We’ve been keeping an eye on the Super Bowl spots that’ll hit our TV screens on Sunday, but one in particular has stuck with me. Mainly because it’s a company I’ve never heard of, so I’m intrigued, but also because they’re smart. 84 Lumber — First time Super Bowl advertisers and already pros. This private company is being talked about on a national level before the Super Bowl even airs. Crazy. Although controversial, they’re brought into the spotlight, and people will certainly be talking about them long after the Super Bowl airs.
What’s interesting, though, is that they’re ready for this. They’ve got a paid ad on Google. They’ve issued statements about how their spot is too controversial for TV. At the end of the day, it’s smart marketing. 84 Lumber is using the current political climate to create a buzz around a brand that would have never crossed the minds (or the televisions) of most American people. And they’re doing it to recruit 84 Lumber employees. They say they want people with grit and passion. And my bet is that they get just who they want. They’re planning to break the internet by skirting Super Bowl rules and play the original version (that was deemed “too political” Super Bowl broadcaster, Fox) followed by a link to search employment opportunities.
Albeit the most expensive recruitment campaign I’ve ever seen, I’m predicting it a success. It won’t be just the passionate watching online, but the curious and furious, too (I did). And I’d bet you they’re going to get more applicants for 84 Lumber than they’ve ever received before.
-Olivia Cole, COO