Anyone beside me think it was a weak Super Bowl, in terms of the commercials? It just seemed that the laughs were few, and the quality was poor, with a few exceptions...
My vote for best ad was an easy one. During the playoffs, the NFL ran a contest where they allowed every player in the league to step in front of the camera and tell a unique story about their life in the league. The reward for the winner? To be featured in the NFL Network's 30-second spot during Super Bowl XLII.
The winner was Ephriam Salaam of the Houston Texans, who tells the story of his personal experience, in the form of an "employee referral program." Here's a rundown of the story from www.houstontexans.com:
"The commercial tells how Salaam, while at San Diego State University, convinced Pitts to try out for the Aztecs football team. Pitts was a student working as a grocery bagger at a local supermarket. He had attended a math and science academy in high school, which had no football team.
But he heeded Salaam’s advice, walked on to the team and, a few years later, had developed so rapidly that he was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Salaam, a seventh-round draft choice by the Atlanta Falcons in 1998, reunited with Pitts in Houston as a free agent signee in 2006. He since has started 30 consecutive games next to his former college teammate on the left side of the offensive line.
“It is a phenomenal story that is true,” Salaam said. “Hollywood couldn’t write a script like this. We’re playing next to each other. How about that? I’m having fun playing next to one of my close friends that I knew before football and that doesn’t happen, ever.”
When I saw the commercial, I immediately thought of how all of us have tried at times to have managers and employees carry referral cards, usually with weak results, because most of the folks we were arming with the cards aren't salespeople. The last thing they want to do is pitch someone on a job.
Then you see a story like this and remember that the best hires are equal parts chance, fate and awareness. Makes me want to run out and create this type of commercial in an employment branding campaign.
Enjoy the spot if you didn't see it. Make sure you think twice about the checkout clerk that gives you great service. You might be missing an obvious hire...
For a change the game was good and the commercials bad. Only ones I even thought halfway decent were the ETrade ads with the talking baby - love the line "underestimated the creepiness."
The idea of every employee being a recruiter for your company is a great one. Your experience aside, Kris - I have seen many companies use all-employee referral programs to their advantage.
Not only do you get referrals for people that typically fit the culture (since the folks that live the culture are doing the referring) but tracking the referral activity gives you an early warning signal on whether your workforce is engaged or not. Low participation levels may indicate that the employees may not feel good enough about their work environment to recommend anyone. Something to look into.
Posted by: Paul Hebert | February 04, 2008 at 04:49 AM
Kris, that was my favorite one by far. I'm a fan of those kind of uplifting story...and that was the best by far. The rest of the ads...meh.
Posted by: Frank Roche | February 04, 2008 at 07:48 AM
The NFL spot was far and away the best ad, although I did like the other work-related spots: the spider eating the annoying little job sprite, and the stained and screaming shirt in the job interview. I've been that hiring manager, only the screaming I heard came from the sweatshirt and the sweatpants the applicant was wearing. Seriously. That's what she wore. Interviewing for an editor's spot. We're casual, but not quite that casual.
Posted by: Carroll Lachnit | February 04, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Frank - I agree, the rest of the ads were pretty weak....
Paul - Good notes on the referral programs. I have good expereince with an ERP that incents people to refer people they know professionally or personally. The type of program I have in mind in regards to the ad is one of those where employees have to pitch people they don't know to work for their company. My experience with those is that only the extroverts will do much with that type of program - because it involves approaching someone you don't know, as opposed to someone you do know.... Thoughts on an effective way to do that? Is there an different way to incent?
Carroll - Sounds like a case study for why I should be working remotely, with my laptop propped on the arm of the couch....
KD
Posted by: Kris | February 04, 2008 at 06:22 PM
Kris - to your point about referring "strangers" vs those you know.
Typically, it is more of an issue of training versus extrovert/introvert. Most people are afraid of the conversation because they are walking on unfamiliar ground.
My recommendation - role playing and training. Make part of your employee training program a session on how to approach and engage folks who may enhance the company. Have them role play a situation a few times. Show different scenarios and responses - show them they CAN talk to strangers about the company and the benefit of being a team member. Maybe even create "teams" that include "scouts" who find the target and "engagers" who actually do the discussion. Then you can pair up those that can see the opportunity with those that can close the deal.
When faced with the unknown - the first reaction is to retreat. Remove the unknown.
Then throw in a little sompin' sompin' to break the initial inertia.
Posted by: Paul Hebert | February 05, 2008 at 07:53 AM
I liked the NFL ads. This year www.careerbuilderinstitute.com ads were really a big wake up call for consumers - so they stuck for me
Posted by: samuel cho | February 05, 2008 at 02:59 PM