Today, I deconstruct the Honda Odyssey “The Van Beckons” Ad, and together we’ll learn why your message must resonate with your customer in order to drive sales. Miss the mark, even by a smidgen, and you’re in big, BIG trouble.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Average Joe walking out of a supermarket, late in the evening, carrying a bag of groceries. While standing in the parking lot, our main character finds himself mesmerized by the Honda Odyssey minivan, which happens to be in full rock concert mode.

Yes, the FMI surprises and grabs your attention. But that’s about it, because, as you’ll soon learn, the ad’s message falls short of hitting the mark.

Message:

Jam-packed with high-tech wizardry, the Honda Odyssey minivan obviously rocks, and is cool to drive.

Creative and entertaining? Yes. But there are two crushing reasons why the ad’s message fails to persuade.

2 Crushing Reasons Why the Honda Odyssey “The Van Beckons” Message Fails to Persuade:

1.) The ad answers a question no one was asking. The message is a HUGE disconnect for the viewer. I mean — who buys a minivan because it’s cool? Not a soul.

Moms and dads buy minivans because they’re practical and affordable. Well, most dads are probably dragged along for the ride. (Ladies, I’m only joking ) And never mind, for the moment, that the Touring Elite model shown in the commercial is priced at $43,250. Ouch!

Frankly, minivans are anything but sexy — even when you consider the Odyssey’s high-tech wizardry. Hey, we’re not talking about driving a Ferrari, okay? And there’s absolutely nothing Honda — or any other car company — can do to dress up a minivan and make it sexy to drive. Nadathing.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the old adage, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.”

Now, I’m not suggesting that the Honda Odyssey is a bad product. Nor do I intend to offend any minivan drivers out there. I’m just saying you can’t arm-twist your customer into believing that your product is something it’s clearly not.

Think I’m wrong?

Here are a handful of viewer comments about the commercial that I found on the Internet:

• ddrhero says, “This guy’s in some deep s#!t. He’s already is so castrated by his hell-spawn of a wife that he finds a minivan exciting, NOW he dropped the milk. she’s gonna f#&@in’ kill him!”

• Abandoned Ship adds, “I would NEVER buy/drive a van. If you put a gun to my head tho, this is what I would buy.”

• Knightsport wisely advises, “Save yourself. Van abstinence is the way, the truth and the light. Amen.”

• GoLowDrew says, “Since I’m married, nothing that adventurous for me. However, I do take my power-nap in the afternoon sometimes to help me get through the 2nd half of the work day.”

Heard enough? I rest my case.

2.) Creativity comes at the expense of clarity. Judas Priest music rockin’… pyrotechnics… special effects (Did you catch the van transforming into a black panther, and Redemption road listed on the navigational system?).

Clearly, the Honda Odyssey “The Van Beckons” ad worships at the altar of creativity — a decision that lowers the clarity of its message.

Sure, we catch a glimpse of the Odyssey’s DVD players, and its navigation system. But is there a point of differentiation that makes these gadgets worth mentioning?

Many cars have similar DVD players and navigational systems. What makes the Odyssey’s tech-wizardry better than, let’s say, the Ford Sync® and GM OnStar® systems?

Clearly, we need more details than visuals can provide. But the ad’s creativity gets in the way.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

The van beckons like no van before. The technology-packed, all-new Honda Odyssey.

Not a bad last mental image — if the message wasn’t so off target. It’s worth noting that the LMI does a nice job circling back to the idea introduced by the FMI.

Stylistic Signature:

The ad has all the qualities of a chest-thumping, head-bobbin’, lighters-waving-in-the-air rock concert:

Judas Priest music blaring.
Pyrotechnics.
Special effects.

The only thing that’s missing is a plastic cup of $8 draft beer… and, well, a car that matches the defining characteristics of a rock concert.

This ad would have been more appropriate if the it were promoting the Dodge Challenger with its roaring Hemi engine. It just proves that unless you nail the message — nothing else matters.

Conclusion:

Last time, with the Domino’s “Rate our Chicken” ad, we learned how a credible and relevant message can rescue an ad from a weak first and last mental image.

But persuasion cannot be achieved the other way around. In other words, an irrelevant message will never persuade — no matter the strength of your first and last mental image.

Never forget that the purpose of advertising is to make the cash register ring. And as I’ve said before, you can create the most entertaining ad in the world, but if you’re not speaking to the customer’s felt need, you won’t sell a lick of product. End of story.

