My name is Danielle Pelletier and I am most definitely NOT a marketing student. Most things about advertising drive me pretty crazy, probably because there is a lot of bad advertising out there! Now, of course, as I am taking this class to fulfill my requirements because it’s mandatory try to expand my horizons and learn a little about the evil world of making-people-buy-things-they-don’t-really-want-or-need, I will be keeping an open mind. It is also conceivable that I do not really appreciate marketing because I do not really understand it (at all!) so I suppose this course will (hopefully!) do me a great service in educating me.
For now, the only insightful perspective I have to offer is coming from the consumer standpoint, so that is where I plan to start. I hate television mostly because I hate commercials. That being said, every now and again a spectacular gem of amusement comes across my screen and I can’t help but be enthused and enthralled that somewhere out there a team of advertising execs put together such a witty and hilarious commercial. By no means does it equate to me leaping off my couch and running to the nearest store to pick up the product, but it does plant the seed of brand loyalty that may have me lean in the direction of that product over its competitor. Thinking about this further, and knowing myself like I do, I think that while good commercials make me slightly more likely to buy a product, bad commercials make it DRASTICALLY less likely for me to buy one… probably because it infuriates me to give money to a company that is going to spend it on stupid mindless poor commercials!
To illustrate my point, here are two fairly new commercials (circa 2010 for sure) for two competing brands. The first is a ridiculous Axe ad that basically states that simple body-spray will land you a smoking hot blond (and, it would appear, also some form of multiple-personality disorder). Trying way too hard to sell a lifestyle that, quite simply, a little body-spray isn’t going to get you. Not Funny! The second is an Old Spice commercial that recognizes the ludicrousness of what Axe is doing and makes it into a great joke. Very funny!
When I buy my boyfriend bodywash (because his Mom doesn’t live in this city and god knows SOMEONE has to take care of him!) there is no chance it will ever be Axe brand. I hate their commercials! Leave me a comment if you disagree with my opinion of these two ads, or just have something to say about them, but I stand true to my convictions that the second up there is one of the funniest commercials I’ve seen in a while.
To sum up this first post, I am an opinionated student who has no background in marketing, a flair for the humorous and a boyfriend who smells like Old Spice 🙂 ‘Til next time!