Shock Advertising - Essay Example

Shock Advertising: Critical Report YOUR FULL THE OF YOUR SCHOOL OR Shock Advertising: Critical Report Thisreport will provide a critical review of one aspect of effective advertising that is growing exponentially; shock advertising. This form of commercial is unique in that it uses some unusual element, whether humorous or offensive or interesting, to capture the attention of the potential customers. In the first section, I will evaluate the question of what makes shock advertising effective as a conceptual application by illustrating four independent campaigns which use the method to gain market share. Following next will be a literature review of secondary and theoretical material that focuses on the use and efficacy of such methods to achieve the ultimate goal of any advertising; market response. Finally, I will provide a case study from the Barnardo's children's rights charity which recently stirred significant controversy because of its use of disturbing images of children to highlight the issue of poverty in the UK. As a result of the research and analysis involved with this project, I can directly state that shock advertising is effective because it gets noticed. Barnardo's use of graphic images of a newborn infant with a cockroach coming out of its mouth, though dramatically controversial and visually repugnant, is nevertheless an effective tool for provoking a response to the pressing issue of poverty. The people who see this ad will not forget it. CRITICAL REVIEW: WHAT MAKES SHOCK ADVERTISING EFFECTIVE As discussed in the literature review section of this report, there is some contention about the social responsibility and methodology of organizations that engage in shock advertising. Those ethical concerns notwithstanding, the reason that many advertisers are using the technique is because it can be extremely effective if done properly. There are a significant number of concepts, angles and strategies related to the presentation of this form of advertising, four of which will be considered here. Humor. From the beginning of mass media advertising, humor has been known to be a key component of moving the marketplace toward a particular product. Shock advertisers simply take this concept to a new level by elevating one or two aspects of a situation to ridiculous proportions; and the result can be very sophisticated or very base. For example, consider the highly-competitive credit card market in the US. One of the high- profile advertisers is Capital One, a "diversified financial services company offering a broad array of credit, savings and loan products" to many nations (Capital One, 2006, p. 1). In their "What's in Your Wallet" campaign, they use humor to convey their message of product superiority in interest rate charges or reward points. In one of the latest ads, touting the benefits of the organization's reward points, a family of four is shown bundled up in their coats, gloves, and hats, riding a ski lift to the top of the mountain. The father makes a comment about the inconvenience of his credit card company's policy towards the use of reward points, and the family proceeds to exit the ski lift onto a summer landscape at the top of a rugged mountain. As the father and mother attempt to ski down the snow-less slope, they crash with significant violence. The teenage son turns to the camera and asks the key question. The message is clear: Capital One will allow its customers to use their reward points when it is convenient for them and not block out the dates that would be the most popular. The commercial is funny and memorable because of the shock value; skiing on dirt. The humorous connotation helps potential customers remember the product, and the company's campaign slogan becomes a cultural image. This is one of the most effective uses of humor in shock advertising. Juxtaposition. Another effective tool used by shock advertisers is the union of two disparate concepts to create a memorable conflict. The two elements are juxtaposed in such a way as to emphasize the advertiser's message. A brilliant example of this is the FedEx commercial involving the cave men. FedEx, based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA is the largest express delivery conglomeration in the world (FedEx, 2006, p. 1). In a recent feature ad, shown during the American Super Bowl-one of the most expensive advertising slots of the year due to the high numbers of viewers-a cave man delivered a package to a pterodactyl which was eaten by a dinosaur upon leaping into the sky. The downcast caveman returned to the cave to tell his superior (through a series of grunts and hand gestures) that the package was not delivered. He was promptly fired for not using FedEx which, of course, has not been invented yet. On his way out of the cave, he kicks at a small dinosaur that has gotten in his path and, no sooner than he begins to walk again, he is stomped by a huge dinosaur. FedEx's slogan then comes up on the screen, at the very same moment the shock of what has happened is registering on the viewers. FedEx's use of juxtaposition; be it ancient eras to showcase a modern service or the punitive nature of unintended consequences, effectively