Today, I deconstruct Domino’s “Rate Our Chicken” ad, which, with it’s direct, left-brain approach, contrasts nicely with the symbolic, right-brain Dodge Challenger “Freedom” commercial. Both are powerful and persuasive in their own right. So grab a latte, pull up a chair, and let’s get started.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Viewers are introduced to Tate, Domino’s Chicken Chief. And right off the bat, we learn that our hero is under tremendous pressure to uphold Domino’s high standards of taste.

I have mixed feelings about the ad’s FMI.

On one hand, it’s rare that viewers get to know an employee, other than the CEO, through a company’s advertising. Meeting Tate is refreshing; a move that’s perfectly aligned with Domino’s eagerness to be transparent. And since he’s Domino’s Chicken Chief, Tate is certainly a credible spokesperson for the company’s new chicken recipe.

But on the other hand, I’m concerned that the delivery of the FMI is too weak to capture the viewer’s attention.

Bottom line: The ad’s FMI introduces the right idea: high standards of taste. But, to grab and keep the viewer’s attention, the idea should have been delivered with greater impact.

The Message:

Domino’s is so confident that you’ll like its new chicken recipe that the company encourages your feedback.

The Domino’s “Rate Our Chicken” message really excels. So, here are five reasons why this ad is persuasive.

5 Darn Good Reasons Why the Domino’s “Rate Our Chicken” Message Persuades:

1.) Relevancy. I mean — no one wants to eat a piece of chicken that tastes like wood, right? Well, Domino’s is smart. Very smart. The company speaks directly to the customer’s desire to eat a tasty chicken meal. Enough said.

2.) Believability. It goes without saying that fast food industry is super-competitive, which means consumers are overwhelmed by choice. Strangled really. And a fast food chain’s announcement of a new chicken recipe normally wouldn’t land anywhere on the customer’s radar.

But with its credibility investment of power and control — giving the customer the authority to rate its chicken openly — Domino’s, hands down, has the most believable ad campaign running in America.

In fact, I dare you to name another company that’s more transparent.

3.) Clear and direct delivery. Admittedly, there’s nothing overly clever or creative with this ad. And that’s okay. After all, the ad’s primary goal is to transfer confidence and convince you that Domino’s chicken is worth trying.

So why go cute and clever and risk distracting the viewer?

Domino’s takes the right approach. Given that the company’s message has plenty of meat on the bone (pun fully-intended), it correctly chooses clarity over creativity.

4.) Demonstration. Clearly, the ad’s crescendo. With a closeup shot, Tate tears into a piece of Domino’s chicken; demonstrating it’s tenderness.

So easy to overlook, demonstration is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Which segues perfectly into…

5.) Contrast. As Tate tears into the tender piece of Domino’s chicken, he says: “You see this? This is made with 100% all white chicken breast meat. Its not just a bunch of chicken bits all mashed together.”

The line beautifully contrasts Domino’s “real” chicken from the Franken-chickens being served your typical fast food joint.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, contrasting is one of the most effective tools for defining your company’s position relative to the competition. Long story short: as a marketer, it’s your job to frame the buying conversation for the customer. Contrasting helps you do exactly that.

Stylistic Signature:

Folksy music and candid interview style compliment Domino’s desire to communicate with openness and transparency.

Last Mental Image:

A anxious Tate says, “I’m not excited about the box.”

Ugh! The ad had a chance to circle back to the idea introduced with the FMI and end with a high-impact LMI. Instead, the copywriters had a brain fart, and ended the ad with a fizzle.

BIG mistake.

Here’s why: The LMI delivered by Tate communicates timidness, which is in direct conflict with the ad’s main message. Sure, we expect Tate to feel anxious about being judged so openly. And the ad’s final line is kinda funny. But it seems silly to choose humor over impact at this stage in the game, right?

A confident Tate would have sent a more powerful and persuasive message to the viewer. It would have communicated that Domino’s new chicken recipe kicks ass.

Conclusion:

Credibility and relevancy are what make this ad persuasive — and what rescues it from a mediocre FMI delivery, and a weak LMI.

It’s important to note that persuasion requires two main ingredients: relevancy and credibility. Write ads with both and you’ll own the keys to the kingdom.

Finally, one last thing: Domino’s will eventually lose credibility and sales IF it fails to follow through on it’s promise to deliver a chicken recipe that tastes out of this world.

