I’ve been struck by the “Pure Michigan” ad campaign running on TV and radio here in the Great Lakes region for several years now. Decided to look up who does the voice-over, and found to my surprise that it’s Tim Allen.
These ads have great background music, visuals, and narration by Allen. These are all very well-aligned with the Michigan “brand experience.” But the emotive power comes from creating a dissonance between how things are and how they could be. The ads note the hassles, stress, and ordinariness of everyday life… and convey that instead you could be at the lakeshore, spending time with family, hitting a golf ball, or seeing the fall colors in the hills.
This has implications for business-to-business marketers, too. Part of getting our worth recognized comes from reaching decision-makers' hearts as well as heads. Executives feel even more constrained than ever… tough markets, tight budgets, cash flow worries, etc. But they don’t have to stay stuck there. Even in tough times, companies can be making smart investments in growth and improving the customer experience to increase brand preference. So let’s make sure we are addressing the hearts and the "gut," just as much as the rational mind.