shazam and turbotax. really?
i was watching a television show the other day when a :15 spot for turbotax interrupted my viewing at the commercial break. the spot seemed timely, as we’re in the midst of early tax season. however, it was the brand’s use of shazam’s mobile tag service in the spot that felt so disconnected and left me scratching my head.
to anyone who isn’t already familiar with shazam, it’s a pretty cool service that allows mobile users to identify songs and artists. once the song has been identified it will then allow the user to purchase that particular song and download it to their mobile device. the mobile tags can also be used in television spots to direct the viewer to exclusive web content or music tracks that are being used in the commercial that are available for download.
old navy and cp+b have done a great job integrating mobile tags into their “old navy records” campaign. the mobile tags are used as an entry vehicle into a brand experience that allows the user to unlock style tips, download songs featured in the commercials, shop the band’s look, receive coupons and special discounts, and get access to other exclusive video content on their mobile device. it’s clever, it’s smart, and it’s so perfect for the demographic that old navy is targeting, which brings me back to turbotax.
the turbotax campaign and their partnership with shazam feels forced and ill-contrived to me for several different reasons.
it’s not your demographic - admittedly, while i don’t specifically know the demographics of a turbotax user, i am fairly confident that they aren’t tweens or millennials. the old navy spots and their mobile tag integration works so well because they hit the bullseye target of who shazam users are, which is primarily millennials. this is a demographic that embraces music, cool technologies, they are tethered to their mobile device, and apt to share content with their social networks if it’s cool.
it’s not cool - there’s an inherent cool factor in using a new or emerging technology like shazam to connect and engage with a consumer on a more emotive level. agencies and marketers often fall in love with shiny new marketing toys and find ways to force-fit them into their strategy. employing new technologies is fantastic when they address your brand challenges and are supported by deep consumer insight. turbotax might simplify my tax preparation and filing, but the brand isn’t cool, the spot isn’t engaging, and taxes will never be fun or interesting. smart utilities that simplify and streamline my tax preparation are.
it’s not fun or interesting - shazam is typically used to tag “music” not voiceovers. if the voice was a recognizable one, like snoop dog’s, i might be more apt to tag the spot to see what else he has to say. users don’t have a compelling reason to tag the spot because it isn’t engaging and holds no promise that participating in the activity will have been worth the time spent.
it’s not worth my time - my favorite thing about the “old navy records” campaign is that the program delivers on the promise of something better and something totally unexpected. providing a download link to music featured in the spot is a no-brainer. however, it’s the extra content and exclusive offers that really payoff and reward the user for participating. if a user is going to make the effort of tagging your spot while it’s on air, please reward them for their behavior. using shazam to direct me to a mobile website that I could point to with my browser is lame.
using shazam, essentially as a qr code, in a television spot is interesting. there are some obvious benefits and risks involved with using mobile tags. before you fall in love with “any” tactic think about who you are trying to reach, what are you are trying to convey, how you want the end-user to engage, and define the metrics for success before you execute.
