Advertising and Art

Artistic expression moves people:  to think, to feel, to believe, to do.

Maya Angelou's performance in this PSA gave power to her words connecting them with a specific cause, allowing others share her vision and to act.

This 1994 public service message for the UNCF was created by Y&R in New York City. The supporting actors were all Y&R employees.

  Copyright © 2014 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Consumer Insight and Advertising Excellence

Back in the 1980s, I did a series of in-depth interviews about how people experienced fast food meals. I was interested in the social context. Who was there during the meal, what happened that made one brand experience different from another?

When it came to KFC, many people talked about good times around the kitchen table. A bucket of KFC chicken has unusual powers to attract family and friends to the table and facilitate conversation.

This commercial is from KFC in the UK.  It recalls the 1980s era Y&R campaign for the brand, "It's so nice to feel so good about a meal."

This Y&RNY campaign identified the basic consumer insight about the brand as an enjoyable family meal experience, beyond the concept of fast food. Even unto today, this fundamental idea remains home ground for KFC.

    Copyright © 2014 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Advertising Productivity and Psychological Theory

In a world filled with attention getting stunts, it is helpful when advertising can place the brand in the context of productive psychological theory.

Congratulations to Axe for going beyond the common method of sex-appeal borrowed interest to tell a story. Our hero makes repeated and even "historic" efforts to succeed. Then the commercial pulls the rug out from under the audience when the brand becomes the hero.

My students recognize this as an example of the Theory of Trying, Attitude Toward the Ad, and the Reward Theory of Communication. Might even be an argument  for "excitation transfer."

  Copyright © 2014 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.