I heard a commercial for the upcoming Eagles vs. Patriots preseason game on the local radio sports station that caused me to roll my eyes. It wasn’t the clichéd analogy of “going to war” that caused my reaction, although that certainly didn’t help. It was more the sheer absurdity of the attempt at creating excitement.
I can’t recall everything word for word, and I couldn’t find the script or audio online, but it was something to the effect of the two teams battling it out on the biggest stage in football: Monday Night.
Really? You’re going to call a preseason game that has no effect on the regular season standings the biggest stage in football? Forget the Super Bowl, that takes place on a Sunday. Now that preseason game, that’s where it’s at.
I get that preseason football is not the easiest thing to try to get people excited about. But you can’t force or fake enthusiasm. People will see right through it. As David Ogilvy once famously said, “The consumer is not an idiot.”
Less dramatic hype that’s genuine would have generated more actual excitement among listeners. For instance, the spot could have used copy like this:
Training camp is over, and the regular season is just a few weeks away. Can the Eagles reverse their fortunes from a year ago? Will the defense improve in Juan Castillo’s second year? Which rookies are ready to make an impact? See how the they stack up against the NFL elite in a Monday night showdown of potential Super Bowl contenders…
Authenticity brings results. And that’s something to really get excited about.
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