What Kind of Advertising Works on You?
Image by Marcin Wichary from Flickr used under Creative Commons
Admit it. Sometimes an advertisement catches your attention.
That’s just one step away from buying the product. So, it’s kind of a big deal.
We’re constantly inundated with advertising–on the TV, on the interwebs, in the car, walking on the street, in print. Everywhere.
And it’s only going to get worse.
The great promise of social network data is that it will allow targeted advertising. Update your Facebook status or tweet something seemingly harmless like “watching leverage, filmed in beautiful portland, oregon”, and advertisers salivate.
Why?
Because you’re helping them model your behavior, and incidentally, so are your friends, by communicating with you.
Sure, this hasn’t panned out quite like they drew it up in the locker room, but still, that’s the end game.
Until then, let’s ponder the ads that work.
What medium is most likely to get your attention?
For me, it’s radio.I listen to the radio in the car. Yeah, I know I could listen to recorded stuff like my iPod, but usually, I’m in the car for a short trip. Bringing along music always feels like work to me. Plus, I usually listen to the same station, even to the commercials. I’m too easily frustrated to bother channel surfing.
And, I’m driving the car and all.
So, I’m the perfect captive audience. Alone with my thoughts and the advertisers. Scary, no?
Some of that stuff gets drilled into your head, e.g. the Shane Company spots. I still expect Tom Shane to mention his stores in Cupertino, Novato and Walnut Creek because I heard those ads so many times communicating to Oracle HQ when I lived in the Bay Area.
I can’t even tell you definitively where they are in Portland, but I can tell you their website URL because those memories will never, ever leave my head. Wow, I wish I could defrag stuff like that.
The other main media for advertising (web, street, billboards, TV, print) don’t work as well on me because I’m good at ignoring them. Last night, forced to watch commercials because TiVo had nothing worth watching (just the wife’s programs, ugh), I got bored during the ads and started playing Flight Control.
So, where are you most susceptible to ads?
Let us know in comments. I promise not to sell your information to anyone 