Ads: funny, interesting or annoying ?
Advertising - showing something never seen before
If we want the advertisement to be effective, it must be innovative, original, creative, since only then it will stand out and consequently serve its purpose - to convince the consumer society in purchasing a product that is being advertised. One of the interesting facts might be that 37% of advertising budgets are wasted uselessly, with no success of improving sales. For this purpose, many authors developed a number of techniques and approaches that should help in developing ideas in thousand different ways. In this article I will shortly present you two of techniques used by professionals in the field of advertising. You should also continue your reading with my hub about morality and ethics which play an important role within the struggle for the original ad.
"It's so funny!"
One of the techniques that is very popular and frequently used is the usage of humour, which is not as easy as it might seem. It is important to distinguish between humour and jokes. The jokes are probably funny only for the first time we hear them and more often we hear them, less funny they are.
On the other side deliberately used humour might be just the opposite. What we want is to connect with people through laughing, but they should not be assumed as stupid, which could happen if we explain things by telling details. What is more, if advertisers choose to use this advertising technique, humour should be central to the message of the product. It is also necessary to understand the sense of humour the audiance has. Anyhow, humour should not pass the boundaries of a good taste. As someone finds it funny and entertaining, someone else might think of it as inappropriate or even as a personal insult.
Advertisers must be especially careful when using humour considering various ethnical groups; the disabled, the elderly, or any social group that could take the ad as a personal attack or an insult. It would be the best to just totally avoid to use any of those groups of people when targeting the ad. Another note about humour technique would be the way in which humor is expressed. What we, as advertisers do not want, is the ad to look like we are making fun of the product. Lines can be quite thin and we can achieve exactly the opposite of the desired . The audience can not have confidence in the product if it is being mocked already in the ad.
"Look, it's David Beckam!"
One of the methods used for creative advertising is the use of celebrities. These ads are quickly attracting attention and therefore have a lot of power. For example, a campaign for H&M, as shown in the following image. As more popular the celebrities are, the greater effect on an ad performance they have. Celebrities are seen as experts in their field and this way they can be associated with the brand. However, using the star in the ad does not have only a positive effect. Among other things, using celebrities might be extremely expensive. Also their popularity might vary and that could have a bad influence on the brand. This technique is usually not used for a long term strategy, but if used correctly it can be a very big success.
Do you think some Ads have bigger influence on you than others?
Links
- History of Advertising
Today's advertising industry grosses billions of dollars yearly, both in the U.S. and worldwide. We've come a long way since the first ads on papyrus and walls. - Advertising: Basic Concepts
Learning the basics of advertising can help anyone improve their understanding of the marketing process. In 2010, an estimated $142.5 billion was spent on it in the U.S., $467 billion worldwide. - Top 5 Advertising Gimmicks That You Have Fallen For
Advertisers have always pushed the edge when it comes to getting the word out on a product. Here are 5 tried and true advertising gimmicks that are guaranteed to coerce the consumer into spending their money.
