Have you seen the recent Geico happiness advertisement series where the theme is Geico creating happiness? Three of these are shown in the image: the Roadrunner and Coyote with Gecko; the witch in a broom factory; and Christopher Columbus discovering America in speedboats. There are more, but we thought three would be enough to analyze the effectiveness of the series. The question for you is … is this advertising campaign effective?
The secret of all effective advertising is not the creation of new and tricky words and pictures, but one of putting familiar words and pictures into new relationships.
– Leo Burnett
Examining these TV commercials, it seems that Leo Burnett’s words ring true. At least on the surface; but they are only necessary, not necessary and sufficient.
It has been said that advertising is the price to be paid for being unremarkable. That certainly seems to be the case in this series.
Let’s evaluate other elements to determine the effectiveness of these advertisements in the Geico marketing strategy:
Advertising campaign … effective advertising
Be relevant to your target market … keep in mind that one message does not fit all.
It starts with knowing your target market. Here the target market is not at all clear, are they?
Effective advertising methods.
Define your positioning
Your positioning is your frame of reference. Make comparisons to your competitors if you can.
Geico, for sure, knows who its major competitors are, but makes no comparisons in this series.
Effective advertising campaigns
They must grab and hold viewers’ attention with interesting information. Keep in mind that people don’t watch ads … they watch what interests them.
Your ad messages must be interesting to your target communities. These ads are, at best, average at grabbing, but not holding attention.
They certainly don’t provide interesting or entertaining information (in fact, they border on annoying, based on the frequency).
Define a unique selling proposition
This proposition must truly discriminate you from your competition. Give your customers reasons to select you.
Certainly, none is shown here in this series.
Effective advertising strategies
Advertising strategies must make messages simple … that the reader will quickly understand. Keep in mind that pictures are far more valuable than words.
Creating customer curiosity by lacking any real message or point doesn’t count.
Any effective marketing campaign whether it’s a series of Web videos, direct emails, magazine display ads, banner ads, outdoor billboards, television and radio spots, or any combination thereof, will only work if it focuses on a single message.
At the heart of all advertising is the promise you commit to delivering to your clients.
No matter how clever or memorable your marketing, if you fail to deliver on that promise, you will fail.
Advertising campaign example
Learn a lesson from the politicians. The general publics’ opinion of politicians is about on a par with having a prostate exam.
Politicians can’t help themselves; they promise the electorate what the electorate wants to hear, and then fail to deliver on promises that can never be kept.
Consequently, people become cynical and distrust everything politicians say.
Failure to deliver on your promise to be the cheapest, the best, or the guy with the most features, is like a politician promising no new taxes.
Read my lips! Those kinds of promises are a prescription for a marketing disaster.
Taking the conceptual approach requires a certain degree of confidence and an understanding that you are going to have to give something up to get something in return.
If you present your identity as the Timex of widgets, inexpensive and ubiquitous, then you are giving up the audience looking for the Rolex of widgets, expensive and exclusive.
Advertising campaign … make your ad a component
Your advertising methods need to relate to an integrated marketing campaign. There are a series of similar ads in this campaign … all geared to address the theme of happiness.
But with no real message other than awareness of Geico, where is the integration?
Consider the end state values to your customers
Target your end state values to customers and particularly the target customers that are looking for value and message.
Where is the beef? The marketing strategy certainly is missing this end state in our opinion.
Effective advertising campaign
This list could go on, but I’ll end with one last powerful principle that is useful in reshaping opinions and getting people to rethink brands or categories — one of the best reasons to invest $5 million in a Super Bowl ad in the first place.
In early 2011, selling an American car was a tough ask. Most people still associated Detroit and American automakers with failure and bailouts.
The principle of “two-sided messaging” was brilliantly used in Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit”(No. 13). We are more likely to engage with a message that fits with what we already believe.
If someone feels negatively toward a brand, they’ll be resistant to hearing a direct, positive message.
By first acknowledging a few of its flaws, they’ll be more open to changing how they feel and what they believe.
The Chrysler spot tells us that, yes, Detroit has been through some tough times, but it’s also strong, resilient and knows a thing or two about art and culture and luxury.
By validating the viewers’ impressions of Detroit and, by reflection, Chrysler, the brand was able to turn “Imported from Detroit” into a “hell yes!” rally cry for the Motor City everyone felt proud to get behind.
Whether or not any of these ads were developed with the conscious use of behavioral science, it’s clear to see that when ads work the way our brains work, they capture our attention and make a lasting impact.
Think how much further ahead you can be if you start your ideation with behavioral science in mind.