The lockdowns of 2020 led to a social media boom as many people had extra time and new interest in accessing various social networks. Everyone’s parents and grandparents learned what TikTok was, and old friends united over Facebook Lives and Facebook Messenger video chats.
With this came rising pressure for marketers to up their creativity. Corporate America is now vying for the attention of a more diverse audience online.
Diving into the current social media climate, there is evidence that many companies have dropped the “corporate page.” As many people sought connection and relationships online while stuck at home last year, we saw these pages turn friendly and personal–with a shift toward communicating more than promoting.
Now halfway through 2021, we’ve seen some entertaining and engaging marketing campaigns born from the pain of 2020. Along with more humorous and conversational vibes, we’ve seen a move toward more compassion and intentionality–promoting mental health and relationships.
And in the spirit of working smarter not harder, there is inspiration to be drawn from these eye-catching, successful marketing tactics.
Let’s learn from the best campaigns of 2020 and 2021.
MATCH.COM – SATAN AND 2020
OK, this ad WON the internet in 2020. Match.com got so creative with this. My vision for Match.com and Tinder would have been a single person, home alone, craving connection, finding an internet relationship, and meeting at last when the lockdowns are lifted. A heartwarming tale…
Someone in their marketing meeting must’ve said, “OR we could create an ad that pokes fun at this insane year, keeps everyone laughing–thus unifying people in a crazy and divisive time… All this while reminding everyone that, while there are now a million dating apps on the market now, we’re still here!”
If you haven’t watched this ad, Google “Match Made in Hell by Match dot com.” They poke fun at one of the strangest years in history by presenting us with a girl named “2020” who falls in love with Satan himself. They’re two peas in a terrible pod.
Things they did right:
- Running the ad at a time when online dating skyrocketed, allowing them to stand out among their competitors.
- OkCupid reported a 700% increase in business!
- Keeping it light and making people laugh during a dark, heavy time.
- Running it on live TV, streaming services, and social media.
- Perfect to cover all the bases while having a captive audience at home.
- Acknowledging the crazy of the world in 2020 without making political statements.
- Unified audience by focusing on things we could all agree upon: 2020 was a rough year!
Match.com got 2.4 Million views on their Facebook post alone for this campaign. That’s not counting YouTube and link shares. 120 times their usual view numbers!
FISHER-PRICE – SEE TOYS EVERYWHERE
I can’t get over how witty and creative this campaign is.
Fisher-Price has two options to consider. They focus on running ads between cartoons to catch kids’ attention–so they’ll beg their parents for the latest and greatest. Or target the parents themselves on social media. This ad is geared toward adults and goes back to the simple things that entertain kids: for example, pretending a vacuum is a dragon or a hose is a snake. In a world full of fancy toys and gadgets that leave adults saying, “Wow, when I was a kid, we just played outside with chalk,” Fisher-Price empathizes and connects.
If you haven’t yet, go check out their Facebook and Instagram pages.
This campaign leads to adults engaging with their posts and giving their page a follow. This means, down the road, when we’ve moved along to following someone’s next big campaign, Fisher-Price will remain in our newsfeed. When Christmas or a birthday rolls around, parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents alike will already have Fisher-Price and the latest and greatest toys on the brain.
Things they did right:
- Choosing the right target audience with a great strategy.
- Bringing their long-standing brand name back to mind for the generation who actually purchases the toys.
- Creating simple, clean graphics.
- Evoking feelings of nostalgia.
- Making you more likely to click that share button, or comment and tag a friend you grew up with!
Remember that your online persona is a key part of your brand. What feelings do your social media pages evoke through the colors, graphics, and words you use? Is it time to shake up your online presence by implementing a creative campaign to engage your target audience(s)?
Let’s chat! Check out wordygirl.com, and receive a free consultation when you mention this article.
Until next time.
Cheers,
Wordy Girl
