Blog 5 - Free Topic - The Sonic Experience

Sonic has started an advertising campaign that features two people, either two male friends or a married couple, that debate over a selected menu item while sitting in their car, at one of the Sonic menu stands. When I first saw one of these commercials I thought it was just a random advertisement meant to make people laugh. The commercial, unlike many others, does not put a product in front of your face and tell you why you should have it or why you can’t live without it. Sonic’s unorthodox approach combines a little bit of product with a whole lot of humor to entice consumers to stop by the restaurant.
My favorite Sonic commercial is called “Cran-tastic.” The commercial features one of the Sonic guys sitting in the car with his wife in the passenger seat. Both of them are holding Sonic drinks, and the female starts the dialogue by saying, “This cranberry ice tea is really good!” The male then says, “It’s CRAN-TASTIC! You know who would love this?! My CRAN-Mother or your CRAN-Emma, and they would have a great CRAN-Versation about it.” The male adds ‘cran’ to the beginning of every word he uses, emphasizing the special flavored tea they are both drinking. After debating and bantering for a few seconds CRANBERRY ICE TEA is flashed across the screen in big red letters. An advertising voice comes on describing the fresh tea as images of cranberries and the fountain drink being poured over ice are flashed on the screen. At the end three flavored teas are displayed, followed by the Sonic logo. The theme for all of the Sonic commercials is very similar. The pair debates about one item in a humorous way, and then the food item is flashed on the screen.
After discussing many sides of customer insights in class, I now realize what Sonic is attempting to do with their advertisements. They are creating a certain experience to influence consumers and reflect their brand personality. The article “A Framework for Managing Customer Experiences” showcases the different ways that companies construct an experience for their target market through advertising and marketing. Sonic is using different SEMs to reach a wide audience. First, Sonic is using sense in their commercials by actually showing the product to consumers. We see the cup, we see the drink being poured, and we see the fresh cranberries that go into the drink. We cannot smell or touch the drink, but the visual effect created leaves our taste buds wondering what the drink might taste like. Second, Sonic is using feel to evoke a certain level of humor among customers. Sonic is not a formal dining eatery. Sonic is known for being a convenient, casual hangout. Adding humor to the commercial reflects the entire Sonic atmosphere and makes consumer feel light-hearted and fun. The commercials are also using think on a small degree because viewers start to think about the different ways they could possibly use ‘cran’ with other words. Last, consumers can relate to the commercials because we all view our ideal selves as humorous, charismatic people. We all want to feel apart of a community, and the Sonic commercials make viewers want to be apart of the fun!
I think Sonic is doing a great job of building their brand image while creating a consistent experience for their consumers. The experiential providers they are using, such as the way they are communicating, the product presence at the end of the commercials, and the people displayed in the ads, are all something that customers can identify with. As consumers we can easily visualize ourselves driving to Sonic, ordering a drink, debating about a silly topic with our friends, and enjoying a unique Sonic product. Sonic has a strong understanding of who their customers are and what appeals to them most. They have successfully executed an advertising campaign that is unique, funny, and memorable. A customer takes part in a certain experience before they even visit the restaurant.