Comments on: Why pissing people off can be good advertising

By: Dean Rieck

Dean Rieck — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:23:43 +0000

Josie: A negative association with a product is always possible, but I think that would happen only with those who are hyper-sensitive about advertising. In this case, it appears not to be a big factor because it’s a long-running campaign and the product is being sold in stores nearly everywhere.

I read a study once on TV ads and it concluded that creative types relate to ads professionally while real people relate to them personally. In other words only people like us have conversations like this.

By: Josie

Josie — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:25:52 +0000

I agree that this ad really gets the viewer thinking about the product. It’s hard not to get it stuck in your head after that.

However, what do you think about this commercial in terms of forming a NEGATIVE association with Head-on? Just curious.

By: Ted Grigg

Ted Grigg — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:58:49 +0000

It goes back to what you and I discussed in our blogs earlier but used different language. I call this another form of disruptive advertising.

We have to awaken the need for our products in people very quickly and with impact. Otherwise, the message has no chance whatsoever of prompting action.

In our trade as direct marketers, we have to get awareness AND a response at the same time. We can’t play around and wait forever for someone to buy. Only pure awareness or positioning advertisers can afford this luxury. Or at least, they have persuaded their clients that this is the way it works.

By: Dean Rieck

Dean Rieck — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:40:12 +0000

Chad: I always say ads should be “interesting” rather than “entertaining.” I think we’re saying the same thing.

By: Grant A Johnson

Grant A Johnson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:58:13 +0000

GEICO comes to mind.

Go Daddy works not because of the ads, but because they know how to use PR spin to get their ads more attention both before and after the big game, thus increasing their ROI by increasing exposure and mentions of the ads with no or very little added costs.

Sales Genie/InfoUSA ads are also annoying but work (drive sales), thus are successful.

Grant

By: Chad | ProFreelancing

Chad | ProFreelancing — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:03:12 +0000

Hey Dean,

Great observation. There are loads of ads out there that piss me off but still grab my attention. I wish I could name a few off the top of my head, but I can’t at the moment – but I can say that “attention” outweighs “entertainment” when it comes to advertising.

Obviously the best combo would be entertaining ads that grab attention.

By: Dean Rieck

Dean Rieck — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:07:39 +0000

Josef: As Dave Barry said, “Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.”

As for Go Daddy, they get a lot of attention for their ads being rejected. More than if they ran probably.

By: Josef Katz

Josef Katz — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:28:27 +0000

I agree if it works, it works everything else is noise. The problem with creating this sort of advertising is that there are usually too many people involved in the process. There is always one person that says something along the lines of ‘that is going to get us in trouble’. People are afraid of loosing their jobs, upsetting the board of directors etc if the ad backfires so they go with average and safe ads.

Go Daddy is another example of ads that piss people off but in a different way. I am sure you heard that Fox wouldn’t run their original Super Bowl ad so they put it online and replaced their ad with a drive to web.