Download Kinds of Ads

Kinds of Ads
Just as rhetoricians have described about a dozen different modes of argument persuasion
(cause/effect, comparison/contrast, narrative, etc), advertising theorists have described
the various types of advertising. Heath in Made to Stick describes 6 kinds of ad templates
based on a study by Goldenburg et alia, and earlier Gunn described 12 kinds. Quoted here
are summaries by Heath and Stevenson.
[from Made to Stick, p22 and 260, bold emphasis added]
[22] In 1999, an Israeli research team assembled a group of 200 highly regarded ads—ads
that were finalists and award winners in the top advertising competitions. They found that
89 percent of the award-winning could be classified into six basic categories, or
templates. ...Most of the templates relate to the principle of unexpectedness. For
example, the Extreme Consequences template points out unexpected consequences of a
product attribute... describes the famous World War II slogan devised by the Ad Council,
a nonprofit organization that creates public service campaigns for other nonprofits and
government agencies: “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” ...the eggs sizzling in the 1980s
commercial “This is your brain on drugs”...pops up spontaneously in naturally sticky
ideas—for example, the legend that Newton discovered gravity when an apple fell on his
head.
[footnote on page 260] In 1999, an Israeli research team: Jacob Goldenburg, David
Mazursky, and Sorin Solomon, “The Fundamental Templates of Quality Ads,” Marketing
Science 18 (1999):331-51. The Pictorial Analogy template features extreme analogies
rendered visually. For instance, a Nike ad is shot from the perspective of someone
jumping from a tall building. A group of firemen are on the street below, preparing to
cushion the jumper’s fall with an oversized Nike sneaker. The tagline reads, “Something
soft between you and the pavement.” The majority of winners are composed of Pictorial
Analogy and Extreme Consequences. The other templates were Extreme Situations (in
which a product is shown performing under unusual circumstances or in which a
product’s attribute is exaggerated to the extreme), Competition (in which a product is
shown winning in competition with another product, often in an unusual usage situation),
Interactive Experiments (where listeners interact with the product directly...), and
Dimensionality Alteration (e.g., a time leap that shows the long-run implications of a
decision).
http://www.slate.com/id/2170872/?GT1=10238 downloaded 8-4-7
There Are 12 Kinds of Ads in the World: RESIST THEM ALL!
By Seth Stevenson
Posted Monday, July 23, 2007, at 12:19 PM ET at Slate.com
In 1978, Donald Gunn was a creative director for the advertising agency Leo Burnett.
Though his position implied expertise, Gunn felt he was often just throwing darts—
relying on inspiration and luck (instead of proven formulas) to make great ads. So, he
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decided to inject some analytical rigor into the process: He took a yearlong sabbatical,
studied the best TV ads he could find, and looked for elemental patterns.
After much research, Gunn determined that nearly all good ads fall into one of 12
categories—or "master formats," in his words. At last year's Clio Awards, I saw Gunn
give a lecture about these formats (using ads mostly from the '70s and '80s as examples),
and I was fascinated by his theory. I soon found myself categorizing every ad I saw on
TV. It was a revelation: The curtain had been pulled back on all those sly sales tactics at
the heart of persuasive advertising.
This slide show presents some recent ads exemplifying each of Gunn's 12 basic
categories. With a little practice, you, too, will be ticking off the master formats during
commercial breaks.
Gunn's first format is the "demo." This is a visual demonstration of a product's
capabilities. You've seen hundreds of demo ads on late-night TV, for things like kitchen
knives (watch it slice through that tin can!) and stain removers (it can't possibly erase that
red wine blotch—and yet!). Some of the ads introducing Apple's iPhone are just straightup demos, pointing out the product's features as the viewer looks on.
The second format is "show the need or problem." First, you make it clear that
something's not up to snuff in the consumer's life. Then, you introduce the remedy—
which is, of course, the product you're selling.
The third format is a variation on showing the problem. This time, you employ a
"symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic" to represent the problem. In this Theraflu ad,
for example, the problem is that a man's flu symptoms make him feel like an ogre. Thus,
the ad portrays him as a literal ogre. When the man takes Theraflu, he returns to human
form.
The fourth format is "comparison." Here, the spotlight's on the claim that your product is
superior to those of your competitors. In this Charles Schwab ad, a man complains that he
hates his current stockbroker's hefty commissions. At the end of the spot, Schwab
promises a better deal. To me, the difference between "comparison" and "showing the
problem" can get a bit fuzzy sometimes. By definition, a comparison highlights the
problems with your competitor. Many ads fall somewhere along a continuum between
these two formats. Others are more clearly in one camp or the other. For example, a new
product treating a malady you've never even heard of before—like, say, "restless leg
syndrome"—is a good candidate for a pure "show the problem" approach. (In some cases,
the problem is so new that there aren't yet established competitors to compare yourself
with.)
