Here is another interesting note about recall: Violent and sexually explicit shows hurt recall. According to a 2003 study:
"...people are 19 percent less likely to remember the same ad if it is embedded in a violent or sexually explicit show."
(2003 U-M Institute for Social Research, referenced from Science Daily)
Now I have to wonder about a few things:
Is the reverse true? Do racy ads detract from clean shows?
If racy ads are put into racy shows, does that work better?
TV ads have become so theatrical, production value is so much higher than in past decades, that they often overshadow the very products and brands they are suppose to promote.
I find many ads entertaining, funny, and very well made. However, are they doing their job?
To be sure, there are many that do a great job of making the product/brand central, Aflac comes to mind as a recent home run.
Of course what is the option? With these traditional ads being blocked more and more, it is almost a must to make our ads so entertaining or note-worthy that people will look for them on the DVR or YouTube!
Today, 15% of consumers say that they use technology to skip TV ads — more than three times as many as in 2004. This behavior will continue to spread — Forrester projects that more than 50% of US households will use a DVR by 2010.
(Forrester 2006)
On line video ads are not the silver bullet either:
My take aways are simple:
Make your ads as entertaining as possible, but make your brand central, integrate it into the concept
Over the next 10 years work a plan to get your video and rich media into other platforms such as gaming, mobile devices (cell, PSP, iPod, etc.), out-of-home, etc.
Find ways to incentivise people to act on, get involved with, and share your advertising
How did you do? Did you attached the right brand to the ads?
J
