Visualize a famous model gliding down a staircase, shedding parts of her attire as she enters the car. Once she’s inside the car being promoted in this advertisement, she flung her panties out the window. Doesn’t this sound like a cliche? A Welsh psychologist studied this advertisement to find that the visual image was so compelling that virtually no one remembered the brand of the car being advertised. Not just that, the ad was considered to be degrading to women! Yet, they’re not alone. Several brands even today end up with these kinds of advertisements.
Advertisements like these are a reminder to professionals that creativity alone isn’t going to drive desired outcomes. Understanding the science behind how the human brain works can sometimes help in unimaginable ways. Psychological expertise is necessary to create more effective communication pieces for both products and causes. Start by defining your target audience and crafting marketing personas that resemble your ideal audience. Then step into the shoes of that persona yourself just 3 times. This simple exercise gives so much clarity of purpose that can help craft a message that cuts through the clutter and communicates the proposition effectively. Paid ads and ad optimizations play an equally significant role in the process of ad operations.
Godrej Interio is our long-standing client. When they introduced their ergonomic Kitchen furniture, their focus was to communicate the flexibility with which the products can be fitted in any kitchen of any size. Conversations with their team revealed that the product is a well-researched outcome, but we noticed that this ‘need’ would have to be established. Stepping into the shoes of the buyer to understand their decision-making process and considerations to develop personas. This exercise revealed that one of the purchase deterrents was the involvement of carpenters! The sight of wood saw piles, the noise of the tools and the odour of the wood polish is something that the fast-paced generation wants to stay away from.
With these insights, Bay Leaf developed a series of concepts that were targeted at the young and busy couples who were moving into a new house. The communication focused on the ‘Carpenter versus a Godrej Interio Kitchen’ conundrum, which highlighted the value of convenience and subtly mentioned the benefits of improved ergonomics. The results were dramatic! These hard-hitting ads made the audiences rationalize their purchase decisions, and ‘Kitchen Ergonomics’ turned into a buzzword.
Fundamentals of Advertising Science and Psychology are relevant whether you do print, mass or digital media, be it in copy, images, or videos. We do it all, just a little better!