In other words, your ad is only as good as the strategy it is built upon, and you’ve got to be able to walk the walk.

So be relentless in your pursuit of a powerful strategy. Oh, and order a box of Domino’s chicken, and let me know how it tastes.

In this post, I’ll deconstruct the Dodge Challenger “Freedom” ad, and peel back its many layers of persuasion.

First Mental Image (FMI):

A Revolutionary era British soldier/scout running, frantically, through a wooded trail; alerting his troop of the impending American attack.

The ad begins with captivating first mental image that leaves the viewer eagerly anticipating the story’s next scene. Clearly, you get the feeling something significant is about to happen.

The Message:

American pride, power, innovation, freedom and independence.

Oh, where to begin? I haven’t seen an ad this rich with emotion in a long, long time. So, let me give you five reasons why this ad roars!

5 Reasons Why the Dodge Challenger “Freedom” Message is Powerful and Persuasive

1.) Believability: Pay particular attention to the single line of copy delivered at the end of the ad, which reads, “Here’s a couple things America got right: cars and freedom.”

Now, most ad writers would have written the following line instead: “Here’s a couple things America got right: Dodge Challenger and freedom.”

Yes, it’s a subtle distinction. But boasting about the Dodge Challenger would have only triggered a hefty dose of skepticism and rejection from the viewer.

The Dodge Challenger “Freedom” ad resists the allure of chest-thumping. It never once mentions the car by name; allowing the viewer to draw his own conclusions about the Challenger’s status in American automotive history. It’s a brilliant move that elevates the believability of the message.

2.) Absence of Clichés: The Dodge Freedom ad is refreshingly absent of automotive advertising clichés — both in the form of copy and imagery.

First, there are no overt attempts to guilt-trip you into “Buying American.” Oh yes, the “Buy American” message is present, but it’s communicated by imbuing the viewer with American pride.

Second, there’s no winding race track or road. Who needs pavement? George Washington is driving his Dodge Challenger down a dirt hill, baby!

Finally, there’s no mention of the 5.7 liter Hemi engine with 475 horsepower packed under the hood. Nope… again, the ad prefers to show rather than tell. The power of the Hemi is demonstrated as it roars over the somber background music.

3.) Relevant Metaphor: Anchoring the Dodge Challenger to concepts such as power, freedom and independence perfectly aligns the ad’s message with the muscle car’s performance and heritage. The use of metaphor also resonates with the customer; speaking to his need to identify with and express these same emotions.

4.) Symbolism: Scenes from the Revolutionary War evoke strong emotions of patriotism and freedom in every American.

And then there’s the undertone of American power vanquishing foreign invaders.

Recently, as you know, The Big Three U.S. Automakers were under attack from foreign car companies. This ad symbolizes the resurgence of American automakers who were nearly bankrupt and begging for a government bailout.

5.) Playfulness. Introducing the Dodge Challenger into a Revolutionary War battle speaks to the unconscious mind’s desire for fantasy. And I’ll bet my bottom dollar that most of us have imagined what it would be like to travel back in time, bringing with us a piece of modern technology. I know I have.

My partner, Roy H. Williams, best describes the importance of playfulness in ad copywriting: “The left hemisphere of the brain wants facts, details, descriptions and benefits. Lefty is all about sequential logic and deductive reasoning. Lefty looks for loopholes and discrepancies and is full of doubt.

But the right hemisphere cares for none of that. The right half of the brain is where fantasy lives. And Righty doesn’t know fact from fiction.

If you merely exaggerate, your customer’s left brain will shoot your claims full of holes. But if you go beyond mere exaggeration – so far beyond it that the left brain knows you’re just clowning – the right brain will happily embrace your glowing fantasy in all its positive glory.”

Let’s see, George Washington leading the attack while behind the wheel of a Dodge Challenger with an American flag proudly waving from the car’s passenger window?

Yeah, I think the right brain knows we’re just clowning around.

Stylistic Signature:

Authentic looking Revolutionary War battle scene. (That is, up until the appearance of the Challenger.) Voices, barely audible, as the British troops prepare for battle. The somber violin howling in the background only to be silenced by the roar of the Challenger’s Hemi engine — a proxy for America’s power.

I mean, what’s not to like?

But I find the music choice most interesting. It certainly presents a twist that elevates the viewer’s interest.

