Ads that don't feel like ads.

The first goal of an ad is to gain and keep the audience’s full attention long enough to deliver a message. The problem is that consumers are so fed up with being bombarded with ads that they just tune the majority of them out. So how can your ads sneak past the steadfast gate-keeper of the consumer mind?

In 2014, Buzzfeed released a video for Friskies cat food called "Dear Kitten". The video in which a sage old cat gives advice to a new kitten, went viral on YouTube in just 4 days, generating over 5 million views. The ad doesn't feel at all like an ad. The narrative, voiced by Buzzfeed's wonderfully crazy Executive Vice President, Ze Frank, is quite entertaining and comedic in tone. It feels more like a short story than an ad which is why it's so easy to watch.

The commercial begins with “Dear Kitten: Since I have hissed at you the customary 437 times, it is now my duty as the head of the household to — begrudgingly — welcome you,” says the older cat.

They've since made several more equally lovable "Dear kitten" videos but this was the first.

Enjoy!

Fans of the video took to Twitter to express their love for the commercial stating “If all ads were this good, maybe we wouldn’t fast-forward them.” Comments on YouTube were equally impressive.

“I laughed, I cried, I wanted to run to the shelter and adopt… the single best commercial I can remember.”

"I'm loathed to give advertisers any kind of incentive. But these ads are an absolute delight. I really. Really like them. The writing. The short story. The characters (of course I mean the Felines) The whole darn production. These Friskies ads are some of the best I've seen in a very, very long time. 👍👌🐱"

"I'm a dog person but this really makes me want to get a cat."
 

Although these ads are clearly aimed at cat owners, they also appeal to animal lovers everywhere. It has personality and the cuteness abounds! The video also never stops making us laughter out loud with cat-isms.

I'll have to test the efficiency of the invisibility curtains. It may come in handy one day.

What are you doing to make your ads seem more like a story and less like an ad?

Morty Silber, CEO

Mad Strategies Inc.
a Wizard of Ads Partner

Why are we so attracted to rainbow colours?

What was once only something only geared toward children is now being seen across several industries. To say that rainbow colours have gone viral would be an understatement. From rainbow food to unicorn themed beauty trends, it's become a bit of an obsession.

These days, rainbows can be found in more places than just your decked out birthday cake. Rainbow sushi, rainbow grilled cheese sandwiches and unicorn poop (cookies) are just a few of the new food trends. The beauty industry has also exploded with colour with the introduction of "holographic" lip gloss, eyeshadow, and a myriad of hair dye colours to achieve rainbow hair.

So why is the rainbow trend spreading like a virus?

Simply put, it's visually appealing. In nature, rainbows are beautiful and rare. They have a magical quality to them that gives us a childlike sense of wonder. According to Laurie Pressman, the VP of the Pantone Color Institute, “Bright shades are happy – they make us smile. These colors in foods…imply a sense of fun and levity. Engaging and inviting, they bring us back to a time when things were simpler and playfully innocent.” 

In April of this year, Starbucks began selling “Unicorn Frappuccinos” and was only available from the 19th to the 23rd. Pictures of the whimsical drink were shared over 150 000 times on Instagram and Twitter was inundated with tweets about the Unicorn Frappuccino creating the buzz Starbucks was hoping for (regardless of how it tasted).

Dizz’s Bagel & Deli in Montreal has also joined the rainbow evolution. Along with other tasty bagels like chocolate & cheese bagels and apple cinnamon cheese sugar-coated bagels, you can find their latest creation, the rainbow bagel. Some would say that a rainbow bagel tastes better than its less colourful counterpart. 

Coloured foods can be entertaining to eat and fun to share on social media. When you stop and think about why people are attracted to rainbow colours, it becomes clear that the joy consumers get from the experience is what its all about. Whether we are talking about rainbow foods or rainbow hair, they are all selling the same thing: pure fun!

Would your products benefit from a colour overhaul? 

Morty Silber, CEO

Mad Strategies Inc.
a Wizard of Ads Partner

An emotional journey every ad should strive to achieve

My assistant, Christin, watched this video many times and she gets emotional each and every time. Puddles has become a new favourite. When the judges give their feedback, they perfectly summarize why this act was successful.

Judge #1 - Howie Mandel: "You have so much talent, you are so original. This is such a surprise. It's so exciting. This is amazing!"

Judge #2 - Heidi Klum: "Puddles, it was very unexpected, very original, very different and I want to see more."

Judge #3 - Mel B.: "I thought I'd seen just about everything on this show, and then you came along, and I'm like, Oh! my gosh!, and I loved it!"

Judge#4 - I never, ever, want to know who you are Puddles. No, I mean this, because I have a real problem with clowns, but you may have turned me. What I love about you... this is originality at its best and that's why I love you so."

This video contains the ingredients necessary for a great marketing campaign.

First, Puddles is sad and a clown, and clowns are usually happy and cheerful
Second, he can't talk so he can't tell you why he is sad. It leads us to believe that Puddles was a mime of sorts.
Third, he surprised everyone with his booming signing voice after we thought he couldn't talk. 
Fourth, when the judges are giving him feedback, he gets overwhelmed with tears of joy. He is so thankful. We feel what he feels and we tear up right along with him.

By the end, everyone watching is completely in love with Puddles and you want to see more. Puddles captures your heart and convinces the mind with a series of emotions: intrigue, surprise, delight, and love. He is a perfect example of what a great advertising should be: original, unexpected, different, changes perceptions, tells a story, creates emotional attachment in the heart and convinces the mind. It's superglue.

You can add sad music to convey sadness and elicit emotions, but nothing compares to the impact of an emotional journey to solidify a relationship between a customer and a cause, a product or a company.

Does your advertising possess any emotional superglue?

Morty Silber, CEO

Mad Strategies Inc.
a Wizard of Ads Partner