We still look to TV for those water-cooler moments

as Published in the Globe and Mail (National Edition) - April 12, 2010

For a medium that is supposed to be in huge decline and no longer relevant, television is going through some interesting times.

Audiences for certain shows not only aren't dropping, they're actually up dramatically. There is talk of 3-D television programming in development, and Google Inc. is putting together partnerships to deliver its own TV network.

Why is there so much fuss about and focus on this once-written-off medium?

Since its inception, TV has been a centrepiece in most homes, delivering an experience that people could share and discuss. Sporting events, moon landings, elections and blockbuster programming brought people together.

But with pressure from niche channels, content-rich DVDs, PVRs and popular video websites such as YouTube and U.S. online TV site Hulu, traditional TV was starting to feel like a distant memory.

But, a funny thing has reared its head lately - human nature. A part of all of us still wants to share big moments with our communities, our country and even the world. Most of us will remember where we were when we were watching the recent men's gold medal hockey game. More than 22 million Canadians watched Sidney Crosby score the overtime goal. Audiences for live broadcasts of recent major events such as the Golden Globes, the Grammys, the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards were all up.

While there are more content options than ever before, it appears that Canadians are still looking for connections to those water-cooler moments. And it's interesting to note that online and social media are increasingly building on the content of these TV events, continuing the coverage and conversation.

So, what does this mean for marketers?

If you can afford it, be part of the moment

Both Visa Inc. and Coca-Cola Ltd. offer good examples of leveraging their marketing tools to fully take advantage of the 2010 Olympics.

Visa tailored its TV ads to connect with newsworthy and emotional moments. When skier Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's first gold medal on home soil, Visa was on the next commercial break congratulating the country.

And Coca-Cola created a completely integrated presence around the Olympics, including advertising capitalizing on our national passion for hockey, a torch relay sponsorship that united Canadians and created its own news stories, and even the launch of a special Olympic-branded bottle.

There are enough water-cooler moments throughout the year to map out a strategy that ensures you reach large audiences effectively with your key message.

For example, the biggest advertiser during this year's Academy Awards was Hyundai Motor Co., which ran six spots promoting the launch of the 2011 Sonata. Producing and running that number of ads can be pricey, but this strategy can be very effective, reaching a large audience with a key brand message.

While notable U.S. Super Bowl advertisers of the past gave it up this year, a recent study looking at sales results for those that did participate re-emphasized the effectiveness of big-event TV advertising. The study, by research company Millward Brown, found that Super Bowl advertisers saw "an average sales uplift of more than 11 per cent in the following month." As well, it calculated that advertisers would have had to devote three times their Super Bowl spending on traditional TV ads to get the same result.

Can your brand leverage TV content?

Dr. Pepper ads currently airing on television feature Dr. Spaceman, a character from 30 Rock; they run immediately after the comedy show finishes and are featured prominently on the show's website. By capitalizing on the show's content, the Dr. Pepper ads blur the line between program and commercial, and transfer the likeability of the show directly to the brand.

Social media will likely increase TV audiences

Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are all about creating connections and community. As friends share their comments about favourite TV shows or tweet about who's going to win an event, they reinforce the power of traditional TV and boost the impact of event experiences.

Marketers can benefit by paying attention to what is getting traction, as that's where the audiences will be.

Tiger Woods' return to golf at the Masters last week was a hot topic on blogs as well as sports, news and social media websites. The momentum behind the online chatter generated one of the biggest viewing audiences for the Masters in TV history.

If you can't afford to be part of the moment, you can still be part of the conversation

It used to be that if, as a marketer, you couldn't afford to be on TV during the event, you missed the opportunity. Now, more than ever, however, big TV events generate online coverage and fan conversation after the fact. That creates an opportunity to participate at a virtual water cooler and keep the connection going. Promoting your brand on targeted sites or blogs (such as msn.ca, tsn.ca or people.com) before or after an event or show allows you to take advantage of the pre- and post-event buzz.

Television may be only one of many content options today, but it still stands alone as the place to gather for the big show.