Most of us would have selected background music that struck a more upbeat and powerful tone… something in alignment with the ad’s main message. Maybe the beating of a marching drum, for example. After all, America’s power is being communicating here.

But the ad doesn’t go there.

The somber violin music diverges from the ad’s other layers of communication. It’s the kind of eerie music that would typically accompany a disaster scene, or a hero’s death.

But the serious tone of the violin perfectly balances the playfulness of watching George Washington behind the wheel of the Dodge Challenger.
Somehow it all comes together and works beautifully.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

American power pushes back the foreign invaders into full retreat.

What better spokesperson for a message communicating American pride, power, freedom and independence than George Washington?

Conclusion:

Gawd, I love this ad. It does everything right… it breaks conventional wisdom, it shows rather than tells, and it speaks directly to the viewer’s established beliefs.

That’s one heck of a compliment, since, as many of you know, I prefer simple and direct advertising messages. Generally speaking, your customer is too distracted to give you the attention needed to communicate a message so heavy with deeply layered messages. And frankly, there are few among us that can pull off an ad as clever, creative and relevant as the Dodge Challenger “Freedom” ad.

In this post, I’ll deconstruct Miracle Whip’s “Take a Side” ad, explaining why its one of the best ads I’ve seen in awhile.

First Mental Image:

“On a scale from one to 10, I HATE Miracle Whip at like 22.”

KABOOM!

Just like that, you’re captivated by a high-impact, First Mental Image (FMI), which is critical when marketing something as ho-hum as a condiment. C’mon, admit it, you weren’t expecting to hear unpleasant remarks about Miracle Whip, were you?

But that’s exactly what you got, and it snapped you to attention.

Here’s the thing: Far too many ad writers would have led with a positive FMI. The preferred route would have been to replace the word “hate” with “love” in the ad’s opening line. But that wouldn’t have caught the attention of a gnat, and the ad would stumbled out of the gate.

Now before we move on to the message, know that your FMI must be more than just an attention grabber. A solid FMI must also be relevant, and set the correct tone for want you want your audience to feel. And as an ad writer, you must be careful when conjuring up a negative emotion such as hate.

That said, the main idea that Miracle Whip introduces with its FMI isn’t hate… it’s polarity, which sets the tone for the rest of the ad, brilliantly.

The Message:

Miracle Whip isn’t for everyone. Admittedly, you’re either gonna love us or hate us. That’s okay. But no matter your preference, don’t sit on the sidelines. Try our product and choose one side or the other.

Society is spellbound by polarizing issues and figures in pop culture. Rush Limbaugh and Brittany Spears anyone?

Miracle Whip is no different. Anyone who has ever tried this sweet and creamy concoction can tell you whether they love it or hate it. There’s no middle ground. None.

The ad even features two polarizing celebrities: Political consultant and commentator, James Carville, and one of the goons from the television show, Jersey Shore. (And I’m not buying for a minute that this guy DOESN’T use Miracle Whip as hair gel. Just look at his shellacked dew. I dare you to tell me differently.)

A fresh dose of honesty also helps Miracle Whip cut through the clutter and noise of advertising to grab your attention. Reminiscent of Domino’s Pizza recent “Our Pizza Sucks” advertising campaign, Miracle Whip tells you what you already know to be true. In other words, the company doesn’t try to arm-twist you into believing that everyone loves its product. A move that boosts its credibility.

Stylistic Signature:

Miracle Whip’s ad is fresh and fun. It uses humor, and yes, even some sexual undertones, in a way that isn’t at all irrelevant or distracting. That’s rare in today’s advertising.

Switching back and forth between a “love” viewpoint to a “hate” viewpoint keeps you engaged. For fun, here are a few of my favorites:

“Ya know, if you’ve got these like fancy-dancy mustards and stuff like that… that’s an elite kind of thing. Okay? Miracle Whip is America.”

“Miracle Whip tastes like lotion, but sweet. And who wants a sweet, lotion sandwich?”

“Miracle Whip tastes like an exotic lady is kissing you, but she’s got a little bit of sugar around her mouth. And then at the end she goes, ‘Caliente!’”

Last Mental Image:

Are you a Miracle Whip? Get a taste and decide.

The Last Mental Image (LMI) comes full circle to the main idea introduced by the FMI. (Remember, it’s not the reference you want to circle back to, it’s the idea.)

You can’t decide which camp you fall into unless you’ve tried the product, right? We’ll Miracle Whip has tickled your interest just enough that you’re likely to buy a bottle during your next trip to the grocery store.

