Brand Persona as Constant Friend

Through the moments of everyday life one brand stands out.

When it comes to soft drinks, Coca-Cola could be said to be always there for us.

The Coca-Cola brand persona is that of a beloved friend, one who supports and comforts and encourages, helping us to find the enjoyment in any moment...the pause that refreshes.

My students recognize this genre of creativity as Eighmey's Law: Number Seven - "When in doubt, rock it out."  In this commercial, Barry Gibb's 1967 song "To Love Somebody" begins as a typical love song between a couple but the scenario quickly moves to portray the adventures of parenthood. It is this unexpected direction that makes this commercial great.

Be sure you notice what the woman holds in her hands at the beginning of the commercial, and again near the end. Dare I say genius?

   Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Advertising and Realization

In music, realization is said to be the action of enriching a piece of music by interpreting performance directions that are ambiguous.

In advertising, realization occurs in the minds of audience members when they are invited to construct their own narratives for the imagery in messages they see.

In so doing, their existing values come forward to guide their interpretation, and they come to realize the fullness of the idea in the message as their own thoughts.

The action of the whale in an unexpected context invites interpretation. Realization of both the meaning and immediacy of the environment as one world is brought home in ways words cannot.

This public service message for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society was created by Gentleman Scholar, an agency based in Los Angeles, CA.

   Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Definition of Branded Content

What is branded content?

Some say it is the "fusion" of advertising and entertainment.

But, the potential for audience enjoyment can be seen as a dimension of any media content. Advertising has long been evaluated in terms of its entertainment value. Indeed, "attitude toward the ad" has been an aspect of advertising research for well over a century.

Some say branded content began with sponsored radio programs during the 1930s. The term "soap opera" comes from the prominence of packaged goods companies as sponsors and producers of their own radio programs. Advertising agencies once had specialized production departments to provide the needed creative services.

However, the origins of branded content and its definition as a marketing communication practice go back even further in time, long before the age of broadcasting.

Here's an 1880 trade card for Ayers Sarsaparilla.

Trade cards are a long-standing advertising practice. They can be packaged as a premium or gift along with a wide variety of consumer products. In the 1880s, trade cards were often distributed by traveling salespeople long before national advertising media became a centering factor in marketing.

As branded content, the information and enjoyment provided by trade cards can be valued by consumers for its own sake. The ideas and feelings imparted in this manner support favorable brand associations. Importantly, these associations are made in an implicit, natural manner.

So, what is branded content? It is a new term for a very old practice.

Broadly speaking, branded content is brand storytelling. It is a broader term than "brand journalism," an idea that inherently likens advertising to commercial news.

Here is a recent example of branded content in a video format, the kind of material that can be placed in paid media or released to find its audience in a viral manner.

Actions to provide consumers with enjoyable and meaningful experiences such as the John Lewis holiday video are not a new marketing communication method. What is new is that the media environment has changed.

The competition for attention is increasingly intense in today's accelerated and complex electronic media. Marketers are finding value in actions that are truly consumer centric. This underscores the growing importance of a newly minted term for a longstanding practice, branded content.

  Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

The Psychology of Demonstration

The best advertising makes you think.

If you thought about rotisserie chicken, this commercial is not for you.

On the other hand, if you are a younger discerning customer for the most advanced automobiles, then this commercial speaks to you a charming, highly sophisticated way.

The commercial cleverly demonstrates the advanced function of this brand's latest suspension technology. Showing a car dodging potholes at a high rate of speed would have been for the birds.

   Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

The Meaning of United

The actions of people as they come together in a musical performance may be the best example of the concept of community. Each person has a voice, yet works in a united manner with others so they may together reach a high ideal.

This is admirable advertising showing how the core values of a brand can reach out to attract and reinforce the brand community. And, the message is that people who work in a united manner can accomplish the highest goals.

This is a lesson with far reaching implications.

The United Airlines commercial was done by McGarry Bowen.

      Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Character and Brand Community

One pathway to better advertising is to break stereotypes.

This can be especially true of brands consumed in social circumstances. Personal identity and reference group influence come into greater play.

In this Guinness commercial our expectations tell us we are watching a group of guys go at each other in a rough and tumble game of basketball. The game captures our interest because of the unexpected intensity and skill of the wheelchair basketball players.

We are surprised when they all stand, and are momentarily left with feelings of being deceived.

But when we see one player still in his chair, we experience the influence of our own stereotypical thinking and realize the importance of character.

This commercial demonstrates the importance of core values and the role of character in building the strongest brand communities. Altruistic values, in particular, are the basis of long-term sustainable relationships between brands and their customers.

  Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

Jell-O and the American Dream

When it comes to market segmentation, the well-known VALS typology points to the importance of a broad sector of the American population driven by ideals. They are conventional people, following established routines of work and family. They are practical decision-makers hewing to well-known brands.

For advertising account planners, this commercial is a remarkable demonstration of consumer insight.

The hard-working father, stressful commute, and the actions of an insensitive boss reveal the everyday experiences of our times. In the face of these challenges, this archetypical father in the middle class continues to accept his responsibilities and remain an optimistic soul. Indeed, his son also acts in an archetypical manner carrying forward his father's example by making a helpful action of his own.

This is admirable advertising in modern times, placing true-life circumstances in a charming context, while pointing to the value of a well-known brand.

This work for Jell-O was done by Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

  Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.