Commercials that break-thru stop us in our tracks. They get us to pause and pay attention in our ever challenging multi-tasking world.
That is exactly what happened in my house one day. My husband had to show me a Pepsi ad that he found extremely creative. It was a remake of an old Pepsi ad from 1992 featuring Cindy Crawford. He immediately wanted to show me the original ad. It created a social connection between us. I had seen that ad, but it didn’t have the same impact on me back then that it must have had on him. Clearly, that ad had left an impression on him and recalling it made him even happier.
Watch this short video to see how our audiences reacted.
The music, the red Italian sports car, the beautiful super model…had him hooked.
We wondered how effective the Pepsi Emoji commercial would be vs. the original 1992 version? How would a nostalgic ad connect with older vs. younger generations? Would younger and older men respond differently than younger and older females?
Perfectly testable, so Marketing Brainology tested it in their neurolabs using EEGand eye tracking and showed the impact on different groups.
Previous research has shown that nostalgic marketing works; especially as a way to connect generations and provide them something to share. Pepsi has already featured Throwback Pepsi packaging and even Throwback products.
Pokémon Go is another example of the power of the social connectiveness. Pokémon re-engaged the younger generation and added older generations in the shared quest to find Pokémons while creating a demand for Pokémon characters, merchandise and games. We are all able to connect around the same goal…capture more Pokémons.
We were amused to scientifically document the absolute delight of our older males when seeing their favorite super model on TV again. Even though most tried to downplay their reactions, we saw their true reactions on their brains. Their brains definitely engaged. We can’t say the emoji worked as well, but it did trigger them to recall that memorable ad that appears to be permanently imprinted on their brains.
So for this #Throwback Thursday (#tbt) let’s all remember…
Cindy Crawford and a Pepsi… They are both beautiful.
Michelle Adams, Ph.D.
Founder/President of MarketingBrainology.com
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