communicates its message of service superiority. Technology. Shock advertising has made tremendous use of technological advances in animation, videography, and graphic design. The blending of these technologies is made for the shock advertiser because it allows them to impress the audience with amazing sights while communicating the corporate message. Allstate Corporation is on of America's largest publicly-held insurance companies (Allstate, 2006, p. 1). In their most recent television advertising campaign, a car is approaching a stopped vehicle too fast. Viewers are shown, in slow motion, the driver recognizing his predicament, spilling his coffee, and hitting his brakes. While this is occurring, the narrator is standing on the side of the road talking about the safety features of cars in these modern times. The vehicle action completely stops while the narrator walks between the two vehicles. As soon as he gets to the sidewalk and turns around, the video is continued; at full speed. The car slams into the back of the other vehicle, the airbag deploys, the driver recovers. All while the narrator tells the audience about Allstate's policy of giving drivers a lower rate for each six month period that they don't have an accident. The intentional visual effect; shock of seeing the majority of the commercial in slow motion, then stop, then proceed at full speed, is very effective. It draws and focuses attention on the service, and it could not have been made without recent developments in video technology. Curiosity. Finally, shock advertising uses viewer curiosity to engage the mind and draw attention to the product. The legendary car manufacturing giant Toyota (Toyota, 2006, p. 1), is marketing its small SUV in the UK with one of the most shocking commercials to date. A couple is shown getting up and enduring a series of seemingly accidental mishaps as they rush about getting ready for work. Occasionally, each one glances out into the driveway to look at a vehicle parked there. It is only within the last few seconds of the commercial that the viewer realizes the couple has attempted to ambush each other to determine who will get to the car first and be allowed to drive. The viewer's curiosity is used to draw them into the setting, and the surprise value is complete upon realization that this is a vehicle advertisement. Toyota's statement about the car at the end is almost unnecessary. Through humor, juxtaposition, technology, and/or curiosity, these examples of shock advertising demonstrate the effectiveness of creatively grabbing the audience's attention. CRITICAL REVIEW: SECONDARY LITERATURE In secondary literature studies, the value of shock advertising is in dispute. While some find it effective and communicative of social values, others see it as having a negative impact in some cases, particularly if there is a distortion of truth. Overall, however, the reaction to the method seems to be positive. Four samples of writings and analysis are illustrated here. Shock advertising is effective. In Darren Dahl's article on the subject in the Journal of Advertising Research, he studies the idea of shock advertising as a combination of norm violation and surprise, resulting in memory association (Dahl, 2003, pp. 268-286). The central idea is that all people bring a certain set of expectations to what they watch and, when that expectation is violated, the person is surprised to the extent that they retain what they have seen. The resulting association makes the product memorable: The shock appeal investigated in this study was effective at encouraging subjects to remember advertising information and to engage in message-relevant behaviors. This article also makes an important contribution by conceptualizing shock as a combination of norm violation and surprise. This assists in the development of future research on shocking communications by providing a meaningful conceptual definition from which to work. (p. 275) By analyzing the idea of shock as a combination of expectation and the violation of that expectation, Dahl reinforces one of the key aspects of humor in general and shock advertising in particular. Jokes are set-ups for a punch line with humorous result, and people tend to remember the best ones so they can tell their friends. The same principle applies to shock advertising-it is memorable. Dahl concludes that this is appealing and effective in getting people to remember the product, and in causing a positive behavior toward the intent of the commercial. Shock advertising can be negative. In a study of consumer attitudes toward emotional appeals in the Journal of Advertising, researchers found that not all shock advertising is as effective as Dahl would believe. This study focused on negative emotions that might be generated as a result of the expectation/surprise dynamic, and the resulting consequences upon the audience. William Harris writes "...our results showed that when subjects were exposed to a negative emotional appeal, negative emotions had a significant but negative impact on attitudes toward the ad" (1996, p. 47). This indicates one of the frequent criticisms of the practice, namely that advertisers can overdo the shock and if the point