The advertising industry is like many other creative industries at the minute. Advertisers are looking at new ways to reach their audiences as the print industry continues to suffer and new mediums challenge ad agencies to think differently.
Some agencies are doing this better than others by letting real people tell real stories.
Instead of going for a celebrity endorsement, Visa Europe opted to go with Brooklyn-based artist Bill Shannon as part of their Life Flows Better campaign. Bill was born with avascular necrosis, a degenerative hip condition that destroys the joints of a bone. Despite this, Bill has made dance his unique art form by dancing on skateboards and crutches.
As Visa themselves mention when talking about Bill and his involvement in their ad:
“Bill Shannon is for real, he isn’t gliding along on wheelie shoes and he isn’t a stunt man. The beauty of Bill’s movement is as inspirational as it is mesmerising. The fluidity of his dance moves meant that it didn’t take us long to realise that he was the perfect embodiment of Visa’s flow campaign.”
So, Visa are saying that it’s real people who matter. Real people, doing real things. Real people doing inspirational things every day through normal events.
And it’s working for them. Feedback is extraordinarily positive about Bill’s involvement. Profits are up 35% since the Life Flows Better campaign began in earnest. Visa is being seen as a card for people. People that are also customers.
Make your customers feel like people and they’ll talk about your product. Doesn’t seem that hard, does it?
If you enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to share with your networks. You can also leave your thoughts in the comments below and/or subscribe to danny brown to ensure you receive the latest updates.
As businesses and advertising agencies try to come up with new ways to get their message out, Visa Europe show that real people are still the best adverts.
via uberVU
As businesses and advertising agencies try to come up with new ways to get their message out, Visa Europe show that real people are still the best adverts.
via uberVU
As businesses and advertising agencies try to come up with new ways to get their message out, Visa Europe show that real people are still the best adverts.
via uberVU
Twitter: timjahn
If you treat your customers like people, you’re going to succeed. This is where most companies miss the boat. They fail to connect with their customers or potential customers as real people with real stories. Instead, they’re caught up in measurements, numbers, and margins.
Your customers don’t give a crap about last quarter’s profits. They care that you relate to people who can dance like nobody’s business.
Your point–treat customers like people– is spot-on. But here’s what I noticed about this commercial: it wasn’t real enough.
I wanted to really see how this guy did these amazing things. I wanted to hear him speak or see him practice. I couldn’t help but think that through the magic of editing and special effects that this was not 100% real. It looks choreographed. And it probably was.
It looks like the ad agency (or the client) didn’t trust how special Bill Shannon is and decided to write a script and storyboard the spot to make it feel like all the other spots we see everyday. And to conform to a process they’re comfortable with.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the spot and the message. It’s just that they missed a chance to be authentic and let us meet this amazing talent.
Twitter: DannyBrown
Hi Jeff,
It’s a good point. There could be more told – and there is. At the Visa Europe Life Flows Better Youtube channel, they have “Makings Of” videos for each ad campaign that they’re doing.
Additionally, they highlight the deeper stories behind the people they use. The ad was choreographed, by Bill himself. His dance technique has won him awards as well as highlighted ways to deal with his condition.
This particular ad is part of a wider campaign, so perhaps the message here is simply that “You can with Visa.”
I perhaps should have made that a bit clearer in the post – my apologies.
Twitter: timjahn
Jeff, I think you have a very important point here. There’s levels of engagement when it comes to this stuff. I’d say Visa was on a lower level of engagement, where they tried to integrate a real story by a real person.
I think a further level of engagement would be along the lines of what you’re saying. Make the ad even MORE about Bill and less about Visa. Who is Bill? Why does he do what he does?
And to your point about conforming to their process, I agree with you. With this sort of story and person, I think they could have pushed the envelope a bit by leaving the traditional television advertising medium and trying some sort of online interactive experience.