ICM - Leeds Design Agency

I can't believe how random the people are! Alan Hansen, dermuid (or however you spell it) Gavan, Him off they think it's all over and Denise Vanouten? Who sat there and thought these people will put Morrisons on the map? I couldn't give a (bleeep) what Him off they think its all over buys when he goes shopping. At least Twiggy is an icon or was an icon. But they're not as bad as the Iceland adverts they're even more random. Kerry Katona and her off loose women are they related? No. Are they friends? Probably not. So why are they in an advert hosting a house party, BBQ or a picnic together?? I just don't get it.

Posted by Darren on Wednesday 21st of November 2007 at 12:33pm

This is why good marketing is so hard to achieve, it's easy to lose sight of your target market when you get so close to a product. Even if you know exactly who your target market are, it's still easy to lose sight of the best way to communicate with them.

Posted by Tasha on Wednesday 21st of November 2007 at 12:40pm

So what's the solution?

Posted by Siân on Thursday 22nd of November 2007 at 9:01am

Oh - and I'm totally with you on the Iceland ads Daz!

Posted by Siân on Thursday 22nd of November 2007 at 9:03am

The solution is not to overthink.

Did someone spend sleepless nights agonising whether a gorilla playing the drums would sell more chocolate?

Probably not. The thought process was probably - 'How do we get people to think Cadburys? Make it so they talk about it and build it into the subconcious'. Do it! Book the gorilla, phone Phil Collins!

Less thinking and dissecting, more doing and creating.

Posted by Richard on Thursday 22nd of November 2007 at 2:21pm

Edit: did I just talk myself out of a job?

And regarding the Iceland ads - they're perfect - they talk exactly the right language to the people that frequent said store to buy a thousand turkey twizzlers for their demanding and fussy children for a mere 99p.

Perfect, no thought required - for these people Kerry Katona is a role model, someone to look up to.

It's just that these ads 'aren't for us'

Posted by Richard on Thursday 22nd of November 2007 at 6:39pm

It's so hard to judge adverts without keeping in mind the customer. No business can be all things to all people.
Basically Rich, spot on with your comment.

Posted by Tasha on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 8:47am

Yes, but...

The Iceland ads are trying to look realistic rather than acted, but by putting together people with no actual connection they make a lie of the advert. I'm not denying that the ads do what they're meant to, and talk to their target market, but at least Tesco had Prunella and Jane 'acting' their relationship - rather than just pretending something that's not there in real life.

(and, no - I'm not being naive enough to think adverts shouldn't lie, but I do think they should have an internally consistent premise.)

Posted by Siân on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 12:23pm

Why does it matter whether they are friends in real life if the ad works?

The ad is purely fictional.

Posted by Tasha on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 1:26pm

What? Ads are fictional?!?

How am I going to live? Who will tell me what to eat, drink and wear?

What I'd like to know is - is Alan Hansen contractually obliged to shop in Morrisons?

Posted by Richard on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 1:33pm

It was more believable when just the two Nolan sisters were in it and Kerry Katona was nowhere to be seen. At least they are actual sisters and would have a picnic together.

Posted by Darren on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 1:34pm

So basically you prefer the Nolans to Atomic Kitten.

I'm disappointed it's taken you so long to get to this conclusion :)

Posted by Richard on Friday 23rd of November 2007 at 2:35pm