So I’m sitting around doing research for work and getting no where.
As my mind wonders a bit and I start checking my blog feeds and I get inspiration for work again, new things to search for. Which brings me to an article, 50 Brands with the most loyalty; brands we’ve all seen in our advertisings class- Apple, Hertz, Avis, Samsung, L.L. Bean, and Blackberry. I was surprised to find a few beer brands on there, Sam Adams, Miller Genuine Draft and Coors. Then thinking about Sean’s humorous political ad post and my ranting comment, I wondered if humor sells. Thinking more about the listed beer brands and the other brands on the list… these brands rarely use humor.
And the two powerhouse humor advertising beers, Miller Lite and Bud light, are not on the list.
So I would argue that humor doesn’t sell. Here’s a quick list of things humor fails at:
-Brand/Product benefit
-Appeal to a larger market
-Long lifespan (jokes get old fast)
-Make me interested in the product
I’d say when brands tell the truth and operate transparently, they sell more.
What do you guys think?
4 comments:
Can you post the article? Thanks.
Apple and Avis DEFINIETLY use humor.
I think when advertising started it took a clean, straighforward approach, which worked but then evolved into other ways to target, utilizing- humor, drama, fantasy, daily life, music, parody, and on and on; all of which overlap from time to time.
Using the same approach constantly doesn't do the job, and we all know that, you have to change, you have to adapt to change, and you have to be the change. That is why the consumers are loyal to these brands, because they have evolved for the market and the consumer.
No I don't think I can post it. It was inside our local intranet.
We're mirror makers. We reflect culture- always have, always will. Sometimes the truth is funny but there's no truth in rubber floors. There is truth behind a man (and a company) that loves making beer. Which of course is Sam Adams, a company on the list.
I'll take an example from Truth, Lies and Advertising.
Would you hire a prostitutes whose calling card says "Big tits, fulfill your wildest fantasy, blonde, 34, 28, 34- call me" with fake generic blond photo or "I love my job- call me" with a real photo?
Just because they use humor doesn't mean it sells. Just because it wins an award or gets passed around our inbox doesn't mean it sells the product.
You know what sold Avis and Apple? Excellent products. Apple used humor in the Mac vs. PC ads but what they did first was layout clear product benefits.
i think what you meant to say is humor does not breed loyalty. bud light is the highest selling beer in the country (1 out of every 5 beers sold is a Bud Light), but does not command brand loyalty the way a wonderful tasting beer like sam adams does.
Ahh but volume doesn't = profit.
Side by side in 2007-
Return on capital:
Anheuser-Busch pulls a 15% ROC with a relativly flat sale curve.
Boston Beer pulls 11% ROC with a growing sales curve.
Gross Margins:
Anheuser-Busch pulled a 30% gross margin.
Boston Beer pulled a 50% gross margin.
Inventory:
Anheuser-Busch saw a 1.6% increase
Boston Beer saw a 37.5% increase
Post a Comment