Did you watch Saturday Night Live on Mothers’ Day with Betty White? The 88-year-old actress hosted one of the highest rated shows in recent years. And while that’s an astounding feat in and of itself, how Betty White came to host SNL is even more astounding.

After seeing Betty White in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl, a San Antonio resident launched a Facebook campaign urging SNL to have the actress serve as host. The campaign attracted hundreds of thousands of followers.

As a marketer at a senior living advertising agency, what strikes me most about this story is how old and new media came together to generate so much excitement. The same principles can be used to market a senior living community.

Betty White’s stint on SNL is a prime example of multiple marketing vehicles working together to achieve a desired result. Although Facebook often is associated with the younger crowd, this media outlet is an excellent tool to reach an active online community – at little expense. Because of the site’s interaction among fans and followers, it can create a buzz about a product or service very quickly.

Because of all the hype, traditional news media began following the Betty White story. This exemplifies how well placed PR in newspapers and magazines still plays a valuable part in getting a message out to the general public. Use your local newspaper or a senior living publication to tell your story…tout the benefits of your senior living facility in a press release or have a reporter interview satisfied residents to promote a positive brand experience.

On SNL, Betty White appeared in almost all of the show’s skits, garnering laughs across the board. And I’m sure she was the topic of conversation around the water cooler that Monday. This shows the power television still has on our culture. For senior living advertising, this is important because the visual medium is an excellent way to showcase amenities that your properties provide. A picture of a pool is nice but a video of residents enjoying that pool is much more powerful.

That leads us to YouTube. Just as video of Betty’s White’s monologue popped up on YouTube minutes after she gave it live, videos of your senior living property can spread your message to another audience. After all, today’s seniors are more Internet savvy than every before—as are their children, who may be assisting in their decision on where to live.

In senior living marketing, new media outlets and traditional advertising vehicles can, and should, combine to create a successful campaign. And remember, all this Betty White hoopla started with a single Snickers ad…

Related Posts:

• Erickson Does It Right
• Senior Living Marketing: Why Social Media for Seniors
• Senior Living Advertising: Rocky Balboa, The New Millennium’s “Senior” Spokesman
• Using Web 2.0 Tools in Senior Living Marketing
• Senior Living Marketing News: Seniors Are Online

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