The fifth format is the "exemplary story." These ads weave a narrative that helps illustrate
the product's benefits. In Gunn's words, the key is to create "a situation where you'd use
[the product] and be very glad for it." With only 30 seconds to spin a yarn, many story
ads end up feeling hokey. (Sissy's school play is tonight, but there's a stain on her carrot
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costume. What will mom do?) But a well-done story spot can be a gripping little episode.
Consider this Volkswagen ad. It's shocking and violent, but at heart it's really just an
exemplary story spot. Once upon a time, some people went for a ride in a Volkswagen,
gabbed about trivial matters, got into a scary accident, and emerged unscathed—thanks to
the VW's excellent safety features. The end.
The sixth format is "benefit causes story." You conceive the ad back-to-front, by
imagining a trail of events that might be caused by the product's benefit. In the example
Gunn uses, a man on a safari screams when a lion charges him. It's then revealed, to the
amusement of the man's friends (and also the viewer), that he's been looking through the
powerful zoom lens of his Olympus camera. The lion is, in fact, hundreds of yards away.
In this Lynx ad, we see a series of attractive women forgiving a guy's uncouth behavior.
(It's OK that you're late, it's OK that you forgot my birthday, it's OK that you cheated on
me, and so forth.) In the payoff, it's revealed that the guy has been using Lynx body
spray. The product's benefit—beguiling women to the point of dementia—creates the
story. By my informal tally, this is the least popular of the formats—perhaps because it
requires a bit of deduction on the viewer's part. That extra work may be too much to ask
of an audience in the era of short attention spans and widespread TiVos.
The seventh format is "tell it"—also known as "presenter," "testimonial," or "A-tells-B."
This can take the form of a kindly neighbor or best-friend spot ("Oh, I used to get arthritis
when I gardened, too—here, try my Ouch-Be-Gone pills"). It can be a "real person"
testimonial ("I've never slept so well before—thanks, Adjust-o-Foam mattress!"). Or it
might be a classic talking-head ad (often the talking head will wear a white lab coat—
which assures us beyond doubt that he's a trustworthy expert). This UPS spot is a
presenter ad with a twist, injecting a little welcome novelty into the format. Here, the
talking head spices up his presentation with a series of mesmerizing whiteboard
drawings.
The eighth format is "ongoing characters and celebrities." One big challenge when
making an ad is to ensure that your brand "gets credit" for the spot. The viewer may
remember the ad just fine and yet forget which brand it was for. The use of a recurring
character, or celebrity, can help cement a brand's identity into the viewer's brain. Think
Jared for Subway. Or the Energizer bunny. Or, my favorite, shown here: the Geico
cavemen.
The ninth format is the "symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic" demonstrating a
benefit of the product. (Recall that earlier we saw this technique used to demonstrate a
problem that the product solves.) A Starbucks spot from a few years ago used the '80s
band Survivor to symbolize the invigorating effects of a double-shot espresso drink. In
the spot's formulation, sipping the espresso makes you feel like the band is trailing you
around all day, shouting out your name to the adrenaline-pumping chords of "Eye of the
Tiger." The promised benefit of Metamucil is, of course, egestive regularity. In the rather
cringe-making ad shown here, the geyser "Old Faithful" becomes a symbol of that
benefit.
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The 10th format is "associated user imagery": The advertiser showcases the type of people
it hopes you'll associate with the product. Often these will be hip, funny, or good-looking
people. But sometimes the associated users are goofy or geeky—it depends on the target
market. This Nike spot is one of my favorite ads ever. I love its brilliant editing (watch
the cuts accelerate), its ass-kicking AC/DC track (I air-drum each time I hear it), and its
inspirational vibe (it makes me want to just, I don't know ... do it). It's also classic
associated user imagery. Who wears Nike? Dedicated, hardworking athletes, like Tom
Brady, Alex Rodriguez, that kid practicing soccer, and that gray-haired jogger lady.
Those sprinkled shots of everyday people are key to the ad's genius. In some ads, we just
see the star jocks on screen and are expected to make the associative leap on our own.
(Hey, I'll be like Tom Brady if I buy Nike stuff.) This ad helps make the leap for us.
The 11th format is "unique personality property." These spots highlight something
indigenous to the product that will make it stand out. It could be the country of origin (a
sports car boasting about its German engineering). It could be the product's unusual
moniker ("With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good").
Or it could be the company's founder. In this ad for Dyson vacuums, founder James
Dyson describes how he carefully designed his product. By putting Dyson front and
center, the spot adds a memorable dimension to the brand: "Oh, that clever British chap
invented it."
Note that this ad (like many others on TV) might be considered a hybrid of multiple
formats. Besides the unique personality property, it also throws in elements of showing
the need. And it even has some associated user imagery. Yes, Dyson is the company
founder. But he also comes off as a smart, vaguely hip, functionality-obsessed fellow—
just the sort of person the Dyson consumer imagines himself to be.
