Why All Businesses Exist

A new UPS commercial aired yesterday.  With Deck the Halls playing in the background, the commercial opened with a guy trying to find the end of a roll of tape and then cut to a woman pulling the last short piece of ribbon off a roll.  The next shot was a guy turning over a package he had wrapped only to have sounds come from the package.  The next scene was a guy wrapping a package with duct tape and realizing that he had included his arm in the final wrap.  This cut to a woman attempting to get her fingers unstuck from tape.  She may have been the woman in the next scene taking out her frustrations by beating three inflatable snowmen.  In the following scene, a person set down a finished wrapped gift, and two arms popped out through the wrapping. 

This wrapped present was brought to the UPS store for packaging.  The announcer stated, “You deal with the wrapping.  Let the UPS store deal with getting it there.  We are your certified packaging experts.  Ask about our pack ‘n ship guarantee.”

In this holiday season, viewers can readily identify with the wrapping problems shown in the commercial.  These scenes get viewers’ attention and keep it.  Inserting the woman venting her wrapping frustrations on the inflatable snowmen increases this identification.  That scene makes me laugh. 

If the gift is being sent, packaging the gift for shipping is the next hurdle after wrapping.  Moving from the wrapping to the packaging step brings the viewer into the realm of UPS.  The message is to end the frustration of dealing with the gift once it is wrapped.  Bring it to UPS to handle the packaging and shipping.  The people at UPS are United Problem Solvers.

That is an interesting play on the UPS letters.

The commercial does an excellent job showing a problem and offering a solution.  The problem is dealing with packaging a gift after wrestling with wrapping it.  The wrapping is enough frustration.  Who wants to repeat that step with packaging for shipment?  Let UPS handle that step.  Be done with sending the gift and drop some stress by bringing the gifts to UPS for packaging.  Presenting this problem/solution in slice of life situations pulls in the viewer and increases the reception of the message.

Since all businesses exist to solve customers’ problems, using commercials to show the problem and offer the solution is smart marketing.  Do you make this presentation in your marketing?

This week's marketing trivia challenge is What marketing have you encountered that presented a problem and offered a solution?  E-mail me your answer.

Projecting an Identity

I’ve had a sore knee and, as a result, watched a great deal of television lately.  I have seen a commercial that is very well done, and I want to share it with you.  The commercial is for Shamblott Family Dentistry.  Rachel, the dentist’s daughter, opens the commercial with “Hi, I’m Rachael Shamblott.  My dad is Dr. Scott Shamblott from Shamblott Family Dentistry.  He loves taking care of people and their teeth.” 

Rachel continues, “Some people are afraid of the dentist.”  That is followed by an agonizing scream.  She goes on, “But you don’t have to be.  My dad makes going to the dentist comfortable and even fun.”  That is followed by giggles and laughter. 

She ends the commercial with a heartfelt, “If you need a dentist, come and see my dad.  If you don’t see my dad, please see another dentist.  Take care of your teeth because they’re the only ones you get.”  To watch this commercial, go here. 

Rachael is very personable.  Her words, however, have more impact than her personality.  She speaks to the reason most people avoid going to the dentist, fear.  In plain talk she states, “Some people are afraid of the dentist.”  She states the problem people have with dentists.

After that statement, Rachael solves the problem.  “My dad makes going to the dentist comfortable and even fun.” 

She shows caring with the advice to see a dentist even if you don’t see her dad.  She gives good advice with “Take care of your teeth because they’re the only ones you get.” 

During that time the hours of Shamblott Family Dentistry are on screen, giving many options of days and times.

This commercial is excellent in many ways.  First, Rachael is fun to watch and delivers the message well.  The fact that the dentist is her father adds a personal touch.  Second, the script presents the problem many of us face going to the dentist and offers a solution to that problem.  Third, by recommending to go to the dentist whether that dentist is Dr. Shamblott or not, the commercial urges regular care of teeth.  Encouraging viewers to take care of their teeth by going to any dentist, even a competitor, is highly unusual.  Most commercials are only concerned about pushing the business paying for the ad.  Expressing concern for the viewer demonstrates Shamblott’s love of taking care of people and their teeth.

The commercial gives people a reason to do business with Shamblott Dentistry and projects an identity as a caring place that wants its patients to be healthy.  

This week's marketing trivia challenge is What identity have you seen projected?  E-mail me your answer.