At the advent of online video, many marketers realized that viewer engagement was difficult. So we began thinking differently than we would for a medium, like television, where the viewer had to pay attention…until DVR came along, that is. 

But the thing about evolution is that, well, it keeps evolving. Now we have skippable ads, a loose definition of “broadcast” television, and an increasing amount of online video viewers on mobile devices. So how do brands engage viewers? 

It’s easy. All you have to do is make sure you get your CTA, branding and engaging content out in front of the viewers…sometimes in two seconds or less. 

Funnily enough, this goes back to the 2009 Super Bowl when Miller High Life ran a series of 2-second ads. When this guerilla ad buy worked out splendidly for our beer brewing brethren to the north, marketers of all stripes took note. 

Now we’ve taken these lessons we learned and applied them to another medium where we have to capture viewers’ attention quickly: online video. Whether you’re waiting for the “skip video” button to pop up or scrolling through your feed, that video has to capture your attention immediately to have fighting chance. 

No more saving the CTA for the closing credits. Less mystery. Less intrigue. Fewer slow burns, more quick hits. You’ve got two seconds to accomplish your campaign’s goals. 

Of course, it’s not as much of a desperate plea for attention as it sounds. All it takes is an understanding of how visual storytelling and copywriting work together. How to make your CTA feel fun, not forced. How to deserve attention, not demand it.

And that’s what we do at G/L Content Studios. Do you need to get viewers’ attention? We can do it…quickly. Get in touch and let’s see how we can do it. 

One of the most interesting trends we discussed this week was Cadillac’s new ad campaign. Especially since it premiered on the red carpet. Well, that is if the commercial breaks during the Oscars can be considered the red carpet. Still, it’s definitely a primo ad placement. 

Cadillac’s new CMO is launching his first campaign. It features a brand manifesto that harkens to other campaigns that helped embattled automakers make a U-turn. Jeep found new life in a brand manifesto ad during the Super Bowl. Will Cadillac do the same? 

This Spike Lee ad (not to be confused with a Spike Lee joint) shows the filmmaker delivering Cadillac’s manifesto while the viewer tours their flagship Escalade. It has an experiential vibe, which should resonate with millennials who grew up watching Spike Lee movies and seeing him courtside at Knicks games. And SUV sales are on the rise, even while younger generations are driving less. Plus, the copywriting is great…and of course a copywriter loves a copy-heavy ad campaign.  

So will it work? Escalade sales saw a big leap in 2018 compared to previous years but only a modest gain in 2019. However, over the past decade sales have largely trended upward. But with more and more luxury brands getting into the SUV game, Cadillac is positioning themselves to stake their claim and defend their place atop of the heap. If they have the horsepower to do it successfully remains to be seen. 

If you’re like us, or even if you’re not, you’re probably buzzing about the slate of ads for this year’s Big Game. Being St. Louis born, bred and based, we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about the biggest brewer in a historically great beer town. 

That fairly well-known brewery in Soulard renowned for their beechwood aging aired a spot during the Big Game. And it pulled a trick on viewers that we had a great time picking apart during our trends meeting. 

The “typical Americans” trope is often said in a derogatory tone much in the same manner a beer aficionado might say “typical American lager.” However, the King of Beers turned that trope on its head in this spot. Budweiser used real-life footage that seems like it could have been pulled from YouTube… or perhaps a cynic might theorize that it was only made to look amateurish but was actually carefully planned, but we like to look at the sunny side around here. As it plays, the copy seemingly contradicted in theory, but actually highlighted, everyday Americans doing the little things that make a big difference in people’s lives. It subverted expectations to great effect.

Maybe we can forget the beauty in being ordinary in a way that we take for granted, much in the same way we can take anything in our lives for granted. But this commercial illustrates the bonds between hardworking Americans and the hardworking beer that we drink at Cardinals games… or even possibly share with your old man as he reminisces about the blood, sweat and tears he poured into his job.

And okay, maybe your old man is viewing the past through rose-colored glasses. And maybe a great barrel-aged stout is super impressive. Between the two of us, the sangria slushies at Busch Stadium are pretty dang tasty in all honesty. But we dare you to name a beer more associated with baseball, BBQs and kicking back after a hard day at work. Budweiser isn’t fighting the rise of the microbrew. They’re staking their claim. It’s a bold move from that plucky brewery over on Broadway Ave.