TV advertising quality!

[ey_tony]

Quoted earlier that the annoying ads work, as you/we/I remember the product or company.. There is a lot of truth in that, however, take the current Curry's adverts, if I walk past a Curry's now I am instantly reminded of the stupid and inane adverts, which makes me realise its not worth visiting.
So yes the advert is memorable, and the ad company would claim that a successful campaign. but it's memorable for all the wrong reasons and makes you want to walk on by.

That is exactly my reaction to Curry's now.
At this moment I am in the market for a new microwave as mine has just failed. I've just done some surfing to find which company offers the best deal and delivery date for the specific model I want and while Curry's is competitive, those moronic adverts have actually put me off purchasing from them and normally I'd actually shop there so it's nonsense about to claim that an advert which is successful is one which is memorable is not always true.

There are many ads which while actually memorable are indeed memorable but for all the wrong reasons.

Other than the rare occasional one, I don't eat Pizzas but if I ever did fancy one, the last place I'd go would be to Dominos...their ads are absolutely mind-numbing.
There's also that Super-noodle ad with the donkey on the woman's back...the bawling in the ad alone puts me off and I'd just never try their product.

...and what's all this about this Hyaluronic acid? It seems to be popping up in more and more adverts!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

... normally I'd actually shop there so it's nonsense about to claim that an advert which is successful is one which is memorable is not always true.

Yes, but you're one person - it might not have had the same effect on hundreds of others. Your points are perfectly valid, and the ads. have much the same effect on me but I expect multi, multi million pound advertising companies have worked out that the upsides outweigh the downsides.

I can't think offhand of any advert I've ever seen that's influenced a decision to buy or do anything.

 

[stuart little]

It seems Amazon introduced the 'Ad Free' service in Feb (2024) an extra £2.99 per month on top of the Prime subscription.

From a cursory look, I thought Pi-Hole might block it, but apparently not. I'm guessing Amazon must be strapped for cash to make such a move

Definitely, with £35 min order for 'free' delivery. I only buy from independent sellers if I can, I usually look on ebay & often the item is cheaper.

 

[selectortone]

After reading this thread the ad companies must be shaking in their boots. I mean - we are exactly the demographic they are after: a bunch of (mostly) parsimonious old curmudgeons on a woodworking forum with all of their major purchasing decisions made decades ago.

 

[woodieallen]

.... In addition you are telling the broadcasters that there are people who are wiling to pay

....

I think that's a meaningless statement. Every time you buy something you are telling the manufacturer that there are people willing to pay

 

[Yorkieguy]

The thing that winds me up is them selling you a life style or self image rather than the product. Car adds are the worst for that

That's because sales and marketing since the 1920s has largely been based on 'selling the sizzle - not the sausage'. Meaning you don't sell the features of the product - you sell the benefits and the emotional appeal. Not just for cars - for any product, from washing powder to Nike trainers.

The terms was coined by Elmer Wheeler in the 1920s’ though he referred to ‘selling the sizzle – not the steak’:



A couple of training videos:

Sell the sizzle – not the sausage’:

https://www.tadpoletraining.com/sell-sizzle-not-sausage/

‘Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak: What Marketers Have Forgotten’



Choosing which car to buy is not based on objective rational comparison of features - it's based on emotions and especially with so-called 'luxury brands', vanity. Many Audi components are the same as those of Skodas such as the Octavia, and apart from the perceived image about the two brands, there is little to justify the added cost of an Audi, but a Audi buyer would be no more likely to buy a Skoda than would a Skoda buyer consider an Audi.

Likewise, it would be hopeless for Toyota to try to introduce a top of the range car to appeal to those who might otherwise fancy a BMW, Volvo or Merc, which is why Toyota devised the Lexus brand - a Toyota by any other name.

Nissan tried to do likewise in creating the 'INFINITI' brand, which failed in the UK. It was said that the marque, which served as Nissan's luxury division in the same way that Lexus does to Toyota, lacked the right amount of glamour, investment, or models with the appropriate drivetrains to take on the Germans as well as Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover and Lexus in Europe. (Not enough 'sizzle').

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hyundai Genesis is another. I only heard about this one a few days ago.

 

[woodieallen]

Hyundai Genesis is another. I only heard about this one a few days ago.

At least it was a 'start'.

 

[Krome10]

Great post @Yorkieguy

Hadn't heard of Elmer Wheeler so will look that up, thanks. Is that where the phrase Wheeler Dealer came from?

Edward Bernays is another fascinating figure from around the same time, dubbed the father of PR. Most famous for his PR shenanigans in increasing tobacco sales by making it acceptable/cool/liberating/desirable for women to smoke, especially in public. Having Sigmund Freud as an uncle wouldn't have hindered him in understanding the human mind and how to tap into the mass psyche to engineer wants and desires.

They know what they're doing these advertisers.

Meaning you don't sell the features of the product - you sell the benefits and the emotional appeal.

That was my point previously, but it was knocked back with the example of the Ford Fiesta. I'm not sure whether that was a rare anomaly or adverts were pretty much as sizzle then as they are now. I'd guess the latter, but would be interesting to hear more examples of informative ads. I certainly don't remember the man delivering the Milk Tray telling the sexy recipient what the ingredients were, what the health risks were (diabetes, anyone?), what flavours were available in the box, etc.


