In this blog post I would like to refer to one of my colleagues, Dan Neufeld who posted about the Cheetah Power Surge Energy Drink (the URL to his original post can be found below). Dan dominated his blog post by highlighting how annoying the repetitive advertising of this energy drink could be. Dan comments that he not only “can’t stand watching the same ads all the time”, but also “believe[s] that this almost always negatively affects the company advertised.” With all due respect, I would like to dig deeper and highlight the true motive of Cheetah Power Surge.
AI Laugtenslager illustrates on his Marketing Tactics blog how after advertising once, many companies are not delivered business. Take for example the following three dialogues that Lautsenslager highlights:
“I did a mailing once and never got any business.”
“I sent a press release once and never got published in the newspaper.”
“I attended a chamber of commerce meeting once and never g
ot any business from it.”
What do these all have in common? Laugenslager first highlights that these are realistic sayings by many high positioned CEOs and entrepreneurs – but moreover, all of these quotations possess the word “once.” Doing something once is an event, but doing it over and over again is a process. Marketing is not an event; it’s a process – something where it may be necessary to do over and over again “to achieve results.”
Tying back to Dan’s opinion, if Cheetah Power Surge marketed as an “event” then they would have not but one advertisement. However, in taking a “process” route, they were able to repeat themselves enough that it got into people’s heads. To hit the nail on the head, Cheetah furthermore provides the most utterly generic and stupid commercials that anyone will remember whether they want to or not. In having repetitive and unorthodox commercials, the marketing gets done and delivers the message into the consumers mind. All in all, the only reason my colleague decided to write about Cheetah is because the marketing broke into his mind.
Although Dan is frustrated with the Cheetah repetitive campaigns, many marketers suggest that this is only a stage for some. In other words, there will be a paradigm shift where frustration shifts to curiosity for the marketed product or service which could result in a purchase – the whole goal of marketing: pushing the consumer to the good. Perhaps Dan has not hit this point yet, but many others have for their products.
Take for example Buckleys cold medicine: “it tastes awful and it works.” This plain and repeated message has penetrated into my brain and the many brains of others resulting in curiosity of this products validity causing us to purchase and consume.
To harmonize everything, if you repeat something enough, it will get into people’s heads. Whether or not the consumer despises such reiteration, curiosity will soon override and result in the translation of person to consumer.
Dan’s Blog Post: https://blogs.ubc.ca/danneufeld/2012/01/10/commercial-overplay-cheetah-power-surge/
AI Laugtenslager: http://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/marketing/marketing-tactics/the-power-of-repetitive-marketing/
General Further Insight: http://www.anniedeladolce.com/2011/04/hornets.html
I like that though you didn’t necessarily agree with your classmates, you disagreed in a respectful way with valid points. Even looking at the Buckley’s commercial, its refreshing to see a company not just highlight its benefits like most would, but also include a minor drawback that many would consider a fair tradeoff for the products effect.