Justin Timberlake at The Grammys
One of the biggest Grammy sensations from the 2014 Grammy Awards the other night wasn't even at the Grammys! At least not in full force like so many others.
Sure, there was Beyonce, Madonna, Mackelmore & Lewis, Katy Perry, Pharrel, and Daft Punk ... but where was Justin Timberlake? He didn't appear to be up for any of the big awards (at least that were telecast), and he didn't do any big performances. At least not on stage.
But I would consider him to be the brand of the night ... from a marketing perspective.
The tie-ins with his album (which has been out for a long time now BTW), his music, his fans, and his brand supporters - Target and MasterCard - were simply amazing.
If a brand is all about its audience and how it engages with them, then Justin Timberlake showcased on Sunday night that he is one successful brand. And Target and MasterCard showed that they know how to use a celebrity spokesperson to enhance their brands and their brand programs as well.
Take #PricelessSurprises ... a new evolution of MasterCard's longstanding "priceless" campaign. Adding in the element of surprise to people's lives is a great way to take that campaign to the next level. Weaving in Justin as the ultimate in surprise for a mega-fan is just plain fun to watch.
The carry over to the Target campaign as part of its music messaging was not only a lot of fun to watch, but it helped to show the impact of brand JT.
So while Justin didn't really take the stage, he stole the show IMHO ... from a branding and marketing perspective. Bravo!
What's your experience? Jim.
PS - Join us for live tweets during the Super Bowl as we comment and share all the advertising - at #SBExp.
Sure, there was Beyonce, Madonna, Mackelmore & Lewis, Katy Perry, Pharrel, and Daft Punk ... but where was Justin Timberlake? He didn't appear to be up for any of the big awards (at least that were telecast), and he didn't do any big performances. At least not on stage.
But I would consider him to be the brand of the night ... from a marketing perspective.
The tie-ins with his album (which has been out for a long time now BTW), his music, his fans, and his brand supporters - Target and MasterCard - were simply amazing.
If a brand is all about its audience and how it engages with them, then Justin Timberlake showcased on Sunday night that he is one successful brand. And Target and MasterCard showed that they know how to use a celebrity spokesperson to enhance their brands and their brand programs as well.
Take #PricelessSurprises ... a new evolution of MasterCard's longstanding "priceless" campaign. Adding in the element of surprise to people's lives is a great way to take that campaign to the next level. Weaving in Justin as the ultimate in surprise for a mega-fan is just plain fun to watch.
The carry over to the Target campaign as part of its music messaging was not only a lot of fun to watch, but it helped to show the impact of brand JT.
So while Justin didn't really take the stage, he stole the show IMHO ... from a branding and marketing perspective. Bravo!
What's your experience? Jim.
PS - Join us for live tweets during the Super Bowl as we comment and share all the advertising - at #SBExp.