The Anatomy of A Great Ad

Mark Bilfield comments in Brand Channel on the components of a great advertisement and cites a recent example from Chrysler:

"While most TV spots are relegated to 30 or 60 seconds, it is quite rare to have the time and budget to tell a poignant story while simultaneously “breaking through the clutter”.

One of the reasons why some ads may be more effective than others has to do with the audience who views the ad. Is the person in the market for the product or service being sold? On one hand it shouldn’t matter. If the idea is big enough and it is executed well, it will likely get a response from those who may be influenced to consider the product later.

The key components of a successful TV spot should include:


•1. Does the advertising educate or entertain the customer in a unique way to be memorable?
•2. Does the medium persuade the viewer that the product or service is the best choice?
•3. Is the product or service going to make me a better person or make my life easier/more productive?
•4. Does the advertising tell me where to get more information to purchase your product? (Is there a clear call to action?)
I have always believed that “the consumer is King”. The past few years have re-defined and elevated this notion, due in great part to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. As marketers we can develop the best possible communications, yet we have no real control of where and when a consumer chooses to receive the messages we create or in what order; TV, print, web, social, or is it the other way around? When I see a TV spot, I also want to see the idea leveraged in a variety of media as this is an integral part of branding as well as the retail and advertising marketing environment.

When analyzing an ad or ad campaign, I certainly understand the need to interrupt, engage/ entertain and persuade. One of my criticisms is that part of the purpose of the TV spots is to persuade someone to take action. With so much freedom, to create a great spot I was disappointed that they didn’t allocate more emphasis to the phone number or web address. By doing so, the consumer can actually make a decision to visit the web, call right now or go to a social media site. Although this might be considered heresy in certain creative circles, I believe that we must not forget the true purpose of an ad from its inception as a creative vehicle that when successful is to result in the viewer doing something, feeling something, or going somewhere. In the 10 TED ads I veiwed recently, there was a total of about 50 seconds (most ads allocated about 2-4 seconds) devoted to a website address vs. about 30 minutes total of story. Is that really the right proportion of time for someone to act? And, if I do go to the web or a Facebook page, shouldn’t I see the continuity of the idea, just in a different media format?

From a “consumer’s” perspective of the TV spot as well as whether the idea could have been more integrated, I have broken down the line-up to highlight the use of the most effective elements.

Chrysler 200

This is an American Auto Industry ad as much as it is an ad for the new Chrysler. From an emotional perspective, it touches you and gives you a reason to believe that America is back and that Motor City, Detroit should not be ignored; especially when you really don’t know much about the soul of the city. The ad inspired me to believe that Chrysler can build a luxury product that we can all be proud to own.

Using Eminem as the Voiceover presenter is brilliant. We have previously known Eminem as a one of the best Rap Artists. Now we have an opportunity to know Eminem as an Ambassador to Detroit with genuine “Street Cred”. Therefore, the TV spot works from many perspectives.
Going to the website, the look and feel is there. If I never saw the TV spot, I think, nice site. Nice car. However, it’s just another car and another car company with product info and testimonials. What if I saw the TV spot first before going to the website? The first picture I see is the Chrysler 200 in front of Disney Hall. After becoming emotionally connected to Detroit and Chrysler through the TV spot, I would have expected that the backdrop be in a location in Detroit vs. in LA. There was no Eminem to be found either. I missed the leveraging of the idea on the website.

Exploring the site a bit more, I went to the Social & Media section of the site and clicked on the first article discussing provocative designs. There I learned about “the American style - along with Lancia vehicles (for Lancia brand information visit www.lanciapress.com). For the first time the two brands are displayed in one exhibition area designed to move away from more traditional motor show stand, favoring a symbolic representation of the future convergence of both brands.” This was disappointing in that I wanted to continue with hearing about the story of how the car and company is making a comeback in Detroit.

The TV spot was great from an emotional and sales perspective. It persuaded me to consider a Chrysler if I were in the market for a new car. The connection fell off a bit since I was set up to expect more and was not completely satisfied. All of a sudden, I felt the commercial message coming through vs. the emotional hook. For me, the campaign was not as fully integrated as it could have been