How Tide ‘Cleaned Up’ in This Year’s Biggest Ad Night

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]By now, even if you didn’t watch the Big Game, you have probably heard your share about the ads that ran during it. For those of us in advertising, the commercial breaks are just as highly anticipated, entertaining and important as the game (unless my favorite team is playing, #GoPackGo). And this year’s ads did not disappoint.

I promise I won’t bore you with my reaction to every ad, there are enough articles out there already that do that very thing. My intention is to celebrate, dissect and marvel at the thought process behind, what I felt, was the best execution of the night, from a branding perspective anyway.

It was none other than, drumroll please…… the ongoing Tide ad! Tide has certainly stepped up their ad game the past couple years, winning numerous awards for their 2018 Super Bowl spots. After a year off, they have done it again! But what made this piece so great? It goes beyond the continuity of the storyline throughout the game. It goes beyond the casting of two highly recognized and beloved sitcom stars. This ad demonstrates a true understanding of where their brand fits into the lives of their consumers.

Nobody likes doing laundry. Nobody is excited to start their next load. Tide acknowledged this. Instead of trying to sell the idea of laundry being anything more than an obligatory chore, Tide leaned into the general mindset towards cleaning your clothes, “I’ll do it later.” They didn’t rely on the typical ‘mom doing laundry’ script or try to overtly sell the product by spotlighting features nearly all detergents could claim. No, they went BEYOND selling. They told a story in which their brand was a supporting character. One we could all relate to. One that was highly relevant, given the timing. A perfect tale told in the perfect moment. Tide executed this by shifting the focus off the product and into the lives of users. Who would have thought a brand could sell a product by literally telling audiences to put off using it?  Sheer brilliance!

Tide ran this series of ads throughout the entire game. In case you missed it the first time around, here is a little more background on it to get you up to speed.

Increasingly, one of the most critical factors in producing a successful campaign is ensuring relevancy and a connection with the consumer. This Tide ad perfectly captures that consumer connection. Taking an everyday moment, like getting a stain on your shirt, and creating an association with your brand allows consumers to see themselves in the same situation. This connection also causes consumes to think of your brand the next time they are actually IN that situation. What more could you want in an ad?!

Increasing a brand’s ‘top of mind’ status, while strengthening the connection to the audience through relatability AND demonstrating an understanding of exactly where the brand fits into consumers’ lives?

That’s an advertising Hail Mary in my playbook.[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”40″][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/mPrLiNseyCc” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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