of the advertisement is not kept in a positive light, the result can run counter to the advertiser's intent. Framing the process as "affect intensity," which speaks to the degree in which an individual was impacted by the ad, Harris noted that the "the experience of negative emotional arousal did not produce a favorable attitude toward the advertisement" (p. 47). The study stops short of criticizing all shock advertising, however, because the negativity of the emotional response was the key factor in terms of product behavior. He notes, finally, that "the data show that emotions mediated the influence of affect intensity on attitude toward the ad only when subjects were exposed to a positive emotional appeal" (p. 48). As noted within the case study of this paper, there are times when an advertiser wants to use shock as a negative motivator towards an issue rather than a product. In that case, the shock advertisement has the desired effect. Shock advertising and shared social values. In his book on advertising, John O'Shanghnessy includes comments on the effectiveness of advertising as it relates to trust, and the shared values of the audience with the advertiser. This is particularly true when the advertisement is addressing an issue rather than selling a product. The author takes the position that the advertiser will only be effective if the audience trusts them. Equating trust in the market with sincerity of the advertiser, O'Shanghnessy maintains that trust develops: when sellers/ advertisers are perceived as sincere with openness as if revealing all and a willingness to declare what one stands for (one of the reasons why some 'shock' ads have gained a loyal following is that they openly declare their values or where they stand). (2003, p. 6) As addressed in the case study herein, the idea of a shared value mitigates negative imagery if the audience understands and agrees with the advertiser's message. The audience's trust centers on the advertiser getting the facts straight. While "deceit involves manipulating the beliefs of the target audience, and may be successful with an audience ignorant of the true facts" (2003, p. 7), most issue-centered advertising is seeking to motivate the audience and cannot afford to mis-represent the matter at hand. Given the higher emotional engagement engendered by shock advertising, the positive or negative impact upon the audience will be magnified. Shock advertising is necessary. In a society where there are more advertisers entering the market daily, some maintain that shock advertising is the only way for advertisers to effectively communicate their message. The principle is one similar to being heard in a crowded and noisy pub; shouting is necessary to communicate. The advertising equivalent to shouting is the shock ad. In his book Visual Consumption, author Jonathan Schroeder points out that "the visual environment is so heavily saturated with images that advertisements have lost their rhetorical power, thus leading the advertising industry to develop shock ad campaigns in a desperate measure to gain consumer attention" (2002, p. 163). This is an intuitive conclusion given the fact that audiences are bombarded by visual images every day. Whereas simple and straightforward communication used to be sufficient, marketers in today's society cannot just show up with product information or an idea. People tend to focus on their own interests and the array of images and messages surrounding consumers become so much "white noise," never leaving a lasting impact on the individual. Shock ads are all about getting attention and leaving a durable impression so that consumers will take positive action. In this environment, the only way to get noticed is to visually grab the consumer through unique methods. Having reviewed some of the elements of shock ads, and various theories on their use, I will now focus on one organization that has caused significant controversy with the communication of its message. CASE STUDY: BARNARDO'S One of the UK's longest-operating children's charities, Barnardo's has chosen to employ a shock ad in an effort to elevate awareness of the plight of children in the UK. I believe that the use of such images in promoting a good cause is justifiable because people need to be shocked in order to react. The controversy surrounds a picture of a newborn infant with a cockroach coming out of its mouth. Because people don't come across such an image everyday, it's hard-hitting and very strong visual impact makes people stop and take a look. Barnardo's says of itself: Barnardo's works with the most vulnerable children and young people, helping them transform their lives and fulfill their potential. We are the UK's leading children's charity, supporting 120,000 children and their families through 370 services in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We believe that the lives of all children should be free from poverty...