The 12th and final format is the "parody or borrowed format." This is a popular approach
these days, perhaps because pop-culture references have become our common language.
Recent ads have parodied movies, TV shows—and even other ads. At its worst, a parody
is a lazy way to gin up some tepid humor. Done well, however, a parody can be both
memorable and hilarious. My favorite parody ad (and another of my favorite ads of all
time) is Geico's "Tiny House." This spot plays on the endless proliferation of reality TV
shows, and the parody is so perfectly executed that it actually fooled me more than once.
You might think the new advertising landscape—with viral videos and branded
Webisodes—would render Donald Gunn's theory obsolete. But in fact, I find the theory
still holds strong. The famous BMW films series was just associated user imagery, with
some demo elements tossed in. Burger King's "Subservient Chicken"? A symbol of the
product's benefit: Your chicken sandwich is made to order, however you like it.
Gunn has always viewed his theory as a useful crutch for the desperate ad writer. When
stuck for an idea—late at night, with the client expecting a presentation in the morning—
the crazed creative can run through the 12 formats in hopes that one will strike a spark of
inspiration. (What if I try this spot as a demo? Or wait—it might be perfect as a parody!)
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To me, the 12 formats serve equally well as a weapon of defense for the consumer under
assault from endless advertising messages. It's like learning how a magic trick works:
Once the secret's revealed, the trick loses all its power.
***
**********
Posted Thursday, July 26, 2007, at 4:46 PM ET
Seth Stevenson was online at Washingtonpost.com on Thursday, July 26, to talk about
Donald Gunn's theory of the 12 basic ads and the methodology of advertising. An
unedited transcript of the chat follows.
Munich, Germany: I wasn't able to watch the video presentation of your article, but it
reads as though you're saying that if you know the strategies, then you'll be able to
withstand the psychology behind the pitch. I'm wondering, though, if that would make
TV watching or Internet surfing more or less pleasurable for someone who isn't an
advertising professional like yourself.
Seth Stevenson: Well, I'm not sure I'm an advertising professional so much as someone
who watches lots of ads and then makes fun of them. But to answer your question: For
those who still watch ads (as opposed to DVR'ing past them), I think knowing the tricks
makes the experience MORE pleasurable. You're smarter about what's going on in those
devious sales pitches, and you can sort of get inside the heads of the ads' creators and
think about why they framed the ads in a certain manner.
Worcester, Mass.: Is the parent company of Slate hosting an online chat a thirteenth
type of ad?
Seth Stevenson: Hello, Woostah! Hmmmm... I would say this is more a promotion than
an advertisement. But perhaps you could think of this as Format 1: "demo" ad. I'm giving
you a demonstration of the sort of hilarious and trenchant commentary you'll find at
Slate.com. How much would you expect to pay for that? $50? $100? Hold onto your hat,
because it's COMPLETELY FREE!
Accokeek, Md.: How do you see the popularity of YouTube and other amateur-friendly
video formats affecting or transforming the 12 types of ads? And do you think CNN's
choice to use presidential debate questions submitted through YouTube lends that format
more credibility?
washingtonpost.com: What's Up?: Questions From the People, Sharp to Strange (Post,
July 24)
Seth Stevenson: I don't think YouTube really affects the 12 formats. It's just another way
to publish ads. Those ads will still fit into the same categories. I suppose it's possible that
by opening up broadcasting platforms to a much larger population, someone will
eventually invent some novel sales technique. But I doubt it: Advertising has been around
for a long time and seen the adoption of all kinds of new platforms, and the techniques at
the heart of persuasion have remained the same.
St. Louis: Seth, David Shenk just wrote an article for Slate looking back at the book he
wrote ten years ago called Data Smog. He goes on to discuss in the article his theory at
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the time that the proliferation of information would push "marketers to become
increasingly outrageous in order to capture our attention." If this is true, how do you see
this trend shaping the 12 different types of ads?
washingtonpost.com: The E Decade: Was I Right About the Dangers of the Internet in
1997? (Slate, July 26)
Seth Stevenson: I do think ads have become increasingly provocative and wacky in an
effort to cut through the clutter. Look particularly at the ads made by the agency Crispin
Porter + Bogusky, which handles accounts for Burger King, Ask.com, and Volkswagen.
They've really tried to push the taste and normalcy envelope on occasion. Or look at
candy ads for brands like Skittles and Starburst, which of late have become fonts of
bizarre, absurdist humor with little connection to the product.
Frederick, Md.: Seth, very interesting article—reminded me of the "subliminal
seduction" theories of advertising that were floating around when I attended college
(back in the 1980s). I admit I am hooked by the Sonic Drive-In ads that show huge
closeups of their ice cream shakes and slushes. There's not one near here, and often when
I go to a new town I find myself checking to see if they have a Sonic!
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