My fiancé shared an ad with me recently that was compelling, funny, and true (which also happens to be the basic formula for capturing attention of key audiences). The ad, from the UK’s mobile carrier O2, points out a universal truth about the way we view technology on a day-to-day basis without even mentioning their own service.
Whether you are a “dog person” or a “cat person,” the ad hits the nail on the head in terms of our relationship with technology. With all of the iPads, Kindles, smartphones and FitBits that are present in our daily lives, it’s hard to impress such a tech-savvy population. Oftentimes, when a new technology comes out, we nod thoughtfully before returning to our normal, cat-like blasé state of thought.
Now, in all honesty, it’s probably a good thing we aren’t all completely amazed and filled with unabashed exuberance every time we are able to upload a photo to Facebook from our smartphone. If we were as reactive about everyday technology as dogs are about a tennis ball, productivity would screech to a halt worldwide. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take a step back every now and then to appreciate the wonder that is technology.
Our firm’s CEO, John Raffetto, posted in April about the thrill of his family’s first home computer and the Age of Technology. He wrote, “there are smart people working on 3D printing, the Internet of Things, quantum computing, and any number of other tantalizing concepts. Our imaginations can continue to run wild for years to come, just as they have been doing for the past several decades.” Tapping into this sense of wonder and amazement about technology isn’t just about nonchalant acknowledgement – it’s also about building excitement.
From back-end B2B enterprise server technology to consumer social media widgets, companies have the opportunity to inspire, much like what O2 did with this ad. O2 went above and beyond the product messaging and spoke to a universal truth that is both introspective and moving, which is a great approach in terms of fascinating your target audiences. While advertising and public relations serve different functions, the sentiment should be consistent throughout the entire communications strategy to have the maximum impact on your audiences, and therefore, your company.
While we don’t need to adopt O2’s slogan of #BeMoreDog,” the desire to inspire others should play a role in PR and marketing campaigns for companies looking to make a big splash.