[and] use our expertise and knowledge to campaign for better care for children and to champion the rights of every child. (Barnardo's, 2006, p. 1) In its passion to motivate the general public on the issue of poverty's impact upon children, Barnardo's has taken shock advertising to an extremely high level. In fact, the photograph is more than disturbing; it is quite upsetting. This is intentional on the part of the organization in hopes that citizens will be motivated to help solve the problem. The charity uses some of the previously identified elements of shock advertising to get its point across. For example, the photograph is a startling juxtaposition. There are many children born in the UK with silver spoons in their mouth. Even the average middle class child is afforded clean accommodations and sufficient food. For the impoverished, however, this is not true. Poor children are not born with a silver spoon in their mouth-a symbol of wealth, privilege, and destiny: Poverty-stricken children are born with a cockroach in their mouth-a symbol of poverty, filth, and oppression. The juxtaposition of images may be disturbing, but the relationship is accurate. Where the spoon feeds, the roach disgusts. While some children prosper, there are many who do not. The public is not doing enough to address this issue, in Barnardo's view, and needs to be effectively motivated to take action. This is the very point of shock advertising and, while there have been more complaints about this ad than any other in the past year, the message is obviously getting through. Barnardo's also takes advantage of technology to make its statement. Obviously, a real newborn baby did not have its mouth stuffed with a cockroach so that the organization could shoot a picture. The photo of the baby was taken, and an image of a roach was manipulated very skillfully to give the impression that the picture was real. The use of this type of image technology has served the purposes of Barnardo's very well and there is no doubt that the organization will utilize the same sort of technology in the future. This is the power that technology gives to shock advertising; it allows the advertiser to communicate an image that would be unthinkable or impossible if it were real. The element of curiosity is also involved here. After the initial shock of seeing the image, an individual's next act is to try and figure out why the baby has a roach in its mouth. The engagement of both the emotional repulsion and the intellectual curiosity is intentionally calculated to impact the individual. Barnardo's wants people to react, think, and then take positive steps to alleviate the problem. While communicating an important issue, Barnardo's is also engaged in a more traditional effort of promoting its organization for the purposes of getting funding. It is a charity which accepts donations and endowments to help it meet the needs of impoverished children. There is a requirement that the organization heighten the awareness of the public so that it can offer itself as a vehicle to help solve that problem. In their review of child welfare in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, editors Lawrence and Starkey note that "Barnardo's was also anxious to record that, while the voluntary income of the society appeared to be healthy, an increasingly large proportion of this came from legacies rather than regular, reliable donations from supporters" (2001, p. 248). The shock advertising is not just about public awareness; it is about supporting an organization that is proactively addressing the problem. Hence, the need to be heard. Barnardo's advertisement may be upsetting to many people. Nevertheless, it dramatically uses the fundamental elements of shock advertising like juxtaposition and technology to arouse curiosity in the public. It succeeds in the effective and necessary communication of a shared social value; children should not be hungry in the UK. Whether individuals agree with the delivery methodology of the message or not, Barnardo's has succeeded in using a shock advertisement to provoke a response to the pressing issue of poverty. References Allstate, (2006, May). Company Information at a Glance. Retrieved May 11, 2006 from http://www.allstate.com/about/ pagerender.asppage=allstate_at_a_glance.htm Barnardo's, (2006, May). Who We Are. Retrieved May 11, 2006 from http://www.barnardos.org.uk/who_we_are/about_ barnardos.htm Capital One, (2006, May). About Us. Retrieved May 11, 2006 from http://www.capitalone.com/about/index.shtmllinkid=WWW_Z_Z_Z_GBLFO_FO_01_T_A7 Dahl, D. W. (2003). Does it Pay to Shock Reactions to Shocking and Nonshocking Advertising Content among University Students. Journal of Advertising Research, 43(3), 268-286. FedEx, (2006, May). Corporate Facts. Retrieved May 11, 2006 from http://fedex.com/us/about/today/companies/corporation/ facts.html Harris, D. J. (1996). Affect Intensity and the Consumer's Attitude toward High Impact Emotional Appeals. Journal of Advertising 25(2), 37-55. Lawrence, J. & Starkey, P., Eds. Child Welfare and Social Action in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: International Perspectives. Liverpool, England: Liverpool University Press. O'Shanghnessy, N. J. (2003). Persuasion in Advertising. New York: Routledge. Schroeder, J. E. (2002). Visual Consumption. London: Routledge. Toyota, (2006, May). Operations, Sales & Service. Retrieved May 11, 2006 from http://www.toyota.com/about/operations/ sales-service/index.html Read More