Getting to the heart of emotional campaigns

In his book Why Does the Pedlar Sing, Paul Feldwick writes “If a brand comes to mind, it’s a good choice (Fame). If a brand feels good, it’s a good choice (Feeling). If a brand is recognizable, it’s a good choice (Fluency).”

Building fame, feeling and fluency. Or mental availability and distinctiveness, if you prefer. That’s how you drive long-term profitability and growth.

Yet nearly 50% of B2C ads and 78% of B2B ads have no emotional impact whatsoever. Dull ads waste billions of dollars. Because the only way to build fame, feeling and fluency with a dull ad is to spend a whole lot more on media.

But that doesn’t mean a good ad has to shout. There are other ways to draw people in.

Let’s take a look at this ad for Cheerios. It’s quietly quite powerful.

Here’s why “Cheerios with Heart” works:

It’s a TV spot. Television, OOH and radio ads are incredibly effective at driving long-term growth. The medium is a big part of the message.

Adapted from The Long and the Short of It, Les Binet and Peter Field

The entire ad is beautifully coded. We see all the Distinctive Brand Assets — the packaging, the logo, the colors, the font, the Os (and hearts) themselves. Even better, the sets, wardrobe and lighting in each scene match the different varieties of Cheerios.

For example, the girl in the first scene is dressed in yellow. Her sippy cup (peeking out behind the classic Cheerios box) is yellow. The light coming through the window is golden. The drawing on the fridge features yellow and General Mills blue. It all ties together.

It could’ve been cartoon-y. Instead, each world feels lived in and real.

Cheerios is not the star of the show. People are. The ad is made entirely of sweet, everyday, human moments — a dad and his very young daughter, a young woman and her proud, excited mom, a busy family getting ready for the day, a kid hanging out with his big brother, an older couple.

We don’t get wall-to-wall voiceover explaining features and benefits at us. Instead, right at the very end, we hear, “Help take care of your heart … for the ones who have yours.” That’s lovely. It also reinforces their category entry point as a heart-healthy cereal.

The ad appeals to the right hemisphere of the brain. We’ll unpack this a bit more in a future Dispatch or two (or three). For now, however …

Every scene has a clear sense of place. The scenes unfold naturally with room to breathe. The music has a melody. Characters interact with each other — smiles, hugs, glances, laughter, a playful nudge, a hand on a shoulder, a kiss on the head.

All of these features are associated with greater attention and greater emotion. In other words, the ad has a better chance of drawing us in and leaving us feeling good about the brand.

And that’s precisely what you want. Because emotional campaigns are better at driving sales, growing market share, reducing price sensitivity (very important) and reaching new potential customers. They’re simply more effective over time.

Adapted from The Long and the Short of It, Les Binet and Peter Field

“Cheerios with Heart” is driven by the relationships between people who love each other, care for each other and the small role that Cheerios plays in their lives. It’s humble. It’s quiet. It’s beautifully done.

It’s definitely not a fame ad, and it doesn’t have to be. Cheerios has spent the past 80 years building a strong brand, and they’re about as famous as cereal is gonna get.

But if all the Cheerios in the world disappeared tomorrow, you’d simply find another cereal. And you might not think about Cheerios ever again. 

That’s why category leaders relentlessly build and maintain an emotional connection between their brand and the audience. They have a lot to lose.

Challenger brands have a lot to gain.

Next week we’ll talk about a category leader that kind of disappeared overnight. Sort of. A bit. It cost them billions.

See you then.

Sources!

The 10 Largest Cereal Brands In The United States - Zippia

Why Does the Pedlar Sing, Paul Feldwick

The Long and the Short of It, Les Binet and Peter Field

Look out, Orlando Wood