The Brilliant John Basedow Campaign
The Guy with the funny head
For those of you who don’t know who John Basedow is, you can see his fitness videos for sale here http://fitness-made-simple.com/ Pay careful attention to the peculiar way his head sits on his body. No, it isn’t a photo-shop job, that’s really him.
So was this a marketing strategy? Probably not…you can’t exactly control the size of your head. But if it was, it was a brilliant one. Forgetting the fact that his commercials play on cable television every five minutes, seeing John Basedow once is enough to make someone remember forever. And that's the key to branding. But what about sales? Did anyone buy his product simply because he looks so odd?
In this case, people probably did. Why? Looking at his face, he looks as though he should be wearing a business suit. Not necessarily because he has a 'business face', but because you expect the rest of his body to look just as gaunt. The guys who spent their whole lives wanting a better body will perk up.
What can we learn from this?
Setting up a memorable ad or image isn't enough to bring sales...even if it does brand well. You have to make the image connect with the viewer's own plights or desires. In this case, we see a man who shouldn't be buff, but is.
Apply the same principle to a new mattress. Perhaps someone who shouldn't be asleep is out like a light. This image is effective, and countless advertisers have already used it. But put something memorable in there, and you've added a great branding technique. Perhaps the person shouldn't be asleep because of kids jumping on the bed (targeting parents). Better yet, picture this... Someone goes to bed looking at an eviction notice. The next morning, you see a group of men carrying his stuff out and setting it on the lawn. You also see them carrying out the bed...with him still in it, fast asleep. "sleep through anything with a xxxxx mattress"
If you apply this principle (someone who shouldn't benefit from your product, but does) you'll find people waiting in line to buy.
Need a good commercial script? Talk to us.
The Brilliant John Basedow Campaign |
|
|
|
