Friday, January 31, 2014

Super Sunday Sunday Advertising

Super Sunday is our national day of hoopla and hype.

This Sunday, over a hundred million people will turn to the big game to watch the best football players match play for play, in the midst of leading advertisers who have invested millions hoping to break through all the clutter and excitement.

What kind of commercial will win the day?

Over the now 48 years of the Super Bowl, Budweiser stands out as the most consistent bet when it comes to the national popularity polls of big game ads. So perhaps this one will prevail on Sunday.




Budweiser clearly knows about the cognitive theory of empathy.

The brand symbols of the Budweiser clydesdale horses and the dogs that guard them are highly likable. We relate to them as though human characters in a play. We identify with the dedication of the young dog, the anxiety of separation. We rejoice in the outcome.

Other than winning the advertising super sweepstakes, the payoff for Budweiser resides in the concept of "attitude toward the ad." We enjoy the advertising, and we like the brand that makes us feel good about the world and ourselves.

  Copyright © 2014 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Year Six of the Psychology of Advertising

Welcome to the beginning of year six of authoritative observations on how psychological concepts and theories better inform our understanding of the effects of advertising.

I began this blog in January of 2009. Since then, thousands of people all over the world have been coming to these pages for psychological perspectives on advertising. The topics range widely, often triggered by a striking new ad or commercial that just appeared somewhere in the wide world of advertising.

The two most widely read posts in 2013 registered quickly with visitors to this site, moving into the top five of all posts.

The most widely read post appeared the weekend of Labor Day. My September 1 post was titled "Advertising and American Core Values."  It featured a 1956 General Electric print ad that framed the ideals of the United States in an economic context.


The ad copy stated:

"We in America believe in high wages, high productivity and high purchasing power. They must occur together. One without the other defeats its own ends, but together they spell dynamic growth and progress."

These words support the General Electric corporate slogan of that era, "Progress is Our Most Important Product."

In 1956, General Electric clearly understood, as did Henry Ford a generation earlier, that workers and consumers are the same people, and as such they are the leading force of the nation. Indeed, in 1914 Henry Ford paid workers $5 an hour when the going rate at the time was half that amount. His company remains arguably the most continuously successful automobile manufacturer on the planet, clearly contravening the payroll policies of many companies today.

Here is yet another example of the power of advertising to reveal who we are and what we can be.

The second most widely read post in 2013 concerned "The Discipline of Account Planning." This post shared critical perspectives on the definition of this important position in strategic planning and creative development.

Be sure to visit my August 22 post for a detailed discussion of the important underlying framework that is essential to successful account planning

Who knows what 2014 will bring?

Surprise is one of the many joy's of working in advertising. This important intersection of art and commerce is always about what's new, what's relevant, and what works.

Thanks for reading. And, one thing's for certain, there will be Super Bowl commentary in a few days.

   Copyright © 2014 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.