Archive for April, 2012
Advertising & Inspiration
As Comm 296 comes to an end, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to finish the class than with the documentary Art & Copy. For me, this movie was all about advertising and inspiration, a perfect definition of what marketing accomplishes.
Back in January, during the first day of class I only understood the first part – advertising. The other aspect of connecting with people through their emotions, or leaving a lasting impression didn’t seem as vital. This course came together so logically, and the importance of marketing really shone through.
The documentary focused more on creative ways to advertise, and advertisements that catch people’s attention. I couldn’t help but notice Matthew Ho’s blog about Wes Welker and the “Butterfinger” advertising that was pursued after the Superbowl. It definitely caught people’s eyes and went viral. This is the kind of advertising George Lois was talking about in the documentary: it gets people talking, in some cases pisses people off, but most importantly, IT WORKS. He came out with the Tommy Hilfiger campaign “The 4 great American designers for men are”, which definitely stirred the pot in the fashion industry at the time, but in the end it paid off and now Tommy Hilfiger is an international fashion icon.
- Taken from Matthew Ho’s Blog
What I have taken away from this documentary is that controversial advertisements are huge risks. If you offend people they will not support you, but if you introduce them to something new, something creative, something personal, and something inspirational, your efforts will result in success. The best marketing tactics out there offer something people can relate and connect with, allowing people to recognize specific emotions with specific brands.
That’s what marketing is all about- the consumer. The advertising shouldn’t be made to suit the product, it should be made to suit the customer, and that’s what I had failed to understand at the beginning of this course.
