Commercial Advertising Techniques

Super Bowl 2023 produced a good number of strong ads that were well received by consumers and industry experts alike. Consumers are always very interested in the ads produced during this time. Outlandishly obnoxious or deeply touching, Super Bowl advertisements are iconic for not only treating, but pulling in viewership from across the country.

To this day, people remember commercials such as the Budweiser monosyllabic frogs in 1995 to the Snickers Betty White cameo in 2010. According to a sample study by Jose Navarro from Statista, 43% of viewers watched the Super Bowl in 2021 to see the commercials rather than the game itself. While these commercials can seem foolish or tacky, they all have a meaningful purpose behind them, correlating to a certain type of commercial advertisement.

While types of commercial advertisements can combine and multiply, there are particular sectors that commercials can be split into depending on what questions they are answering and how they intend to answer them. These are seven examples of ways commercial advertisements can catch the viewer and promote their product:

1. Individualization

In these sorts of advertisements, the company is trying to show consumers what is special about their product. They highlight specific characteristics of the product and prove how it distinguishes their product from any competitor. For example, one of Apple’s iPhone 13 commercials promotes the phone’s water protection, making it effectively resistant to water damage.

2. Characterization

This is the type of commercial that focuses on delivering the basic intel on what the product does and how it does it. This commercial is more directed towards newer companies and products in that it’s geared towards getting a brand publicized and known for what it does. However, well-known brands can still utilize this method effectively. An example of this is Bounty’s Paper Towel Commercial, reminding the audience of its “Quicker Picker Upper” abilities.

3. Metaphorization

Simple as it sounds, this technique involves a metaphoric comparison between the product and a certain sensation or experience. This gives a more figurative look at how the product affects its consumers. A classic example of such is the Snickers ad featuring Betty White back in 2010.

4. Representation

In contrast to Metaphorization, Representation is where the commercial gives a realistic look at what it is like using the product and what it does for its users. While most of these examples take place in commercials for medicine and law firms, a unique take on this technique was shown in Coca-Cola’s Brotherly Love commercial in 2016, showing how a Coke played a role in the brotherly relationship between two boys.

5. Assertion

Also known as testimonials, assertion commercials feature an actual person giving their story of how the product or service benefitted them. This form is very relevant for medical services and products, as users often have a deeper influence from medical help. On the other hand, Chick-fil-A has recently used this method by using their employees’ stories of how the job had influenced them.

6. Satisfaction

In this type of commercial advertising, companies direct attention to the satisfaction one gets from using their product/service. Using either literalism or hyperbolism, commercials make the product seem reliably satisfactory and focus not so much on what the product or service gives, but on the feeling one gets after receiving it. Grubhub’s animated commercial serves as a perfect example.

7. Recognition

Finally, there is the type, Recognition. This is when companies use characters or celebrities in their commercials to promote the product. Doing so makes the viewer influenced to buy the product seeing as an influential or well-known icon is doing the same. Such is seen in Lay’s commercial Stay Golden, featuring Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd.

All in all, televised commercial advertising has a wide plethora of techniques, fit for any product or service. Being an essential tool in any marketing pathway, it is important to see where your company can take the next steps in promoting your brand through digital advertisement.

Asher can help with media planning and buying, creative content, and digital marketing for your company. Reach out today to find out how our team can assist you.