OPEN 2

SELL ME SOMETHING
Ben Colman, Chief Executive Officer,
18 Feet & Rising
...
There are few purer tests of an advertising
professional’s talent than to create magic
out of a simple product truth. Bill Bernbach
threw down the glove in 1959 when he used
the humble product image of a Volkswagen,
underscored by the one-word headline
‘Lemon’ and word-perfect copy, to evoke
a truth about the compelling quality control
standards applied by the German car-maker
at the time. This now-classic ad is all about
the product. Adland has been chasing
such moments of simple genius ever since.
Or have they?
Over the decades, simple product-truthbased
advertising seemed to lose its place
in the sun and take a back seat as the industry
evolved. Through the 1970s brand image was
king, and The Marlboro Man rode ahead of the
pack. In the ‘80s and ‘90s the world chased
brand salience and emotional connection
as we all velcroed up our Nikes and were told
to ‘Just Do It.’ And more recently, through the
Noughties until today, the pursuit of brand
engagement through content, interaction and
data has become our guiding mantra.
Simple product-truth-based advertising
lost its cool factor in the creative departments
of agencies around the world. It never
disappeared completely but this style of
advertising certainly struggled for oxygen and
recognition for many years.
So, are product-centric advertisements
in the process of making a stunning comeback?
Perhaps. As ‘consumers’ redefine
themselves as ‘acquirers’ and take big steps
towards control of the advertising conversation
and transaction, many people seem less and
less interested in chatting with, or genuinely
engaging with, a whole host of brand categories
– “No, I don’t really want a social media
relationship with my shampoo.”
Today, people are almost in total control of the
dialogue and the choice to engage with brands
on their own terms. And many are choosing to
opt out of the game.
It is this shift in ground that seems
to be opening up fresh space for brands that
genuinely understand the simple role they play
in people’s lives and, importantly, are happy
to stay there rather than overreach. Now, more
than ever, there is great opportunity for brands
that genuinely know who they are and how
to express themselves – simply, clearly and
with confidence.
Bringing the product and its winning
features back into the limelight is hard for
many in the advertising industry to embrace,
as we have spent years chasing the Holy Grail
of ‘consumer insight’ to unlock wallets and
purses. The reality for many categories is
that ‘my research’ is usually as good as ‘your
research.’ It also seems to be the case that many
consumer-insight-driven ads leave you hanging
with a “So you understand me a little – so
what?” kind of feeling. History is littered with
such campaigns that forgot the product’s role
in the conversation.
The wonderful thing about advertisements
that stay grounded in a product truth is that
they rarely overstate the role the product plays
in our lives. They don’t over-promise and
therefore rarely stand at risk of overt rejection.
Ads that are a straight sell don’t reach too far
into your life and suggest you’ll be a better
lover, mother or provider.
Instead, product-truth ads invite the
reader, watcher or listener into a short moment
of empathy with the product through a great
demonstration or ‘wow’ piece of information
that evokes a quiet, “Hmm, you have my
attention, and I think I like you” response.
Great product-truth advertising briefly
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