Conclusion:

Miracle Whip understands that it’s much easier to change behaviors than beliefs. In other words, it’s easier to convince you to eat Miracle Whip than to convince you that eating Miracle Whip will be pleasurable. That said, I expect a lot more people to try Miracle Whip after watching this ad. Well done.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Burger King’s creepy mascot breaking into the corporate headquarters of rival McDonald’s.

An awful first mental image. It’s never a good idea to attach your brand name to a negative mental image like corporate espionage. Especially in light of scandals such as Enron, the sub-prime housing bailout, or the disgraced money manager Bernard Madoff. In this case, viewers might be left with a vaguely unpleasant feeling and choose to avoid Burger King without being able to recall exactly why.

The Message:

The Sausage McMuffin with Egg sandwich is so good that Burger Kind has decided to steal the recipe from McDonald’s.

Burger King inadvertently does more to promote McDonald’s than itself. Why on earth would you want to direct so much positive attention to your rival?

Copying your competitor’s products or services does nothing to create a point of differentiation. Rather, it dilutes your company’s position in the marketplace.

By creating a copycat and blatantly admitting it, Burger King sent a second unintended message to consumers: McDonald’s is breakfast sandwich is the best. And since many of us will have difficulty believing a copycat is anywhere near as good as the original, why not just head to McDonald’s for a Sausage McMuffin with Egg? After watching this commercial, I imagine most people will.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

The Burger King mascot making his getaway, presumably hurrying off to create an unoriginal breakfast sandwich.

Sigh. More scenes depicting Burger King engaging in a criminal activity.

Conclusion:

Burger King worships at the altar of creativity. Entertainment drives the company’s advertising at the expense of developing a relevant position in the mind of the customer.

Sadly, this misguided approach produced an ad that wasted millions of dollars and eroded Burger King’s brand identity. It’s not surprising that Burger King sales continue to slide, while McDonald’s sales are rising.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

In this post, we’ll deconstruct Verizon’s very first “there’s a map for that” ad, exploring what makes it so popular, powerful and persuasive.

First Mental Image (FMI):

A twenty-something college student effortlessly surfing the Internet and playing video games on his Verizon Wireless phone.

A perfect first mental image. What better spokesperson for an Internet and multimedia smartphone than a young college student? (Hey, he probably could teach this old fart a thing or two.)

The Message:

Verizon’s 3G coverage is widespread and dependable, while AT&T’s 3G coverage is spotty and unreliable.

The message speaks directly to the frustration and displeasure that many iPhone users experience with AT&T’s spotty coverage and dropped calls. And the ad never sways from this single, powerful point.

Throughout the ad, Verizon Wireless uses the catchphrase “there’s a map for that,” a tongue in cheek reference to Apple’s “there’s an app for that” ad campaign for the iPhone. By now, you’re probably aware that the iPhone only operates on AT&T’s network.

And just as we’ve witnessed with Southwest Airline’s “Bags Fly Free” campaign, Verizon successfully defines its position relative to the competition by leveraging The Law of Contrast. This leads to the ad’s most persuasive punch: Brightly colored coverage maps demostrating Verizon’s 3G network dominance over AT&T.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

Verizon has five times the 3G coverage of AT&T, giving you a compelling reason to switch networks.

The Last Mental Image loops back to the First Mental Image: Verizon’s has the most dependable 3G network available.

Stylistic Signature:

As with all great ads, the stylistic signature of Verizon’s ad is sleek and congruent.

The main character is youthful and confident.
The music is cheerful and lively.
The comparison maps are colorful and high-tech.

And make sure you catch this subtle, yet powerful message: Throughout the ad, the Verizon character moves confidently in a forward direction, generally left to right, across the screen, while the AT&T character travels in the opposite direction. During the ad’s crescendo, the Verizon character passes in front of the frustrated AT&T guy, pauses for a moment to look back and continues marching forward.

Conclusion:

The ad makes it easy for the viewer to imagine themselves as a Verizon customer. And rather than attacking the iPhone, arguably the best smartphone on the market, Verizon leverages its strength — and its competitor’s weakness — by pouncing on AT&T’s unreliable 3G network coverage. The bottom line: This ad is the perfect counter-strike to AT&T’s iPhone success.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Five airline baggage handlers standing on a tarmac, proclaiming that Southwest Airlines loves bags.

