Honesty Theory

When you were a kid did your parents ever tell you that honesty was the best policy? Did you ever believe it? As a kid, I always tried to be honest, but there are times when a white lie may do more good than the truth. "Wow, that top looks amazing!" "My dog ate the homework" (I am sure people have used that one!) As I have gotten older, however, I realize that honesty is a powerful mechanism for reaching people. Honesty can change the world.

I have a theory that for every one truth that is told, two good things can happen. The extent of the 'good things' can range from saving a friend from making a terrible decision to just feeling a little better about yourself. Yes, it is possible that honesty can also bring anger, frustration, and discomfort, but I guarantee that it will never bring regret. How can someone regret telling the truth? If you do something bad, then it is not telling the truth that is regretful, but the act itself- the truth just makes you realize this. What is crazy is that people don't always trust someone who is being honest because it is almost out of the ordinary. What is also crazy is that so many industries that we rely on for information and products have forgotten what it means to be honest.

Let me ask you a question, when was the last time you trusted an ad?  Sometimes when I see an ad I feel lied to, without even trying a product. In truth, that is what interests me about advertising - I can see through the haze, but not all consumers can. Companies and firms are responsible for telling consumers the truth, but more often than not the truth is listed in fine print. I think that advertising that tells the truth is more powerful than advertising filled with fluff. I want to know everything about a product: good, bad, unique, troublesome - whatever there is to know. I am not saying that honesty comes at the expense of creativity, rather I feel that both work in tandem.

I think advertising can be honest because I have seen it. I respect any company whose advertising reflects the good and the bad, and I'm not just talking about television ads, but all mediums. I want to work in advertising because I see what the power honesty can do to the industry. I want to create ads that reach people and influence them. Yes, features are important, but creativity and honesty can do more than any traditional approach. I want to be there to see that happen. Think of all the good that one honest ad could bring: trust, credibility, closeness, and even increased revenue. Consumers like and respect brands that don't try to hide anything. Consumers want the truth, and they deserve it.

I ask anyone, anywhere to pledge that they will let honesty guide them and that they try to see how honesty can really influence the world. I am not asking people to tell the truth all the time, because honestly, that is not realistic. I really just hope that people can see how honesty is a powerful mechanism for change and that though it may not be the easiest path, it is the brightest.

Creative Liberty

The day after the Super Bowl was a day filled with endless criticism - and I am not talking about the game. Super Bowl commercials have become an event that sparks discussion and elicits anticipation. This year, many of the Super Bowl ads were disappointing, but there were a few that really made an impact. One ad that really stood out was the "It's halftime America" advertisement.

When evaluating this ad on a scale of effectiveness, one can see that it was relevant, powerful, emotional, sticky, and unique. Many people, however, had a negative view of this ad because it was seen as 'politically founded.' After hearing that, I wondered, what is wrong with that? The ad was developed to make a point and, guess what, it made that point. It is true that the world is converging, and that global culture is more realistic every day, but in truth, regardless of how the world changes, people will stay the same. This may seem like an interesting concept, but it is true. People hold onto their cultural values and even though we, as humans, may desire to all have iphones, or computers, or the next Harry Potter book, the way those items sit in our culture is vastly different than anywhere else in the world.

So what is wrong with a political message? It is halftime in America, and in all honesty, bringing some production back to America or highlighting the fact that American made is not only patriotic, but inspirational, it a powerful medium. Personally, I loved that ad, because for once a company wasn't saying "hey look at my product, aren't we great," but rather was bringing a sense of Americanism back to a country that has been lost in the fray. Americans are losing their sense of togetherness and with the upcoming election, we are more divided than ever. It is time that we remember our roots and that we stop criticizing ever little element and rather look at the bigger picture and discover that there is more to the world than our convoluted sense of self.

The most depressing part about all of this, is that it took a car ad to ignite conversation and make people really think about the world today.

The Meaning of Life

I have seen this ad a few times and every time I see it I giggle because I am constantly surprised by how clever it is.



This ad works because it shocks people. It starts out the same. The music, the emotion, the photos, the wife's description - and then something happens. The husband appears out of the back room and all of a sudden your perception of what will happen is disrupted. You get a surprise out of the ad - and that is what makes it so effective. It challenges what consumers believe will happen by presenting the norm in an interesting way and in so doing lightens up the mood.

In my experience, the majority of State Farm ads are very entertaining. They do a good job of presenting information in a clever way and for once, I have few complaints!

"Really Permanent"

I saw this advertisement the other day and I thought that it was really clever.



What I was particularly intrigued about, were the cultural elements that really reflect how certain societies view what products can do. I was thinking about the tablet presentations, and how each group created a tablet that was culturally relevant to the country they were assigned. The tablet was presented in a way that made sense to the culture, and interestingly, this marker was presented in the same fashion. What is fascinating, is that the product, a permanent marker, is such a basic product, but the ad really made it stand out by incorporating its purpose in a really interesting way. The marker saved a life, who knew that a marker could do that? The ad is extremely clever and uses a tradition in a brilliant and memorable way. In all, I think the ad was effective in getting across the point of "really, really permanent," even though the product was not even at the center of the ad.

Is Walmart Worthy??

I have seen this advertisement a few times and every time I see it the ad gives me goosebumps, makes me smile, and brings tears to my eyes all at the same time.




Every time I see this ad, I get the same reaction and I really wondered why that happened. I knew this was a good and effective ad because it was real and relate-able and emotional, but I really thought that there had to be something more as well. In order to find out what that 'more' was I decided to rate the ad on its stickiness factor:
Simplicity: Very straightforward and easy to follow
Unexpectedness: The mother showing up at the end, the 'reveal' that the mother was a soldier
Credibility: The U.S. soldier, it was a way to say thank you
Concreteness: Well developed beginning, middle, and end
Emotions: ummmm...YES! Happiness, sadness, hope
Stories: Beautifully told story with a pleasant end. It pulls you in and you need to see the whole thing.
This ad, based on the factor, is remarkably sticky and I can't forget it. I am so moved by this ad, but every time I see it I wonder if Walmart is worthy of it. Walmart is about saving money and living a better life, but I don't know if the power that is found in this ad is equivalent to the feelings I have about Walmart. Personally, I think that Target would be better suited for this ad because Target, to me, links to the same emotions and has the same power. Regardless, this put Walmart in a more favorable light because I am not getting bombarded with Walmart deals, but rather, they spent the money to thank the troops. I respect Walmart for that because the troops need to be supported and I think this ad reminds people of all they sacrifice in both a lite and moving way. I love this ad, but I still wonder: Is Walmart worthy?