Wouldn’t it be incredible to air your own Super Bowl commercial, and be able to broadcast your unique message to hundreds of millions of viewers? Of course it would! But, unless you have $3 million in your couch cushions, you will likely need to find a more reasonable way to promote your personal brand. Here are 5 unique ways to create your own buzz, observed from Super Bowl XLIV brand advertisers.
1. Collaborate, don’t compete.
This CBS commercial for “The Late Show” featured David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey, and even late-night competitor Jay Leno. Why would CBS want to showcase these stars from competing networks? Two reasons, really – to create interest, and to gain brand value by association.
How can you put this principle to play while building your own brand? One way is to interview a respected authority in your field, and publish the interview on your blog. Mohammed Al-Taee did just that in this interview with branding legend Seth Godin. Another option is to write guest articles for “competing” blogs in your niche.
2. Continue the story.
The GoDaddy commercials are infamously racy in nature – and I don’t suggest that the particular theme of their spots is right for everyone. But, what GoDaddy does better than any other advertiser is “continue the story”. The call-to-action is always to view even more on their website. Their :30 seconds of fame turns into far more than :30 seconds.
What about you? When you meet peers at conferences or seminars, do you continue the story? Does your business card list your blog URL, your Twitter handle, and your Linkedin profile? Follow the GoDaddy formula, and turn your offline connections into online connections, and vice versa.
3. Provide sneak peaks to insiders.
Google’s “Parisian Love” spot was brilliant on multiple levels, but I will focus on one in particular. The day before the Big Game, Google’s CEO tweeted this somewhat cryptic message, signaling that Google might be running a spot. On several tech blogs, the spot itself was leaked early (accidental?). I saw the spot the night before the Super Bowl, and was excited to have “inside info” that others didn’t. Who doesn’t love to feel like an insider?
How can you replicate this same feeling around your personal brand? You might e-mail your blog subscribers in advance to describe an upcoming series of posts. Or, you could produce and provide a special video just for your Twitter followers. Problogger takes similar steps quite often, and each time I enjoy the “insider” feeling.
4. Evoke emotions.
Budweiser ran several silly commercials with typical juvenile punchlines, and none of them really stuck with me. But, the Budweiser Clydesdale spot that featured the pony and young steer succesfully tugged at the heartstrings. The spot was an instant hit because it evoked an emotional reaction from all who watched it.
You can replicate this very concept by occasionally weaving ”truly personal” elements into your personal brand. The two most powerful articles I’ve read recently were from Copyblogger.com, and both were deeply personal in nature. Read both this Men With Pens post, and this Jonathan Morrow post, and remember the feelings evoked by these personal tales.
5. Provide an offer nobody can refuse.
I’ll admit, I thought the Denny’s “Chickens” ads were just plain horrible. Yet, they managed to create a buzz around their brand by offering a free Grand Slam breakfast to anyone in the country. The compelling offer was the star, not the ludicrous TV spots.
Just think – if the nation is thrown into a frenzy over scrambled eggs and a sausage link, what could you provide to inspire the same fervor? Maybe that college paper you wrote can be redesigned and turned into an E-Book? Promote the book as “Usually $15, but FREE to all blog subscribers by March 1, 2010″. With a little viral luck, you might just have a brand buzz gold rush on your hands.
The ideas above are just a few of the lessons personal brands can learn from large business brands. While our individual budgets can never compete – we can apply the very same principles to build buzz around our own brands.
What do you think? Do you have any other ideas on how individuals might create excitement around their own brands? Leave a comment below, “continue the story” with me on Personal Branding 101, or say hello on Twitter.
Ryan is the advertising creative coordinator for a Fortune 500 financial services firm on the West Coast. His experience building the brand of a globally respected firm helps provide a unique perspective on the world of personal branding. Read more from Ryan at Personal Branding 101 .
