Nissan LEAF Helps Drivers Understand the ‘Value of Zero’

April 21, 2011 Leave a Comment

Nissan Leaf: the Power of Zero

Zero is worth more than nothing. Zero is worth everything.

The latest commercial for the battery powered Nissan LEAF is a winner. The LEAF is the first all-electric vehicle from a major car maker and is a 100% battery car, unlike other electric-hybrids such as the Chevy Volt. What makes the spot so powerful is the way it communicates the car’s USP — zero emissions.

I have written before about the power of showing customers the benefits of your product, rather than telling them. This ad is a fantastic example of this concept of showing; it combines a simple idea with attention-grabbing imagery. The result is a spectacular ad that  enables customers to grasp the true value of zero.

Ad Copy: What is the value of Zero? Is it nothing? Imagine zero dependency on foreign oil. Zero pollutants in our environment. Zero depletion of the Ozone. Suddenly zero starts adding up. Which is why we at Nissan built a car inspired by zero. Because Zero is worth more than nothing, zero is worth everything.

Filed under Advertising, Brand Message, Marketing Tagged with , ,

Your Advertising Needs to Promise a Benefit to the Customer

January 25, 2011 Leave a Comment

What benefit does your advertising promise potential customers? Whiter teeth? More miles per gallon? Peace of mind?

Today, this idea of promising a benefit gets lost in the shuffle. Whether you hire an agency or create in house, the majority of today’s ads are created with the intention of going viral. These ads aim to garner millions of views on YouTube by using humor and creativity. There’s nothing wrong with this approach…as long as you aren’t expecting a return on your investment.

Just look at Old Spice. “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign was no doubt the viral phenomenon of 2010, with Old Spice body-wash videos racking up a whopping 168 million views. With so much buzz, you would think that sales of Old Spice body wash would be thru the roof, but that hasn’t been the case. According to a November AdAge article:

SymphonyIRI data show Old Spice body-wash sales up 27% to 107% in four-week periods since February. But at typical industry redemption rates, the buy-one-get-one-free and other high-value coupons Old Spice has distributed since February would account for most of the brand’s sales gains and all share gains.

Advertising which fails to promise a benefit to the customer fails to sell. Like many of the campaigns today, Old Spice failed to offer a clear promise.

In his direct ad “How to Create Advertising that Sells”, David Ogilvy shares what he has learned in advertising.

The second most important decision [when advertising] is this: what should you promise the customer? A promise is not a claim, or a theme, or a slogan. It is a benefit for the consumer.

It pays to promise a benefit which is unique and competitive. And the product must deliver the benefit you promise.

Most advertising promises nothing. It is doomed to fail in the marketplace.

“Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement”—said Samuel Johnson.

Let’s test this idea of promising a benefit, compare the two smartphone ads below.

Which ad does a better job at communicating the benefit for the consumer?

Based on the ad, which are you more likely to buy?

Chances are the answer to both these questions is Apple’s iPhone.

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BMW Uses Subliminal Advertising to Get Inside Your Head

December 22, 2010 Leave a Comment

A very cool concept from BMW. The automaker used flash projection technology to get the BMW logo inside the heads of audiences at a German movie theatre.

The ad features Ruben Xaus, Superbike World Champion, discussing why he races. He then urges the audience to close their eyes — what the audience sees is the BMW logo projected onto the backs of their eyelids.

Check out the video below to see how it was done:

If you were like me and watched the ad over and over because you couldn’t see the logo with your eyes closed, don’t feel bad….apparently you can only see the logo at the theatre.

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Black Friday Promotes Unhealthy Marketing Habits

November 23, 2010 Leave a Comment

This Friday, millions of fearless shoppers will take on long lines and overcrowded stores in hopes of getting the best deals of the shopping season. I, of course, am referring to Black Friday, the most sacred shopping day of the year. Big Box Retailer Target is even encouraging shoppers to train for the big day.

According to a preliminary Black Friday shopping survey conducted for the National Retail Federation, 138 million people said they plan to shop Black Friday weekend 2010, four million more than last year.

The amount of consumer excitement that is generated by Black Friday promotions is simply incredible. Many small business owners look at what’s going on in the marketplace and think to themselves, “We would be set if we could just get a small piece of this pie.” So what do they do? They offer their own Black Friday deal…and it works! Customers flood their store and the line is out the door.

“Wow,” you think to yourself, “I should do this more often.” And sure enough you do it more often, because it gives people motivation to buy from you. In fact, your customers will love you for it because everyone loves getting a discount. But believe me that chronic discounting is the beginning of a long, slow death for most businesses.

This is because people become conditioned to buy from you based solely on price. Before you know it, even your most loyal customers will no longer buy from you unless they have a coupon. It’s the principle of anchor pricing: once people buy a particular product at a particular price, they become anchored to that price. For instance, look at the national pizza chains. It wasn’t that long ago where consumers would willingly pay $15 for a large pizza with the works. However, thanks to deep discounting and $10 “any way you want it” deals, these chains can no longer command the higher price; consumers have become anchored to the $10 pie.

Now don’t get me wrong, not all promotions are bad, but you should strive to add value rather than discount the price. Some ways to add value would be to offer free shipping, a warranty, or a 30-day no questions asked return policy.

Filed under Advertising, Marketing, Pricing, Promotions Tagged with , , , ,

Does American Express Make the Connection with Conan?

November 10, 2010 Leave a Comment

After his much publicized separation from NBC, funnyman Conan O’Brien returned to late-night television last Monday. The comedian’s talk show drew 4.2 million viewers, soundly beating Jay Leno and The Tonight Show. (who had 3.5 million viewers)

In an effort to capitalize on the buzz surrounding Conan’s return, American Express has tapped the comedian as its pitchman.

The new ad follows Conan − who is famously obsessed with details − as he sets out to find the finest materials to make curtains for the set of his new show.

This marks a shift to corporate branding for AmEx, who have been pushing specific products and services during the recession. It is also an interesting angle for the credit-card company − that American Express provides its members with unique entertainment experiences.

Street Insider — “Just like Conan O’Brien, American Express takes entertainment seriously and consistently delivers unique and relevant entertainment experiences – whether at a live event or streamed content for viewing at home,” said John Hayes, Chief Marketing Officer, American Express. “American Express offers so much more than secure payments and great service, we deliver a gateway to memorable entertainment experiences across film, music, sports, fashion and theater alike.”

Bravo to American Express for selling more than a credit card…they are selling an experience. AmEx has always done a great job of appealing to the emotions of its consumers, and this sponsorship with Conan is no different. The extent that a brand can create an emotional connection with customers determines their brand strength.

Filed under Advertising, Brand Message, Customer Experience Tagged with , , ,

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