In an attempt to be creative, big-shot ad agencies often try to create ad campaigns that present a product in a fresh, bold, and innovative way. Fresh, bold, and new are good, but more often than not, this quest for innovation goes too far.
Take for example the not too distant Taco Bell campaign involving the loveable little Chihuahua. I must admit, I enjoyed these commercials. The dog was memorable, cute, charming (he was always picking up babes), and down right funny. One problem though. This campaign did a fantastic job of selling the dog. In fact, Taco Bell made a penny or two selling t-shirts, miniature dogs, and other Chihuahua paraphernalia, but they didn’t sell any more tacos. During the time frame that the campaign ran, Taco Bell’s market share, and sales didn’t budge. No increase.
The campaign was replaced with something more traditional. Something that focused on the product more. It was much more successful in terms of market share and sales. The new campaign, while it certainly didn’t create the buzz that the little dog created, it did make people’s tummies growl when they watched the commercials, and they responded by grabbing a taco.
In my hometown there is a very successful frozen custard business that has built it’s little empire on years and years of very effective radio commercials, a great product, and good service. They have also relied some on using billboard campaigns to attract hungry drivers wanting to satisfy their sweet tooth.
The most recent campaign is a creative one, but a mistake. It shows an empty custard cup and spoon with little spots of melted custard all over. The cup is tipped over on its side and the text of the billboard reads, “Oops Did You Want Some Too?” Very clever. Here’s the problem. The cup looks like something you would pull out of the trash. Seriously, every time I see the billboard I make a note to take out the trash when I get home. Yes, it did bring a smile to my face the first time or two that I read it, as I thought, “hmm, that’s clever.” But it has never once made me think, “man, I want some custard!”
While it may not be as creative, I would guarantee that a billboard that showed actual custard – uneaten and displayed in all of its frozen glory, would make people long for some desert. In fact, my mouth is watering just picturing the images of the custard.
Seeing the empty cup with melted sticky stuff on it, only makes me want to throw the cup in the trash – it doesn’t make me want custard.
I am not implying that you shouldn’t be creative. I’m not implying that you shouldn’t use a fictitious character in your ads (like the little Chihuahua). Aunt Jamima, Mrs. Butterworth, and Betty Crocker prove that fictitious characters can make a big impact on product sales. There is also the Pepperidge Farm bread man who delivered fresh bread with no preservatives via his horse-drawn bread carriage. This campaign was designed by David Ogilvy of Ogilvy and Mather and the campaign did a great jog of selling Pepperidge as “bread like it used to be.” This campaign was certainly not as amusing or entertaining as the Taco Bell dog, but it was very effective at selling bread. Which, in my humble opinion, is all that matters…
So, let me ask you, are you trying to sell the dog or the taco?