File this idea under “brilliant content integration.” Ford Brazil recently pulled a stunt on live Fox Sports television broadcasts of the Brazilian Basketball League Finals. The brand pitched their new “Anti-skid” technology during the basketball game by eliminating the iconic “squeaking” sound basketball players make with their sneakers while moving on the wood floor. An incredibly creative way to make its anti-skid point.
Here’s a promo film that shows exactly how viewers experienced the idea:
Context magnifies the message.
Ford could have created ads that flatly announced their new anti-skid technology and run them during the typical commercial breaks of the games. And they may have been effective, but basketball fans are paying less attention during the breaks and who knows if basketball fans even care about anti-skid anything.
Instead the brand decided to inject their message right into the fabric of the game as basketball fans are at their most attentive. And, even better, by eliminating that quintessential “sound of basketball” (the squeaking) the brand creates the perfect stage for its anti-skid message.
No squeaking, no skidding.
FORD
The viewer knows something is off–where’s the squeaking!–so there’s heightened attention. And then when the viewer sees/hears the payoff about Ford’s anti-skid technology, they not only get it, they get it. Meaning, they suddenly understand the importance of anti-skid anything through a medium (basketball) they understand and love.
All the while, the game continues on.
Ford trades increased relevance for decreased reach.
The weakness of this idea is also its strength. Focusing so singularly on basketball fans is limiting from a reach standpoint. Are basketball fans the only people who care about anti-skid technology? Of course not.
But Ford made a conscious trade here. A bet, if you will. And that is this: Ford bet that the increased relevance of this kind of live-game “squeak silencing” idea would be worth the sacrifice in reach to non-basketball fans.
Those who experience this idea, in other words, while fewer of of them, will be pushed with more force down the purchase funnel than any :30 ad ever could. It’s like a consideration slam dunk.
What could your brand do?
This idea is great for Ford because of the intimate link between squeaking on the court and anti-skid technology. But what about your product? Is there a new feature (or an old one) where some kind of live interruption could magnify the message through enhanced relevance?
Fun to think about, isn’t it? Perhaps assign a team to come up with nothing but ideas like this. Challenge your agency. Maybe look at local broadcasts to test ideas and national broadcasts to go big. Look at sports, but also look at other live events.
Because this basketball idea is so much bigger, so much more relevant and so much more impactful than an ad.
And sure beats logos on cars.
