So what does a Bug have to do with advertising?
In 1959, Doyle, Dane, Bernbach (DDB) created the ad campaign that would forever change advertising. It was ranked as the best advertising campaign of the 20th Century by Ad Age and ... most importantly ... it was insanely successful in boosting sales and building a lifetime of brand loyalty.
The Volkswagen ad campaign - featuring the headlines “Lemon” and “Think small” (both used to describe the appearance of the car) - ushered in the era of modern advertising.
In a post-war America where Detroit was focused on big, family-sized or muscle cars and advertising was straight-forward and obvious, VW and DDB broke all the rules.
Why was this campaign so revolutionary and how can these 1959 concepts work for you?
- Differentiation: Certainly the bug was radically different than anything else on the road in '59 (and still is), but the ads stood out too. In this era, ads were all about the "hero shot," the product being used by happy people. The ads also filled the page with the rationale of, "We're paying for the page, so we're going to use every last bit." The Beetle ads still had the product as hero, but focused on black and white photos and white space to drive home the simplicity of the vehicle. A technique of deliberate understatement.
Pick up most any bank or credit union ad or watch a few on TV. Let's be honest with ourselves, in most cases, you can swap the logos and the ads are pretty much interchangeable. Make a point of having your ads stand out in the crowd.
- Don't Be Obvious: "Lemon." is a car that breaks down. "Think small." goes against the grain of what we see as a positive message - especially in '59! The headlines grabbed the reader's attention in an unexpected way and forced them to engage with the copy - where the true benefits were revealed.
In 1959, this was revolutionary. In 2012, in the banking world, it would be too. So many financial ads today focus on rate and "free" and everything that's important to US. Few messages focus on real benefits that effect consumer's lives. Don't be obvious. Don't write a "bank ad." Create something that will touch the consumer and get them to take notice.
Even though everything has evolved in the last 53 years, we can still learn a lot from the ad pioneers. If you're ever stuck in a creative rut, crack open a book of old ads and see what you can bring back.
Take care and have a great week. Now I need to get outta here and jump in the convertible!
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