This year, despite one of us feeling less than thrilled about the Super Bowl, we still tuned in – along with roughly 125 million other viewers. While the Packers (or Bears for our Illinois readership…) were nowhere to be found and the game itself didn’t exactly keep us on the edge of our seats, one thing stood out above the rest: the sheer number of celebrities packed into the commercials.
Companies now spend $8-10 million for just 30 seconds of Super Bowl airtime – and they do it because very few moments in media deliver that kind of lasting visibility. And in our opinion, the ads that work best do more than entertain – they tell a story and clearly communicate what the product is and why it matters. Bonus points if they make us laugh. At the top of our list this year? Tight ends sharing awareness (shout-out to the growing biotech industry in our neck of the woods).
It didn’t take long for our Super Bowl ad debate to turn into a hiring conversation.
In many ways, reviewing a resume isn’t all that different from watching a Super Bowl commercial. Both are fighting for attention in a crowded field. Both have a very short window to make their case. And both succeed or fail based on how quickly the message lands.
Advertising veteran Donny Deutsch, who’s been shaping brand strategy since the 1980s, recently offered two pieces of advice that translate surprisingly well to hiring managers sorting through applicants:
1) “Take the year off from celebrities.”
What we heard: Don’t let surface-level impressiveness carry more weight than it should. Big company names, long summaries, and buzzword-heavy skill lists can grab attention, but they don’t automatically translate to relevance for your role.
2) “Give consumers information they can actually use.”
What we heard: Look for specifics. Tangible results. Clear responsibilities. Evidence of ownership. The resumes that stand out aren’t louder; they’re clearer. They help you understand, quickly, what this person can bring to your organization.
And if you’re on the job hunt? Read this one again from the other side.
Thirty seconds goes fast.
Until next time,
Your Spherion South Central WI & Northern IL team