Thanks for continuing along this brief journey about what makes for good advertising. Inspired by the annual release of Super Bowl commercials we address key questions to ask & answer when developing effective ads. Here’s a quick recap of Part 1:
- What exactly is the message? Be concise and understandable. A test: could a child or non-user take away the key message?
- Does the ad capture my attention? Breaking through is fairly easy. Doing so in an effective and endearing manner is more challenging.
- Do I “get it” in one exposure? An ad that requires multiple viewings to be understood will quickly lose its audience and impact.
- Does the ad also have staying power? A compelling spot that wears well upon repeated exposure will be more effective and cost efficient.
- What’s the overall tone of the ad? An ad that feels right and fits your brand equity is on the mark. Tone matters, especially in 2021.
- Does the ad create a lasting and positive feeling or emotion about your brand? This is advertising nirvana,
- Does the ad show your brand actually delivering my consumer need? There’s no better way to display customer empathy.
Let’s continue on with other important questions to ask & answer:
8. Is the commercial confusing in ANY way: beginning, middle, ending? Even the very best messages are easily deflated by confusing elements. Setting, script, characters, sounds, visuals, edits, cuts – all should deliver clarity, not confusion.
9. Does the ad entertain while delivering its message…or is it simply entertainment? There’s a huge difference. Many believe that Super Bowl ads often deliver more entertainment value than brand value.
10. Does the ad try too hard to be funny? Humor is fun and yet comedy is not pretty (thank you, Steve Martin). Does the funny business in the spot support the core message or overwhelm it? Laughs that are too big can do the latter. And jokes, like radioactive material, do have half-lives: how well does the humor in the spot wear with repetition?
11. What about the characters in the commercial? Who are they? How many are there? What role(s) do they play? Do the characters mesh with your brand? Do their interactions reinforce the brand message…or divert attention from it? Even a well-crafted message can be overwhelmed by a dynamic celebrity or by simply casting too many characters. Choose wisely.
12. What about the talent? I’ve learned from tremendous marketers about the importance of being obsessively diligent and thoughtful about who and how your brand message is delivered to the world. To this day I remain a huge fan of Wayne’s World and yet 30 years have passed since its peak relevancy. I wonder how many young viewers connect with the 1990s culture reflected in this spot for Uber Eats? [P.S. Dana Carvey forever!]
13. How well does the ad communicate with the sound muted? Analyzing what is seen but not heard in a commercial often provides good insight to make it even better.
14. How well does the ad communicate when the viewer is not actively watching but hears the audio in fore/background? Listen to the spot with eyes closed. It’s likely that consumers engage in this non-viewing behavior more than we realize, especially with ads in heavy rotation.
15. Is it possible for the ad to communicate SOMETHING while the viewer is mentally counting down to the “Skip Ad” button? It’s a tough ask. A parsed message, iconic sounds, brand visuals, etc. can help the cause.
16. Does the spot visually depict and audibly state the company/brand name? Not everyone can, nor should, try to be like Target or McDonald’s.
17. Does the ad synch with a developing trend or align with an appealing cause? Bonus points so long as it fits the brand and is not overly preachy or sentimental.
18. Does the ad carry a social activation component? Depending on the objective this may/not be a requirement but it sure helps a ton. Ad Age reported this Amazon Super Bowl spot generated tremendous positive buzz and 8+ million earned online views because of, well, Michael B. Jordan.
Most importantly and above all else:
Does it sell?
I still dig Ogilvy who famously stated: “Your role is to sell. Don’t let anything distract you from the sole purpose of advertising.”
The ability to consistently create great advertising is a difficult yet worthwhile pursuit. This post covers many fundamentals and I encourage readers to comment with their own experiences and best practices.
Smart market research can address all of these questions and more – whether that work involves exploring brand equity, message optimization, comm checks or copy testing. Reach out when you have a need.
