6 Styles of Brand Ads and Why They Won At The Primetime Emmy Awards

 

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And The Emmy Goes To...

While last night's Primetime Emmy Awards may be the big talk of the weekend, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences recognizes several additional categories of contributions to televised entertainment - including commercial ad campaigns not seen as part of the TV show.

Even in an age when traditional advertising can be skipped by viewers, the strongest of commercials will still bolster brand image as they pervade the social and digital world.  We take a look at which brand's ad proved most successful in 2015 - and 6 styles of brand ads which are the reasons why.  


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The Nominees: Snickers, "The Brady Bunch" featuring Danny Trejo

Keeping with the famously recurring "you're not you when you're hungry" message, Snickers takes a tip from textbook comedy with the shock value of macho Danny Trejo's appearance in the classic old sitcom. 


The Nominees: Adobe, "Dream On"

Celebrating 25 years of the mega-successful software program Photoshop, tech giant Adobe interprets Aerosmith's 1973 hit in a way that shows off both the software's assets and the brand's pillar of limitless creativity. To really connect with its audience, the ad includes user contributions and truly inspires them to "dream on."


The Nominees: Budweiser, "The Lost Dog"

Meeting three common Super Bowl ad themes of beer and (more recently) emotion and puppies, this sweet sob story of unlikely animal friends ties into the notorious "Bud" brand through the wordplay of the overarching #BestBuds campaign. 


The Nominees: Gatorade, "Made In New York" featuring Derek Jeter

To bid the perfect farewell to New York Yankee Derek Jeter, Gatorade nails the angle of nostalgia with black and white analog filming and the sounds of Frank Sinatra. The ad takes its Yankee-loving audience back through the years and solidifies Gatorade's position as the perfect sports affiliate brand.


The Nominees: Nissan, "With Dad"

A tearjerker set to Hary Chapin's "Cats In The Cradle," this ad adapts the classic father-son story to that of a Nissan racecar driver. Rather than letting this time consuming and dangerous sport keep them apart, the loving father ultimately uses it as an excuse to pass his passion for cars on to his son.


The Winner: Always, "Like A Girl"

At a peak time for feminism, leading feminine hygiene brand Always demolishes the common negative notion of what is means to run, throw, fight, or perform anything else "like a girl." Ad agency Leo Burnett Worldwide and production company Chelsea Pictures are credited with the win.

 


Why These Ad Campaigns Are Effective

When looking at these ads, there are a few things they have in common with one another that help ensure their success.  We've broken the reasons down into six categories:

  1. The Deeply Touching Emotion (Budweiser, Gatorade, Nissan, Always) - When a commercial makes its viewers nearly cry over a loss, reunion, or sad reality, it is much more likely to be remembered and talked about.
  2. The Super Bowl Audience (Snickers, Budweiser, Nissan, Always) - Naturally, four out of these six nominated commercials aired during the time of year when commercials are most likely to be anticipated, watched, talked about, and shared or re-streamed. They are also longer than the average :30 spot that would take place between regular TV shows.
  3. The Oh-So-Catchy Hashtag (Budweiser, Nissan, Always) - By 2015, even the best of traditional commercials need a link to carry over into the world of social chatter, which usually takes the form of a hashtag. The best commercial hashtags are very brief and easy to remember like #BestBuds, #WithDad, or #LikeAGirl.
  4. The Full Narrative (Adobe, Budweiser, Gatorade, Nissan) - Another advantage of a longer ad spot is the opportunity to transport the audience from the beginning of a story to its resolution, and sometimes through several years of technology, growing up, or athletic success.
  5. The Nostalgia Factor (Snickers, Gatorade) - Viewes love to be taken back to an earlier time in their own lives, or in the world of entertainment and sports fanhood.
  6. The Call For Future Action (Adobe, Always) - What these two ads accomplish to go even further beyond the ad spot is inspire the audience, either creatively or politically, to change or do something on their own.

Boost Your Ad Campaign With Entertainment Marketing!

Great ad campaigns are not limited to television commercials; connecting your brand with celebrities and entertainment can give your ad campaign the additional push it needs. This may include partnering with star-studded events such as the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Download our celebrity event planning calendar to see what event options exist where you can obtain tangible assets that can be shared with consumers, media outlets and retail distributors to impact your sales. 

Celebrity Event Planning Calendar by Hollywood Branded