Also a good point re branding within companies, especially in an age of monopolies and mergers. Can't stand the Bold advert? Ariel advert has you reaching for the remote control? Vote with your wallet and buy Lenor then. That'll teach Proctor and Gamble a lesson, owner of all three.

And when you do happen to find an alternative from a different parent company, and really can run toward the alternative and vote with your wallet in disgust that an advert doesn't suit your style or aesthetic, you can high five the other consumers running in the opposite direction...

 

[Thingybob]

... normally I'd actually shop there so it's nonsense about to claim that an advert which is successful is one which is memorable is not always true.

Yes, but you're one person - it might not have had the same effect on hundreds of others. Your points are perfectly valid, and the ads. have much the same effect on me but I expect multi, multi million pound advertising companies have worked out that the upsides outweigh the downsides.

I can't think offhand of any advert I've ever seen that's influenced a decision to buy or do anything.

I have this guy called Phil Pascoe said the Ninja 15 to 1 air fryer was brilliant and we believed him and bought one best thing we have bought for the kitchen ever we even bought our son and daughter one each as presents, Thanks Phil

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mine was brilliant til it went wrong and Ninja went incommunicado on us. My friend hasn't had a problem with hers. I have an Instant Pot which is good, but doesn't have the steam bake for bread, which I miss.

 

[Thingybob]

Wouldn't roast a joint any other way now

 

[treeturner123]

The trouble with ads now is that there are so few things you can advertise!

My old favourites were the Hamlet cigar ads and the Campari adverts with real actors, Joan Collins and Leonard Rossiter

Phil

 

[Delaney]

I’m amazed so many people still watch ’tv’!
I stopped watching it nearly 20 years ago when youtube, live leak and putlocker came out.
I sometimes catch a glimpse of it now and then in passing and it depresses me almost instantly.

For me the TV is like the giant screen in 1984 and I detest the BBC. Not paying them to feed me utter lies, as they willingly and deliberately did in tbe build up to the Iraq war, was like being released from prison.

My mum still watches TV and then tells me things she sees and I usually have to say to her “but mum that’s not true, look here in ‘X’ this is the whole statement” or “here’s the full video” and it almost always completely changes her mind.
I’ve told her on several occasions “if you take your news from the TV, you aren’t living in reality, you’re living in their reality”.

 

[llywmog]

The thing that winds me up is them selling you a life style or self image rather than the product. Car adds are the worst for that

I think this will interest you. It's about Edward L. Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud, who first came up with the idea to take Freud's ideas about human beings and use them to manipulate the masses.



It's also on BBC iPlayer if you don't want to watch on YouTube.

 

[Mickjay]

Definitely, with £35 min order for 'free' delivery. I only buy from independent sellers if I can, I usually look on ebay & often the item is cheaper.

I know it's not part of the thread discussion but if you have Amazon delivery to a pick up point you can get free delivery without a minimum order value. I'm lucky that my local post office is one, so use it regularly which is a win for us both.

 

[woodieallen]

I’m amazed so many people still watch ’tv’!
I stopped watching it nearly 20 years ago when youtube, live leak and putlocker came out.
I sometimes catch a glimpse of it now and then in passing and it depresses me almost instantly.

Up to you, of course, but it does mean that you do miss some very good programmes from time to time

My mum still watches TV and then tells me things she sees and I usually have to say to her “but mum that’s not true, look here in ‘X’ this is the whole statement” or “here’s the full video” and it almost always completely changes her mind.
I’ve told her on several occasions “if you take your news from the TV, you aren’t living in reality, you’re living in their reality”.

Same argument can be applied to any other source of news. You're still living in their reality.

 

[Spectric]

We get Tv adverts for everything but only items that target the masses for potential sales, ie items that sell to a wide audience. You never see an advert for Record machinery or Mafel products which shows just what a small market we are in for these products. Then on youtube whilst trying to watch something about woodworking they bombard you with totally irelevant adverts for products or services you are never going to buy. Think of how Mafel might advertise, if we made a mitre saw then it would probably be the best mitre saw in the world but I bet Carlsberg might have something to say.

 

[DRC]

Maybe if you both lend your marketing strategy input to them, Xero could be worth even more that the billions they're currently worth? Perhaps they're hiring?

As for the race sensitive folk above, what would you consider a good white to people of colour ratio to be? Should it reflect the company's country of origin or the UK regardless? Should it reflect the brand? If it's a football related product, should it reflect the country's non-white population or the ratio of white to people of colour footballers? Are there other demographics that are poorly represented? Who should decide what the correct ratios are and should they be enforceable by law?

Last time I checked ratio of coloured/black was 14% probably has not changed that much.

 

[J-G]

I know it's not part of the thread discussion but if you have Amazon delivery to a pick up point you can get free delivery without a minimum order value. I'm lucky that my local post office is one, so use it regularly which is a win for us both.

I recently found this out and the 'Pick-up-point' is some 4 minutes drive to an area of the town that I've never previously visited in over 20 years!

The estimated 3-4 day delivery took 36 hours