History in the Making

Here's an example of diversity in advertising. Produced by Burrell Communications and Giraldi Productions for Verizon Wireless, "History in the Making" is a video that is part of a print, radio, and online media campaign that aired in select movie theaters across the country during black history month in 2006.  Featuring spoken word artist and poet J. Ivy, performing the poem he wrote entitled "History in the Making," the video is a part of Verizon's community support advertising campaign.  

One reason I like it is because the advertising is subtle, yet effective.  You wouldn't know it was an advertisement at all if it wasn't for the tag and Verizon logo at the very end of the two-minute video clip.  So what is the cell phone company advertising?  It is brand awareness.  The ad is not directly promoting cell phones, accessories, or wireless plans, but it is making Verizon Wireless's brand known to the public, and specifically, the ad's target market, the African American community.   The target is obvious because the ad shows an African American male portraying an element of African American culture during black history month.  

I like the ad because it is a positive portrayal of this community (and more of these type of positive images are necessary to balance and off-set the negative ones we are bombarded with everyday, in news media as well as advertisements).  I like the ad because it is artistic: the visuals, the shots/camera angles, the lighting, the words (a poem), the main character's (a poet) theatrical performance.  The ad is educational -- if you don't know much about spoken word or black history, this video will give you a taste of both.  

The ad is also well done because it has universal appeal.  While the primary target market is the African American consumer, anyone interested in art or literature or poetry or culture or history or reflecting on history in general (hence the tag "making your own history") will be able to relate to the ad and its message.  

It also is not overtly advertising a p

roduct; I like subtly, and the artistic inspiration 

behind the ad is enough to make me go to Verizon's website after realizing the company's involvement, strategically placed at the end of the video.  A viewer is likely to watch this video and feel entertained and inspired as opposed to compelled to go out and buy Verizon's newest cell phone (assuming they know what it is . . . 

that ad doesn't say so).  And I like that.  It's effective advertising, and it's diverse, and it's original.  

I would like to know the figures on Verizon sales after the airing of this ad.  Even if sales did not increase, I still think this video is an indication of the potential of diverse advertisements.   I think a plethora of ads like this one, released to the market methodically, would begin to have  positive effect on the sale of brands.  Repetition and familiarity are what give advertisements their power over one's subconscious.  I also think this type of advertising strategy is a good way for companies to try to relate to their various and different markets. Consumers are not all the same and have different wants and needs.  A company that learns how to meet the wants of all its markets will be the most successful one.  

I really like this ad and thank Shani for posting a comment on my first blog post and recommending it to me.  :-)

Check out this blog for more information about the director of the spot, Giraldi, his company, and Burrell Communications.