Simple Solutions: Ads That Are More Than Marketing

7/7/2013

Thank you to everyone who came out to the INDEVOURS Family Festival yesterday - we had a lot of fun and I hope you did too!

I haven't shared advertisements with you in a while, and have found a few really innovative and unique ones to share.

All three of these are 'active' advertisements, in that I feel they are trying to create a change or make a difference in the way we approach life.

First up is a more humorous ad - one produced by Adobe, promoting their computer program Photoshop.

Funny, huh? The reactions of the people being pranked are wonderful, and the advocacy for creativity is great!

Next up is a more serious and similarly technologically advanced advertisement. The Anar Foundation, a foundation combatting child abuse created an ad that looks different to adults than it does to children. They use this medium to provide children with a phone number to call if they need help, and remind adults of the gravity of the situation.

I think this is a powerful use of the technology and an excellent advertisement.

And lastly, a functionally creative series of ads by IBM.

What do you think of these ads? Do you feel that they are effective in building brand recognition and loyalty? Do they achieve the goals that the companies set out to complete? Let me know in the comment section!

12 Comments

Jordan Vetter link

7/7/2013 12:12:45 am

Those are so neat!! The second one is extremely powerful. I particularly like how even the tagline visible to adults is hinting at what the ad itself is doing.
However, it may just be that we find this effective because we have the ad explained to us with both points of view and their rationale. I wonder if children realize they are the only ones that can see the one image or that adults see it differently, and if, like the video mentions, they will still be willing to call the number even if they see the sign when walking with their aggressor, because they may assume their aggressor sees what they see. In any case, at least the message is getting out to a variety of audiences.

Danielle Ryan link

10/7/2013 09:39:47 am

I agree with Jordan about the second ad. Although I think that it is really cool how the ad is different for people of different heights, I feel as though many children may still be afraid to contact the number because as Jordan said, they will assume their aggressor sees the same thing. Do you think their could be any adjustments made to help address this potential issue? Nonetheless I think that it is an incredibly creative and cutting-edge idea.

On another note I also think the IBM ads are super cool and reflective of their brand

Katiana link

13/7/2013 12:36:18 pm

Thanks for chiming in Danielle! I think an easy adjustment would be a simple add-on to the message saying that only the child could see it (i.e. secret message for you) or something similar. Perceptive children may realize that the adult with them is not reading the words on their eye level, and may figure it out that way as well.
I also think the IBM ones are amazing!

13/7/2013 12:34:06 pm

Good point Jordan - I did some searching and haven't found anything indicating whether the child knows the aggressor cannot see the number. However, it does simply say 'if you need help, call us ...', which may still provide the child with the resources to choose to take an action.

Eric Moreau

8/7/2013 05:57:02 am

I absolutely LOVE the IBM ones. I'm more likely to remember them as doing nice and helpful things for the community, and the bold colours make them seem like a "bold" company as well.

13/7/2013 12:38:48 pm

Hi Eric! Thanks for visiting! I agree with you - in fact, my estimation of the company increased after seeing these ads - the simple act of contributing in a valuable way to the community is a dramatic way to build a brand and value. Interesting note of the colours - I didn't really analyze that, myself, but now that you point it out, I think the colour choice adds to the feel of it being innovative and new.

Darrelle link

10/7/2013 07:46:35 am

I really like the IBM ones. I think because they can be used, people are more likely to notice them. I know most normal ads I don't even notice because they're everywhere so I look through them but these ones stand out

Caileigh link

10/7/2013 09:22:20 am

I agree with Darrelle and Eric! The IBM ads stand out because they can be provide some use to the surrounding community, and they happen to be quite attractive as well. However, the thing that really struck me was that they smart, just like they claimed to be. These creative and thoughtful solutions to everyday needs embedded in ads could certainly lead me to believe that the company is innovative as well.

13/7/2013 12:41:42 pm

Very true, Caileigh. They do live up to their written advertising, which is often not the case with ads.

13/7/2013 12:40:04 pm

Good point, Darrelle - I am often surprised at how much I can tune out now in the constant buzz of advertisements, and these would definitely stand out from the crowd.

lorenemv link

15/7/2013 04:45:04 am

I found the ad by the Anar Foundation really interesting- It's an interesting concept but I wonder if it's enough to really get children to call in. Parental abuse is so complex and the key to it, and any sort of abuse, is the control factor the aggressor has especially when dealing with children. I thought the tagline for the adults was clever through, as it subtly contains a warning for the parents.

15/7/2013 06:21:10 am

Yes, I think as discussed above, that the child portion of the ad may not be as effective as hoped for. I do agree with you that the adults tagline was interesting - I liked that there are no bruises on the child's face for the adults, as that is the typical form of anti-abuse ads, and often, abuse is not visible.

Simple Solutions: Ads That Are More Than Marketing

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