What makes great

advertising

UK, May 2005

 There’s no magic formula

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 What we do know is that it’s mostly hard work

Genius is 10%
inspiration and
90% perspiration

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 There is a path that can lead us to greatness

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 But no matter how carefully we’ve planned our
journey, greatness will always require a leap of faith

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 What’s it like out there?

People don’t choose to They’re subjected to over 90% of advertising is

watch ads 7,000 messages a day crap

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 Rather like the odd brother-in-law who comes to stay over Christmas
advertising is an uninvited, unwanted guest, except this time he’s
brought the family.

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 The path to enlightenment

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 Make sure you’ve got something decent to talk about

“Advertising will only make a bad product fail faster” (Bill Bernbach)
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 Partnership

“I expect my agency to be my business

partner. We turn to them for their advice,
skills … above all, their knowledge of
Virgin and our competitors.”

Sir Richard Branson

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 Partnership means…

• Collaborative attitude: one ‘team’ not supplier

• Mutual respect for expertise
• Honesty and openness
• Constructive debate not dictatorship
• More carrot than stick
• Striving for friendship not enmity

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 Get the thinking right up front

Distil and refine

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 The creative brief is an instruction. As a rule it
should be creative and brief

An insight isn’t…Gamers love to game 24/7. They’ll stay up into the

small wee hours to get to the next ‘level’. They’ll sacrifice nights out
with mates and girlfriends to stay in and play

It is… Gaming is more addictive than heroin

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 The creative brief is an instruction. As a rule it
should be creative and brief ii

A target audience descriptor isn’t… 30-45 family man,

typically in a white collar job with an income over £50,000.
They’re an outdoor bunch who travel a lot on business.

It is… Doctors who windsurf

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 The creative brief is an instruction. As a rule it
should be creative and brief iii

A proposition isn’t… BT Broadband is a super-fast

internet connection that is always on, allowing you to
surf and talk at the same time

It is…connect to the internet at the speed of

thought with BT Broadband

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 Time is of the essence

“Do you want your advertising great or do

you want it Tuesday?”

R D Eadsworth

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 You can’t have your cake and eat it

Money Time

Quality

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 Analysis paralysis

“Logic and over analysis can immobilise and sterilise an idea. It’s like
love, the more you analyse it, the faster it disappears”

Bill Bernbach

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 Can’t we be more positive?

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 We need to appeal to everyone

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 We mustn’t alienate women

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 We need more of a call to action

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 Why isn’t there a logo?

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 Can we include the price?

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 Research should be used as a guide not a
straightjacket: Stella Artois – Last Wishes

• Potentially damaging focus on the price premium

• Gives no up-to-date lifestyle cues to build brand image cf. Bacardi Breezer
• Doesn’t lend the brand a glamorous or sexy image which would appeal to ta6rget drinkers
• Gives no cues as to target drinker
• There aren’t enough young people shown
• Man who drinks is not aspirational
• Unpleasant theme because the man is dying!
• Historic/dated setting ma not appeal to target
• French may be confusing and difficult to follow. Add sub-titles or put in English?
• May offend people to have the churchman accused of thieving
• May offend people to have the church and alcohol featured in the same ad
• Couldn’t’ it cut to a cheerful bar scene at the end?

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 Research should be used as a guide not a
straightjacket: Stella Artois – Last Wishes ii

• IPA Advertising Effectiveness Awards 2000

• Turned around static sales and generated volume growth
• Generated sales of 6 x the advertising investment
• D&AD Award recognition
• Enables Stella to maintain a price premium
• Builds on continental heritage of the brand
• Good stand out from other larger advertising

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 Be brave

“Don’t give me an ad you think I

will like – give me your best… If you think
I’m a boring old fart say so. Tell me
I won’t understand it”

Ian McAllister
Chairman, Ford UK

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 At the heart of great advertising lies two truths

• The exposition of a consumer insight married

to a product feature/benefit

• The unwritten deal between viewers and

advertisers – If you entertain me I will watch
you

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 Greatness comes in
many forms

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 Product insight

It takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness

See attachment: ‘Swimblack’

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 Consumer insight

Eating a pot noodle feels a bit grubby and dirty. You know you shouldn’t,
but you can’t help yourself

See attachment: ‘Slag of all snacks’

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 Impact

See attachment: ‘Hello Boys’

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 The unexpected

See attachment: Rear Seatbelts

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 Empathy

Teenage girls may not care about their health, but they do
care about their looks

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 Involvement

Communicate in their language

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 Frequency

If you want people to remember something, give them something

to remember. Tell them, then tell them again

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 Simplicity

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 Be different – John Smith’s straight talking ‘no
nonsense’ campaign poked fun at alcoholic
advertising that took itself too seriously

See attachment: ‘Bomb’ and ‘have it’

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 Innovate

See attachment: Doritos idents

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 Remember, no two problems are the same

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 Attachments

To view attachments, please see case study

entitled ‘What makes great advertising’ located
In the consumer trends section of the
BBDO Hub website.

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