The Power of Parodies

In my last post, I talked a lot about the NFL and the commercials that they aired during this year’s postseason. In particular, I talked about the strategy to use fan reaction videos to convince the casual sports fan to watch the NFL playoffs. However, the true genius behind this marketing plan lies far beyond what is seen on the television screen, but rather in its ability to be replicated and, to an even greater extent, parodied. Take this example with the Minnesota Vikings:

The fact that the commercial campaign is being parodied demonstrates the level to which the campaign as a whole is successful. It shows that not only can it be commercially successful, but virally successful as well. Popular video websites such as YouTube and Vimeo allow users to upload virtually any content, and we very often see videos “go viral.” This provides even more free advertisement to the NFL, and sparks dialogue that spans pages (as seen in the “comments” section). Additionally, on a site like YouTube there are suggested videos on the page that are similar to the one being watched, so when parodies are made the suggested videos often link back to the originals.

In general, a parody of a video (or in this case of a commercial) represents a much stronger connection to a video’s message. The creator is making a commitment to the video by taking the time to think of and craft a video in the same vain as the original, but he/she demonstrates a deeper level of understanding by parodying it. In this case, the message is the emotional appeal of one’s favorite team making a big play to win an important game; in the parody it shows the emotional wreckage that can happen when fans find themselves on the other side of that big play. This is encapsulated in the above video best from 0:48-0:53, as we see a Vikings fan repeatedly slamming an object against a countertop while the NFL Playoffs tagline, “This Is What It’s All About,” reads across the screen.