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"Certain is Better"-Rocket Mortgage

Super Bowl, in the field of football, is the biggest event in NFL and the season's final game that determines which team will be the champion. In terms of viewership, it is an excellent opportunity for businesses and companies. With 101 million television audiences, or nearly 20 times that of the most-watched new primetime programs on U.S. channels, the event has the capability to introduce products and services to innumerable potential consumers. Moreover, since Super Bowl commercials have a reputation for being exciting and funny, 76% of likely Super Bowl viewers in the U.S. say they're excited about the ads. For this, many brands spend effort and revenue even for less than a minute of airtime during these moments. Companies spend about $7 million for a 30-second ad spot in a year (Krzaczek, 2023).

Los Angeles Rams winning the annual Super Bowl last February 2022

What is the advert all about?

Rocket Mortgage is not an exemption. In the 2021 Super Bowl, they released various commercials, including a 30-second titled "Certain is Better." The video showed a family wanting to buy a house at the start but wasn't confident they could afford it. According to them, they are just "pretty sure" that they could. Then a man appeared, telling them that it's better to be certain to buy the house by applying for a mortgage from Rocket. He proceeds to tell the family about frightening situations when a person is just "pretty sure" not certain. Uncertainty leads to wrong assumptions that result in tragic consequences like dying from eating a mushroom thought to be nonpoisonous or being beaten up by Batista after thinking that he could take him down. After imagining the different circumstances, the family was immediately convinced that it was better to be certain and apply for a mortgage from Rocket.

Who are its intended audiences? Is the service any good for them?

Judging by the family-centered setting, many parents can relate to, the commercial's intended audiences are middle-aged people who desire to buy a property. Although mortgages are beneficial, applying for them is circumstantial. There are situations when there is no need for it, especially when a person doesn't need urgent money since lending comes with interest and higher payables.

What is the media manipulation technique present?

For this advertisement, the media manipulation technique used was fearmongering, wherein the audience becomes scared, if not from the situations told by the man, but from the subconsciously sprouting consequences of being uncertain provoked by the commercial. As a result, the company would attract potential customers to apply for their services in fear of not being able to possess a desired property.

References:

Krzaczek, K. (2023). The Super Bowl gives advertisers the ‘instant awareness’ they want to sell their product. The Inquirer. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.inquirer.com/business/super-bowl-commercials-social-media-commentary-impact-20230210.html%3foutputType=amp

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Gatorade | “Greatness Starts with The Grind”

In October 2021, Gatorade released a 15-second video advertisement titled “Gatorade | Greatness Starts with The Grind” to promote its product. It showed a famous NBA player Jayson Tatum gulping the drink before and after doing workouts and smooth and explosive basketball moves. From the choice of the endorser and the frequent airtime of Gatorade commercials on sports channels, one can already determine that the advertisement's intended audience is sports enthusiasts, especially basketball athletes and NBA fans who know or idolize Jayson Tatum. Added to this are the skills in dribbling and dunking exhibited that are considered "elite" in the field, and the word "GAINS" embedded on the workout bench, that aspiring sportsmen seek.

Aiming at the Target Market

All the elements in the video fit well to attract their target market, "young adults aged 13 to 24 who are keen to improve their athletic performance", as stated on their official page (Gatorade, 2015). As for the product itself, it is already engaging to be bought by the target consumers as many of them have depended on it for their hydration, whether for big games or just regular workouts. In fact, Gatorade has the reputation of being one of the top sports drinks in the world (Road, 2023).

How does it help sportsmen?

Atheletes lose not just water but also electrolytes when sweating while performing rigorous movements. Gatorade benefits them due to its electrolyte concentration, which aids in replenishing lost electrolytes and maintaining hydration during vigorous exercises (Fletcher, 2018). Although the product will remain saleable even without effortful marketing strategies, the company still hires a famous persona as their advertisement endorser.

What is the media manipulation technique present?

By using "Celebrity Endorsements" as their media manipulation technique, Gatorade was able to produce an effective and impactful commercial even with a short duration of 15 seconds. Showing that a respected and internationally-known athlete is one of their consumers is appropriate for their intended audience, who most likely want to be as successful as Jayson Tatum in sports. People would develop a desire to follow what their idol patronizes, including the product he consumes, attracting more and more buyers of Gatorade.

References:

Gatorade. (2015). Evolution of the Bottle. Gatorade. https://gatorade.newsmarket.com/gatorade-50th-anniversary/all/evolution-of-the-bottle/s/1b302375-5b49-4fbb-bf98-3151b30baf88

Fletcher, J. (2018). Is Gatorade good or bad for you? MedicalNewsToday. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323211#should-you-drink-gatorade-or-water-after-sports

Road, R. (2023). Top 6 Best Sports Drink Brands. RookieRoad. https://www.rookieroad.com/sports-equipment/top-6-best-sports-drink-brands-8208402/