Cognitive Learning Theory

I am constantly impressed by makeup commercials on TV. They make every face look flawless, every lash longer and ever lip perfectly voluptuous. As a young girl I truly believed that these products would make me look exactly like the models on TV or in my Teen Vogue magazine. As I have grown up I have realized that nearly every claim they make is more often than not false. My hair will never glisten with shimmery gold flakes in the sun as I frolic through a field of grass and my lips will never plump overnight to compete with Angelina Jolie. If we know that these claims are false why do we still buy?

Simple- consumers believe at the core that the product will fundamentally improve some aspect of life. These types of advertisements are generally for personal grooming, low involvement products like shampoo, body wash and makeup. We known that 'Mascara X' will not lengthen our lashes but our minds find some small bit of believability in the claim.

Here is a prime example of such advertising: 

I have indeed purchased this mascara and my eyelashes looked nothing like the commercial's promises. The part that makes me laugh is the line "no false lashes needed"- i disagree! Every single model in this commercial had false eyelashes. However, when I was sitting in the makeup isle at Target I thought of this commercial and decided to give the product a try for $5. In the end Maybelline is looking to drive sales and incremental growth. Success for Maybelline? I'd say so.

Another company that uses this cognitive learning theory is Axe:

With their tagline "Loose the flakes, get the girls", this ad appeals to that fundamental will to improve ones life. The message: girls don't like boys with dandruff so use this shampoo and get the pretty girls. You may watch this ad and laugh, however Axe has had great success with their advertising campaigns because they stick and appeal to that basic need with the very slightest seed of believability.

Pinterest Marketing Campaigns

Some say that Pinterest may be the next social media giant. Many companies are using Pinterest to launch innovative and creative campaigns in an effort to exploit the potential of the social media platform. Fashion brand Guess has launched an interesting campaign called "Color Me Inspired" via Pinterest. In March, Guess challenged its fans to create pin boards based on their four spring colors- "Noir Teal,” “Hot House Orange,” “Red Hot Overdue” and “New Plum Light.” Four winners were selected by a board of celebrity fashion bloggers.  

This is a very creative way to engage consumers with the Guess brand. We will likely be seeing lots more of this in the future!

Rock 'N Roll Tequila

According to MarketLine, the alcohol industry is expected to hit $1 trillion in sales by 2014. Almost 40% of the world's alcohol consumption involves brands operating at an international level with strong brand recognition. Consequently the alcohol industry is very difficult to enter. Companies must think up creative ways to set their new products apart.

I love the marketing idea used by Rock 'N Roll imports, a company from Northern California. They produce three flavors of tequila: Classic Blanco, Coffee and Mango. The company leveraged an interesting packaging concept to incorporate trial among tequila consumers.








 

Not only does this product come in a guitar shaped glass bottle that would clearly stand out on any liquor store shelf, but it offers a 1.5ounce shot of another flavor on top to encourage trial. With such unique flavors I think that this idea is genius! What better way to seed trial than to offer a free sample with the purchase?

McMarketing: Creative Campaigns of the Golden Arches

Savvy companies are constantly on the hunt for creative ways to break through the clutter of advertising consumers are bombarded with on a daily basis. According to Nielson data, the average US adult is exposed to roughly 1,600 advertising messages per day by way of TV, radio, internet, print or other assorted outlets. For a company with a pretty pedestrian list of offerings, fast food giant McDonalds sure knows how to cut through all of the noise and reach consumers with unique and creative messages. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. In Warsaw Poland, McDonalds integrated their menu into a train station's timetable. While checking the time remaining until the next train arrived, travelers could also see how many McDonalds products they could consume in that period of time.

2. In New Zealand, McDonalds had a limited-time offer product called Shaker Fries- the original McDonalds recipe with added seasoning sprinkled on top. To increase product awareness, McDonalds added vibrating rumble strips that would shake the car as the consumer went through the drive-thru. Talk about getting attention!

3. McDonalds teamed up with partner Coca-Cola for this clever production- regular Coke product was advertised on the stairs and Diet Coke was advertised on the escalator. During busy commute times people may not pick up on the humor, however a clever idea regardless!

4. Nebraskans had the opportunity to get a free McDonalds coffee voucher if they could successfully navigate this 42-acre, 90 minute corn maze. The only downside to this advertisement is that the creative maze artwork was only visible to birds, planes, skydivers and the like.

5. To advertise the franchises open 24-hours, McDonalds put up this reflective billboard that was only visible as cars drove by at night. Although the advertisement is blank and consequently useless during the day, it successfully drives customers at night. Since McDonalds is not usually a dining destination people make plans to frequent late at night, this advertisement works to drive incremental sales from those customers with the late-night food cravings on the road.