tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13240422.post3435156659010269805..comments2008-05-20T20:15:04.580-07:00Comments on Advertising to Baby Boomers: Information vs. EmotionChuck Nyrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13539862537795531614noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13240422.post-9884915814997631182007-01-18T13:31:00.000-08:002007-01-18T13:31:00.000-08:00Mattie my boy,
How did you know that I put up thi...Mattie my boy,<br /><br />How did you know that I put up this post just to annoy you?<br /><br />Actually, we're not as far apart on this subject as you might think. As I said, we're talking about toothpaste. I think Boomers are beyond the 'make your smile seduce whoever' or 'cure your bad breath' type of emotional advertising for toothpaste. Those two qualities were important to Boomers twenty or thirty years ago. Now, I think most just want to keep their teeth and make sure that they stay healthy. Sure, cosmetic dentistry is the rage - but you still have to brush those teeth. Why not brush them with something 'fact-based.'<br /><br />With Boomers, the only emotional factor for toothpaste would involve scare tactics: "Brush with Apex or your gums will rot and your teeth will fall out." I don't think that type of negative messaging resonates.<br /><br />And this fact-based campaign is incredibly successful. See if you can get to this article in Brandweek:<br />http://www.brandweek.com/bw/magazine/current/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003286425<br /><br />Is the campaign successful with Boomers? Who knows. However, as we do know, the powers-that-be probably don't care. That's why we do what we do.<br /><br />Advertising philosophies/techniques are cyclical. I think the success of this campaign is simply because it's so simple, so fact-based, so minimal. It's definitely a throwback to the 1950s. It actually shocks you and 'cuts through the clutter' by being so unemotional, so stark, so uncreative… You're right. All they're doing is product advertising. That's all you should do at this point. You can't create a brand out of thin air. I rail about that all the time. If the product catches on - then you do some research, figure out why people like or love it -- and do some branding.<br /><br />And as far as creativity - you know my evangelical spiel. If mental institutions admitted the right nutcases, I'd have no problem letting them run wild in the asylum…Chuck Nyrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13539862537795531614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13240422.post-14239083437251750722007-01-17T17:10:00.000-08:002007-01-17T17:10:00.000-08:00Chuckles:
Can't say I agree with you on the whole...Chuckles:<br /><br />Can't say I agree with you on the whole "just the facts, m'am" thing for Boomers. Especially older Boomers.<br /><br />Our friend David Wolfe makes a pretty compelling case in <i>Ageless Marketing</i> that older consumers buy based on gut feelings and not the facts.<br /><br />Lawyers will tell you that juries convict based on the story they tell, not the facts they present.<br /><br />So you won't get me jumping onto your facts bandwagon. Besides, I'd argue that Creat ProHealth is simply doing product advertising and not doing much in terms of brand advertising -- that is, making a connection with me, the reader.<br /><br />Just another way of looking at it.<br /><br />MattAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com