Think of every interaction you have with a customer or prospective customer as a 30-second commercial, writes Century 21’s Tori Keihinger. How do you break through?
As a marketing enthusiast, the Super Bowl is one of my favorite events of the year. Some people watch soccer. I monitor ads.
While the games themselves usually provide a lot of entertainment, the ads sprinkled throughout offer a unique perspective on today’s consumer psychology and how the big players in the marketing world are responding to consumer expectations.
The pattern that most resonated with me this year was that effective advertising didn’t choose between radical innovation and safe nostalgia. They blended both.
1. Innovation works best when it feels familiar.
As you may have noticed, AI was a major theme in this year’s Super Bowl ad lineup, accounting for approximately 23 percent of all commercials to be exact. This emphasis on AI was hard to miss, but some ads were certainly able to showcase it better than others.
A standout work that leans into the juxtaposition of innovation and nostalgia using AI is the Google Gemini spot. We used photography and memory to explain how AI can envision the future. The other is Ring, which introduced new technology through the emotional lens of a family reuniting with a lost pet.
Outside of the technology world, Cadillac evoked memories of the moon landing to mark the traditional brand’s entry into the growing F1 field.
The general strategy was the same for all of these ads. This means introducing something new through the lens of what people already trust.
One of my favorite Super Bowl marketing resources, the Northwestern University Kellogg School’s Super Bowl Advertising Review, came to a similar conclusion, noting that the most effective Super Bowl ads are those that clearly communicate a product’s usefulness while still having an emotional or humorous impact. In other words, emotions alone are not enough. The audience needed to understand why the product or idea was important.
2. Design technology that supports human experience
The Super Bowl is a reminder that technology, innovation, and adoption require trust. The technology you want to implement should support the human experience, not replace it. Yes, we need to leverage AI and other automated systems to work more efficiently and provide enhanced services, but we cannot do it at the expense of empathy, human judgment, and personal connection.
This message becomes even more important as we enter “new” markets where inventories are rising, mortgage rates are falling, and domestic price growth is slowing or falling. Consumers need to trust you. They need to trust your process and use of technology, but they also want and need one-on-one conversations and hands-on education as you guide them through the process.
I think you can consider listing it as a new product. As we saw in this year’s advertising lineup, just because a new product is new doesn’t mean it will resonate with consumers. Consumers want something that feels intuitive, helpful, and consistent with what they already know.
In the real estate industry, what consumers already know is the comfort of a home. Remember to position your listing in terms of experience, not just functionality.
3. Familiarize yourself with new features and amenities
Just as Dunkin’ leveraged some of the most famous figures from the ’90s to drive its latest marketing campaign, real estate professionals can leverage what their audience is already familiar with to convey a new message.
Are you advertising a property with timeless craftsmanship such as a ’90s-style open floor plan, original hardwood floors, and built-ins? Each of these amenities represents an easy opportunity to take advantage of classic symbols of home comfort while blending them with more contemporary home features such as a home office, spa, or gym.
While watching the Super Bowl, I couldn’t help but think about Century 21’s “Joy of Home” campaign. We’re showcasing how our agents can help consumers navigate the buying and selling process in a modern way, while honoring our brand’s heritage and what home means to people.
4. Find the balance between emotion and practicality
Marketing efforts fail if they are too biased in one direction. If you get too emotional, your message may not be clear or provide tangible value. Leaning too much on innovation (or having AI completely rewrite it) as a selling point can make your message feel inauthentic or cold.
If you can strike the perfect balance between combining modern tools with human experience, you will be well positioned to earn the trust of your evolving audience.
5. Understand the attention economy
One final point I’d like to make about Super Bowl advertising. This is the most important advertising moment of the year as it cuts through the clutter and reaches an audience of 125 million people. These advertisers have 30 seconds to 1 minute to grab our attention. Some use humor, symbolism like Budweiser with Clydesdales and eagles, or other methods of storytelling and different production values.
Let’s learn from this too. How do you break through? What are you good at? What personality traits make you successful? What is your style? Think of every interaction with a client or prospect as a 30-second commercial. How do you break through?
Tori Keichinger is Vice President and Head of Marketing at Century 21. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
