Entry #5: Are we being manipulated?

This is a topic that comes up quite frequently in advertising: do ads manipulate the user, and is it appropriate for certain products or demographics?

Personally, I do think that (some) ads and ad companies try to subliminally persuade us to want a certain product. I mean, why wouldn't you? It's a smart marketing ploy. If the ad can successful make the viewer crave/have the urge to buy their product, without them realizing they've been tricked, they will most likely buy or invest in the product. This happens to me quite often, except I know when I'm trying to be subliminally persuaded and/or primed.

For example, I like gingerale. It's a nice refreshing soft drink, and I don't usually drink them that often, but always enjoy them when I do. Now, say I'm watching a TV show or in a movie theatre watching previews before my movie, Canada Dry decides that this is a perfect time to show their commercial. Usually in these commercials, they do some extreme close-ups of gingerale being poured into a glass filled up with lots of ice. Usually when I see this, I think of how delicious and thirst-quenching an ice-cold gingerale is. I immediately wish I had one (or another beverage) right now. I'll now go buy one or find one to drink, because I watched a commercial.

That isn't always the scenario (I don't always end up buying the product from the commercial), but it does happen quite often. And there are a lot of factors which these companies must take into consideration in order to get the best possible outcome from their 'priming'. For a soft drink or food company, a commercial on TV or in theatres would have the most successful outcome. Who doesn't love watching TV/a movie and eating? It seems to be engraved into our minds that this is a great combination (is that because of us, or because of the advertisements?). It's been a part of our culture for so long; our dates or nights out usually centre around this combination of activities. We combine these two activities so often that some of us might always eat or drink while watching TV. This is why a company like Canada Dry, or Coca-Cola, or McDonald's, etc., invests so much money into television ads.

Another factor that food companies play up this the product itself. I very rarely see a commercial for Canada Dry or Sprite that contains a lot of information about the product. Usually, these ads just highlight the physical features of the product, and sometimes but not frequently, include a slogan or sentence at most on the product. I think this is smart. The less text the better. I'm not saying people are stupid or can't handle a lot of information, but when it comes to a TV ad, less is more. When you only have 15 to 30 seconds to display your product, simplicity and boldness will stand out, especially since it is one of many ads that will be shot at us throughout our TV viewing period.

My one question is, is this always an appropriate method of advertising? Considering these ads are also being shown to impressionable young kids, and we're living in a time where childhood obesity and health issues are always at the front of every conversation, probably not. At least not for food products anyway.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information did a very thorough study on the effects of priming in TV ads, and how it affected eating behaviour. The study was very conclusive, the food advertising increased food consumption during and after viewing of the ad, for both adults and kids. The kids of the study actually ate up to 45% more! A study like this pretty much proves how effective subliminal advertising really is. Beneficial to the company, but not so beneficial to the consumer.

Entry #4: Does humour sell?

There are many different 'categories' of ads which companies may utilize to their advantage, with humour being one of the more popular categories of the 21st Century. It seems that all companies are trying to create humorous ads these days, with some succeeding, and some failing. Personally, I love funny ads. I think it's a great tool for companies to utilize and (most of the time) can come off successful. The reason why I think humour works the majority of the time is because a lot of companies use pop culture referencing, and mildly surprising imagery. Mildly being the key word here.

It's almost as if an invisible line is placed between 'surprising' and 'shocking'. If a company can make an image surprising and catch the viewer off-guard, I feel that it is successful. But if an ad pushes the envelope too much, or makes the viewer uncomfortable/appalled, the ad is of course unsuccessful. Everyone is different, but I feel that most companies play their humour more on the 'safe' side, using easy laughs and relatable imagery to their advantage. Keeping this simple ideal in mind will also allow for the ad to appeal to more viewers. Not everyone has the same sense of humour of course, but something not overly-generalized or specific might help their cause in appealing to a broader audience.

Some of the print ads I included above made me either smile (figuratively or literally) in some way. The simpler the image, the better. I also find that ads like this are also really strong because they generally use minimal text. The image says it all: "Fight bad breath", "This bra is the perfect fit", "TV and reality are very different". Some ads still use a small phrase or summary, but for the most part, the image is strong enough on its own. It is confident and the message is clear. I feel that this is a better approach for all ads as well, not just humour-utilizing ones. The less the viewer or audience has to read, the better. Too much information and too much text leads to an uninterested and uninvolved audience.

One ad which I absolutely love that's on TV right now is the commercial for MiO Sport (MiO Sport – Eye of the Squirter). It's use of one of the most popular sports-themed songs of all time, Eye of the Tiger, and it's simple sheer ridiculousness is perfect. Almost everyone knows the original song and where it's from, making it appeal to a wide audience. The humour used is not overly smart, not offensive, but simple, silly, and fun. Everyone loves to smile, and this ad definitely delivers for most of its viewers.