Being on holiday in the USA a month or so ago, meant watching more TV than I usually do when there on business. Something really struck me about the nature of US advertising that felt to me like it has got more pronounced, and has made the difference with UK advertising more pronounced than ever.In the UK, advertising (especially on TV) tends to be optimistic, positive, light-hearted and upbeat. There is a high emphasis on entertaining to sell. Ads tend to be funny, show slices of life and even tend towards story telling.USA ads seemed to be getting much more scary that I remember them. They seemed more problem / solution orientated. The alternative brands to those being advertised being positioned as being more risky, more flawed and even more dangerous. The ad breaks felt to be more full of threats and gloom. The ads make life seem so much more fraught. It seemed to be playing on fears is the dominant ad approach.
As I wrote this posting originally in the last few breaks I had seen on the TV:
· seen jealous boyfriends kick down a terrified woman’s door who was saved because of her security alarm.
· been warned about the dust left behind by feather dusters, and how my family could suffer allergies unless I switch to some other product
· been told if I have been taking a certain drug I could suffer tendon problems and should contact some lawyers to join suing the company
· been told that as I am ageing I am risking getting a heart attack and better start taking daily aspirin doses
· been told I should chose a line of diabetes monitoring products as they are designed and made in the USA, implying other countries cannot be trusted
I was wondering if it has always been so? Has the style of commercial that convinces American consumers to make brand choices based on creating fears and uncertainty reflecting the times the country is going through - so mirroring society?
The UK is by no means going through the most positive of times, but seems being copy is trying to be more cheerful and entertaining and focusing on the positives is the ad industry weapon of choice. Is this a cultural thing? Or just me over concluding?
1 comment:
Gary -
1. Fear has always sold well here. Think about how the Republican party has used this selling strategy so effectively through the years
2. Advertising is a social barometer. I definitely see a shift from high aspiration to more down to earth characters, and more pragmatic selling messages.
3. Aren't the Bayer Aspirin ads great??
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