Knowing your audience is critical in all facets of life. When you sit down with a friend, you have a history with them and should speak to them in terms that they will understand. When you are standing before a crowd of people, you should have done adequate research and thought long enough about the people you are talking to so that you can convey ideas in a language that is agreeable to them. Knowing your audience can often make or break any presentation. Being cognizant of who you are talking with will benefit you in ways you couldn't even imagine. However, it is tough to figure out those minor intricacies in wording and tone that make all the difference when talking with others. With this in mind, I have become extremely fascinated by marketing and in particular, commercials on television. When you think about it, commercials are like mini productions that take 30 seconds, usually; to convey ideas to a certain demographic that the product you are viewing was made just for you. There are some commercials that I happen to see over and over again. I think this is the result of targeted advertising, as I usually watch ESPN, and the demographic that watches this show is usually male between 18 and 35 years old. If you are in a different demographic, you may not see all the same commercials as I do on a frequent basis. Here are some that I have been seeing a lot and my analysis of why they are so brilliant.

Tiger Woods...Roger Federer...Thierry Henry
In one of the most blockbuster commercials in recent years, Gillette has brought together the three biggest athletes on the planet. Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, and Thierry Henry are as global as it gets when it comes to sports. Beyond that, these guys are all in a universe of their own when it comes to competing in the sports that they play. Tiger Woods is about to win the biggest prize money given out in all of golf with his masterful 63's, which he puts up with unhumanlike consistency. Roger Federer is arguably the most dominant athlete on the planet, even more so than Tiger Woods. He enters majors and wins them. That is what he does. Roger Federer's most recent victory came at the 2007 U.S. Open in which he dismantled the field and ended up beating 20 year old Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Thierry Henry is equally incredible. He plays for the French National team, which does well in World Cups that occur every four years, and also plays for one of the finest soccer teams on the planet, Barcelona. He was twice runner up for Fifa Player of The Year honor. With these three blockbuster athletes, how am I not supposed to take notice. These guys are amazing at what they do, and they also happen to use Gillette. The people who made this commercial brought together the best of the best, and the intended audience knows this. It gives their brand an image. Knowing who was watching made all the difference in this one.



Leave Nothing
When it comes to marketing campaigns, Nike has always been ahead of the curve. They continually come through with interesting ways to portray athleticism and showcase their product. Who could ever forget their past slogan of "Just Do It?" A new image that Nike is starting to present is "Leave Nothing." Just two words, but the artistic ways in which they convey these ideas are brilliant and exciting for the viewer. In their latest commercial, perfectly timed for the NFL season, they have Shawne Merriman and Stephen Jackson, two explosive players in the NFL in a montage of tackles and runs. It is played over an inspiring orchestra that makes you feel like you're there with the players. It is done in such an artistic way that it is hard to remember that you're watching hard-nosed football players break tackles and pound each other. People in my demographic will find this commercial inspiring and will love to watch it. It keeps you harking on every moment and at the end all you want to do is go out and buy your own Nike gear so you can look half as good as the commercial. It is one of my favorites, and for good reason.



Apple
Apple commercials, and in particular iPod Commercials, are revolutionary. They are fresh and emit a sense of cleanness and newness to the audience. Apple has had a great advertising campaign since their iPod Commercials way back when they were these white silhouettes dancing in front of a plain color screen. These were fun to watch and always had a fun song to go along with it. No wonder iPod's are a common commodity these days. Their advertising techniques and strategy was impeccable. How did they continue this trend going with their new iPod. In a similar way. Apple never gets to complex with their advertising campaigns and their most recent is a testament to that. In their newest commercial, they just have a new iPod Nano with a blockbuster song being played. The iPod Nano shows off some of its capabilities as well in that it can play music videos, which is in high demand these days. While the song plays, a hand picks up the iPod as if it is just one of many like in a deck of cards. The color of the iPod changes every time, showcasing the customization that the user can have with their own personal iPod. The commercial is simple and enjoyable to watch. Their song choice is great. It is usually never something that I have heard, but I enjoy listening to the interesting variety that Apple always presents. iPod and Apple commercials continue to impress me.



Edge
Edge Shaving Cream commercials have a different kind of feel than all the other commercials that I have already gone through. These commercials are a little more humorous and work on appealing to the interactions between men and women. It shows some guy, just a random guy, he is not necessarily very good looking or notable in any way, and it has him talk directly to the camera about Edge Shaving Cream. While this is going on, hands, hands of a women, enter the screen and start rubbing and caressing the face of the man who is talking about Edge Shaving Cream. You never see anything more about the women, except for her hands. You don't see her face or body, but you just see her hands stroking the smooth exterior of the mans face. The man never takes notice of this caressing either, which is kind of strange, but adds the comical element to the video. This is a cheaply done commercial, but appeals to the senses of the intended viewer, which is a young male between 18 and 35. People respond to the things that make sense to them, and this commercial makes sense to its audience. Well done Edge.

Commercials are a lot of fun to watch. Although a lot of people get up during them to get a snack or what not, they can also be as entertaining as the show you're watching. The people who construct these commercials think about who is sitting and watching the show you're currently watching and try to create something that will make sense to you. Check out these commercials and the next time you watch television take a look at the commercials you are watching. Perhaps you'll notice that you see the same commercials over and over again. They know you're watching. Be smart. Be aware. Be the solution.

This post was originally written by Tyrone Schiff
University of Michigan · Organizational Studies · 16 Sep 2007