Advertising Quest 2

Read the following, then complete the task given:

Information:

The seven steps for effective advertisements (according to Douglas Van Praet, author of Unconsious Branding: How Neuroscience Can Empower (and Inspire) Marketing, and Vice President at Deutch L.A., an advertising firm)

• 1) Interrupt the Pattern
  • Definition: Successful commercials grab the viewer's attention through the use of novelty and surprise.
  • Example commercial: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" / Old Spice
  • Link to Full Article Describing the 'Interrupt the Pattern' advertising technique: Research--You’re Doing It Wrong: How Uncovering The Unconscious Is Key To Creativity;
• 2) Create Comfort
  • Definition: ease tensions and build trust. Consider that when viewers have been surprised or jarred by the interruption of the pattern, they will be uncomfortable and stressed (albeit slightly)--marketers must relieve this stress in order to encourage receptivity to your message.
  • Example commercial: "Smiles" / Volkswagen
  • Link to Full Article: I’m Not Your Consumer: How Research Misses The Human Behind The Demographic
• 3) Lead the Imagination
  • Definition: Tell a story in your advertisement. Focus on your viewers as people, not as targets. Allowing your viewer to engage with the message emotionally will involve that viewer in the story of using your product. He or she will imagine himself or herself as using the product or service--and that will make the viewer more open to action.
  • Example advertisement: "Your verse" / Apple
  • Link to Full Article: We’re Marketers, Not Soldiers: How Combative Competition Is Killing Creativity.
• 4) Shift the Feeling
  • Definition: To generate action, you need to generate emotion. People are motivated by emotion--those feelings (see the former "Sadvertising" article!) will generate viewer action around your product. At its smallest form, action would be the viewer remembers the commercial. A larger action would be to share the commercial via social media. An even larger action is to make a purchase.
  • Example advertisement: "The Force" / Volkswagen
  • Link to Full Article: The Myth of Marketing: How Research Reaches for the Heart But Only Connects With The Head
• 5) Satisfy the Critical Mind
  • Definition: "If you want people to buy what you're selling, you have to give them logical permission to buy." Give your viewer a logical reason (or several reasons) why your product is better than its competition.
  • Example advertisement: "Root Cyclone" / Dyson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FipH_ni2Wc
  • Link to Full Article: The End of Rational vs. Emotional: How Both Logic and Feeling Play Key Roles in Marketing and Decision Making
• 6) Change the Associations
  • Definition: Buyers associate ideas and traits with certain brands.
  • Example advertisement: The Marlborough Man. See the following excerpt from Van Praet's article:

Take for instance what many industry experts consider the most brilliantly successful ad campaign of all time: the revered and reviled Marlboro Man.

When ad executive Leo Burnett conceived the cowboy he created the most remarkable about-face in ad history. Previously positioned for women, as a milder cigarette, the filter was even printed with a red band to hide lipstick stains, and the ads openly targeted feminine sensibilities with the ladylike slogan “Mild as May.”

The rugged, masculine symbolism of the American cowboy, transformed the brand’s image by claiming attributes about the character not the product. Offering intimations of rebellion, adventure, fearlessness, and strength, the ads celebrated the heroes and villains of the time popularized by Western films.

When the campaign rolled out nationally in 1955, sales jumped 3,241% to $5 billion and the Marlboro Man would become among the most widely recognized cultural symbols.

The explicit message of the Marlboro Country campaign was “come to where the flavor is,” but it was the flavor of the character that motivated smokers by offering oblique access to the defiant spirit of wranglers.

• Link to Full Article: The Distraction of Data: How Brand Research Misses the Real Reasons Why People Buy
• 7) Take Action <<Note from Ms. Kramer: This step moves beyond the typical video-based advertisement that we're creating in class. But, marketers' use of this concept is important understanding for a media literate person, so I've included it here.>>
  • Definition: Because viewers see (on average) 3,000 advertisements per day, advertisers need to find a way to cut through the clutter to have their brand recognized and selected. Neuroscientists believe that the most effective way to engage a potential customer is not merely to shout louder or be more visually vibrant than one's competitors--but rather to engage the viewer physically. Give the viewer an experience that matches the brand identity and the viewer will remember the experience and credit that memory to the brand.
  • Example advertisement: Red Bull's sponsorship of extreme sports People attend Red Bull's sponsored events or engage with Red Bull's sponsored activities (see: Felix Baumgartner's parachuting from the edge of space). One advertiser commented: "We don't bring the product to the consumer; we bring the consumer to the product."
  • Link to Full Article: Brands, It's Time to Get Moving: Why Action-Oriented Marketing is the Way Forward

Task:

• Pick three of the above patterns. For each of the patterns you select, you will identify a commercial that you know (that isn't referenced above) that demonstrates that technique. After providing the link, explain why and how the commercial demonstrates Van Praet's description. Post your sample and explanation <HERE>
• <<INCOMPLETE>> Take the Checking for Understanding Quiz: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1M9yrM3JCmURz4vmI8jlaKaph2jTRAsvJpMpAFtvkv3g/viewform?usp=send_form