I love advertising. I’ve always been that girl that doesn’t fast forward the commercials because I want to see what brands come up with to get my attention.
The idea of creating a need for people that they didn’t know existed is exciting. The world of advertising is psychological, creative, trendy, sexy, funny and informative. Do you really need half the things you say you “need”? Probably not.
Facebook, Google and Apple come to mind when you think of advertising and innovation. These three companies really set the bar for creating a void in the life of a consumer and shaping the product in a way where it’s difficult to live without it. Say you meet someone and can’t write down their information? You can find them on Facebook. Don’t know the answer to a question? Google it. Need a computer/ipad/ipod/iphone? It’s Apple.
Have you heard of the term Master Brands? These are brands that take the place of a product. Coke, Band-Aid and Google are all master brands because they are referred to as such instead of their real name (soda, adhesive bandage and Internet). See what I mean? The next time you ask if anyone needs a Coke, when you meant to say soda, you’re talking about a Master brand.
Advertising has evolved into something much greater (and more difficult) in order to catch the consumers attention. We are so saturated with content that companies are constantly looking for the next best way to get your attention. A simple “Buy Now” on a billboard doesn’t cut it. Even today, with social media being so prominent and essentially important to the success of the business, a simple Facebook ad needs to really stand out.
I can’t express the importance of social media. It’s changed the way brands talk to consumers and is the new way to advertise to them. With friends telling their friends about a particular product or brand, companies are now looking at them to promote them on a much more intimate and honest level.
I’ve loved how these brands have stepped outside of their comfort zone and taken risks to get our attention. Most of the brands I feature in this blog are because I love their advertising campaigns. Whether its to make you laugh, cry or inform you, advertising only works if it gets you to think about it and essentially make a purchase.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for advertising campaigns and I’m so excited as a marketing girl and as an average consumer to witness where it’s been and where it’s going. I’ve attached a very interesting link from Mashable that depicts the timeline of advertising.
Now stop fast forwarding the commercials!