Trust Your Power within Derrick Coleman
The Super Bowl hasn’t just become a battleground for players on the gridiron. The sound of millions of battle cries from spectators has also been known to draw advertising’s key players to the front lines as well.
On February 2, over 100 million people will tune in to watch the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos face off for the Super Bowl XLVIII title. That’s the cue for the highly anticipated Super Bowl commercials to make their debut.
Promos featuring athletes always do pretty well in the eyes of the viewers, especially when they lead up to a big sporting event. Traditionally, ad agencies reveal their best stuff on game day and I think a lot of people would agree the commercials that make their first public appearance on the day of the game are more engaging than those that air on the weeks or days leading up to the game. Not always the case.
I recently saw a commercial for Duracell titled “Trust Your Power” featuring Seattle Seahawks running back, Derrick Coleman. Coleman is the first legally deaf offensive player in the NFL and I think he and Duracell might already be giving everyone else a run for their money.
Let’s talk about what I love about this commercial. (In no particular order)
- Narration
The narration of the commercial by Coleman himself brings his story to life, giving the commercial credibility, overall genuineness.
- Message
Overcoming adversity like Coleman did displays hope, courage, persistence, strength, humility and perseverance. Now that people have been shown a piece of Coleman’s personal life story, a bond has been instilled that creates a strong connection from viewer to athlete. Not only does this place new fans on the Coleman train but people will begin to associate those inspiring characteristics with the Duracell brand and Trust Within campaign.
- Copy
“They didn’t call my name… Told me it was over. But I’ve been deaf since I was three, so I didn’t listen.”
“Now I’m here, with the loudest fans in the NFL cheering me on. And I can hear them all.”
It really does give me chills. Kudos.
- Style
The commercial also works because it focuses on the earned achievement of Derrick Coleman, rather than simply using a sports celebrity who simply provides borrowed interest and may have little relevance to the product.
- (Lack of) Product Placement
Duracell found a real story and showcased it – they didn’t create a made-up scenario and fill with overbearing placement. Not once did they say Duracell or even display the brand name in the story segments. It was only shown during last few seconds of commercial. I’m more likely to look up the commercial later on when product/brand names aren’t being shouted at me.
Something else that’s interesting is Coleman’s inspirational journey was picked up by Duracell to emphasize his ability to hear his roaring fans all the while fellow teammate Richard Sherman is starring in a Beats by Dre commercial titled “Hear What You Want” that focuses on the noise-canceling feature of the headphones. Awkward.
To get our latest articles when they are posted, please subscribe by e-mail or RSS.
