Live Every Last Drop

I’m not a beer drinker but I received the message in a recent Heineken commercial loud and clear. To communicate their message, Heineken used a creative communication technique common to storytellers in which the speaker gives “life” to an inanimate object. In the ad, a green bottle of the brew faces imminent “death” as it is knocked off its resting place atop a bookshelf. As it careens toward the floor, its “life” flashes before its eyes.

See full ad here:

Heineken Commercial

The message is to “Live Every Last Drop”.

This technique of giving a product its own voice is very effective for helping your customers relate to your product.

“But my product isn’t real!” You say. “It doesn’t speak!”

Maybe not directly. But every time you place an ad, film a commercial or tape an interview, you are speaking on behalf of your product. You are sending a message. How much more compelling might that message be if you were to let your product speak for itself?

You can start by answering this question. If your product were a character in a story, what role would it play? Would it be a hero that saves the day? A jester that encourages customers to lighten up and live a little? A rebel with a thirst for danger?

What brands can you think of that have these characteristics? When you watch commercials or see ads for these products, are they being portrayed in a way that is consistent with their character? We’re all familiar with the jolt we feel when we get to know a character on a TV show or movie and the character behaves in a way that is…well… out of character for the character. It’s disconcerting and when it happens, we generally fault the storyteller for inconsistency.

Try this: Assign a voice to your product and then keep your product’s messages consistent with who your product is.

And, for goodness sake, please don’t set your beverages down where they might get knocked over! They hate that.

If you don't believe me, just ask them!