Why Passion Matters For Your Brand

by Mary C Long 

If you saw the Super Bowl this past February 1st (and odds are you did, since it was one of the most- watched broadcast events in history), you probably came away with mixed emotions - and not only concerning the dramatic comeback by the New England Patriots. Two commercials in particular resonated with viewers worldwide as evidenced by the massive social media response, and both prove that when it comes to promoting your product, you shouldn't start a conversation you can't finish...

An iconic fast food company decides to accept gestures of familial love as currency through Valentine's Day. Meanwhile, a reputable life insurance company exploits the vulnerability of a child to make their pitch, even while denying any economic motivation. Their reason (or excuse, depending on one's point of view)? “To start a conversation.” Ahem.

Well, in that regard, Nationwide certainly succeeded. And so did McDonald's.

As evidenced by sentiment analysis fromNetBase, both earned the most social media mentions after their respective spots aired on February 1st.  But what's really notable isn't just the quantity of quips and quotes, but the quality. Each ad inspired passionate responses from the viewers, whether overwhelmingly positive (hugs for hamburgers? Yay!), or negative (evoking a dead kid's lost future during a festive party is bound to backfire, regardless of intention). 

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