I got this really great present for Christmas. It's a spork. Here's a picture. As you can see its a cross between a spoon and a fork. Made of titanium, so it's super light weight and stronger than steel. Came from Think Geek. Also got a way cool coffee cup, and a Green Lantern tee shirt.
So, I'm watching TV a couple nights ago and what do I see? An advertisement for sugar, or a sugar substitute. This struck me so hard that I could not tell you more than that. A spoon was pouring the product. So, I said to myself, "They should be using a spork, not a spoon."
Why use a spork?
Because you see spoons everywhere. At home, in restaurants, in stores. Everywhere. Where's the last place you saw a spork? No where, most likely. You may not even have heard of one. So, Mr. Advertiser, if you want to get the attention of the people who buy your sugar, don't show them what they expect to see. Show them what they do not expect to see.
Imagine the ad with a spork rather than a common spoon. The comments:
- Wow, a spoon with teeth.
- A spoon with tines.
- A spoon that thinks it a fork.
Phrase it anyway you want. The point is that people would be watching for te ad. Looking for the ad. Wondering what the spork is, and in doing so generating lots of buzz.
Rather than a run of the mill ad with a spoon, a spork might have taken the ad viral with everyone everywhere watching for it on TV, viewing it on YouTube, Tweeting it, blogging it, and talking about it on facebook.
What could be better than that? Do what's not expected and find out.
