific attention to the feeling of the water hitting your skin in the shower, or attentively listening to the birds chirping outside your window. It’s simply immersing yourself in the present moment and attuning to your surroundings. Meditation is a powerful way to ritualize mindfulness. You can ease into it by just sitting in silence for a few minutes each day. You don’t have to sit in any specific way; you don’t have to close your eyes; you don’t have to do anything. Just sit in silence for a few minutes.
Cognitive psychologist, Sarah C. McEwen, says, “A mindfulness meditation practice will have a tremendous positive effect long-term.” Practicing meditation regularly can improve your health: “it lowers the negative effects of not only high cortisol, but also high cholesterol and high blood pressure,” McEwen explains. Other benefits include mental clarity and focus, improvement of memory, and overall higher level of mental performance.
The concept of meditation may be intimidating or too “woo woo” for some people. However, once you start doing it, you’ll realize it’s neither of those things. Check out these free resources and apps and try five minutes.
7. CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN
From health opinions, to political leadership, to financial safety, to education plans—nothing is certain right now. Humans need safety and consistency to thrive, so when we’re not experiencing those things, we look to control other aspects of our lives. This can often lead to unhealthy habits and self-medication. There’s a reason the Serenity Prayer is used in many recovery programs. Now is a time to remind ourselves that the only thing we can control is ourselves.
In an article on Inc.com, Mareo McCracken, Revenue Leader for Movemedical, writes, “Success and joy come from focusing on what you can control. Whenever you focus on situations or people outside of your control, you lose even more control, you enter a state of deception and despair.” We can’t control a global pandemic. We can control what we think and how we react to it. Here are a couple healthy ways to cope with external stressors:
MOVE YOUR BODY DAILY
Perhaps this means taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking further away from your location to get a few more steps in. Perhaps this means going to the gym or a weekly fitness class. Perhaps this means chasing your toddler around the house. Whatever it means for you, make movement fit into your life wherever you can.
MAKE GRATITUDE LISTS
If you’re like me and have an insatiable thirst for knowledge with regard to self-improvement and personal development, you’ve probably seen this advice from your favorite person of interest: Gratitude changes your frequency. Or, in less esoteric terms, gratitude literally changes the neural structures in your brain, making us feel happier and more content.
With this in mind, many of these same thought leaders suggest creating daily lists to attune to the frequency of gratitude. This can be as simple as writing down three things you’re grateful for each day: spending time with your partner, eating a delicious meal, getting a great night’s sleep, etc. You can keep a gratitude notebook, or type it in your favorite notes app. There are even specific apps for this very purpose; my favorite is the Five Minute Journal.
It’s important to be able to distinguish between what is within and without of our control. These days, it seems as if we’re in collective fight or flight mode at any given moment. This is unhealthy for our minds and bodies, so we must decide how we’re going to tame these gnarly beasts. We do this by controlling only what we’re able to, and doing our very best to let go of the rest.
However, you currently have the means to afford a device that allows you to read this article. Or you have a friend or loved one who has allowed you to use their device. You have your eyesight or assistive technology to allow you to take in this information. You have the air in your lungs and the clothes on your back.
We always have something to be grateful for, and once we change our perception of the world around us—once we change our mindset—we change the physical structure of our bodies and brains. We accomplish this through simple, realistic changes over time.
Begin anywhere, try your best, and we’ll make it a better end to 2020.