The ad establishes a solid theme with its first mental image. A baggage handler is a credible spokesperson for baggage.

The Message:

Simple and straightforward. Unlike most airlines, your bags fly free on Southwest.

Southwest successfully leverages the law of contrasting by attacking the competition’s nickel-and-dime strategy of charging for baggage.

Recall from an earlier post, I explained that decisions are not made in isolation. Rather, we look for the differences between our available options. And as a marketer, it’s your job to frame the buying scenario for the consumer. Which means, you must define your company’s position relative to the competition.

Southwest does exactly that. The company makes a single, powerful point and hammers it home repeatedly. Watch the ad several times, and you’ll appreciate the frequency with which Southwest makes the same point without ever losing the viewer.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

A graphic demonstrating the financial savings airline travelers can expect from flying Southwest, followed by the gung-ho statement, “Grab your bag, it’s on.”

A perfect ending to a persuasive ad.

Conclusion:

Southwest’s ad is clear, direct and persuasive. The company doesn’t complicate its message by being cute or fancy.

Rather, Southwest kicks the competition right where it hurts. And for those doubting the effectiveness of Southwest’s strategy, check out Jackie Huba’s blog post which reports that the company experienced an 8.8% increase in passenger miles for September, 2009. Comparatively, passenger miles were down for nearly all major airlines.

Finally, the ad’s message and imagery are marvelously congruent. Happy employees. Upbeat music. Confident message. Nicely done, Southwest.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Two Columbian Mammoths enjoying a mud bath.

Happy animals. A good First Mental Image, especially if you’re advertising a zoo.

The Message:

We soon discover that our two heros are soaking in a deadly tar pit. At this moment, the ad takes a disastrous turn down Flop Lane.

Here’s why: Conjuring an unpleasant mental image — especially one as strong as extinction — carries with it the danger of leaving your viewers with a vaguely negative feeling attached to your product or service. In this case, viewers might choose to avoid the Elephant Odyssey exhibit without being able to recall exactly why.

Also consider that today’s zoos are established for the preservation of wildlife. Given today’s environmental concerns, animal welfare is a HUGE deal. Extinction might serve as an appropriate mental image if you’re advertising a natural history museum, but it’s a dreadful mental image for a zoo.

Unclear and undefined, the ad also expects viewers to connect the events of the past with the creation of the Elephant Odyssey exhibit. Specifically, viewers must recognize and appreciate that Columbian Mammoths once roamed Southern California some 12,000 years ago. Today, the decedents of these animals have returned and are now living at the San Diego Zoo where they are waiting patiently for you to pay money to watch them mosey around.

But the public rarely pays such close attention to advertising to be able to connect the dots. Consider that five thousand advertising messages ambush us daily (Yankelovich, 2008), which means that you must spell out your main message for the viewer. Be short, clear and concise.

Now I’ll admit, this ad scores high in the entertainment department. It amuses viewers with humor and dazzling CGI animation. One might even mistake it for an ad promoting the movie Ice Age. (Perhaps the San Diego Zoo is intentionally trying to win your child’s heart.)

But entertainment does not equal persuasion. And the ad’s humor does not support its message.

The bottom line: The message is absent of relevancy, contrast and credibility.

Last mental image (LMI):

It took 12,000 years to bring you this exhibit.

Why did the creation of this exhibit take so long? How is this relevant to the viewer? Does the exhibit combine the elements of a natural history museum with live animals?

Again, give the viewer details. Tell us exactly what makes the Elephant Odyssey so special.

Overall, the ad conjures a weak Last Mental Image that leaves the viewer with more questions than answers.

Conclusion:

This ad would have been far more effective had it given specifics explaining or demonstrating why the Elephant Odyssey is a spectacular, must see exhibit. Instead it’s ambiguous and leaves viewers scratching their heads.

First Mental Image (FMI):

Attending a business seminar. Learning from a team of experts who are teaching you how to run your business more efficiently.

This ad opens with a solid first mental image. A business seminar is a familiar, non-threatening environment. And most small business owners have attended at least one business seminar in the past looking for advice.

The Message:

A simpler way to ship: No weighing. No measuring. No fluctuating costs based upon destination.

As USPS put it, “If it fits, it ships for a low flat rate.” The key to this message is its relevancy. It simplifies a confusing, frustrating and costly part of operating a small business.

But this advertisement could have been more effective had it displayed sharper contrast between USPS and its competition.

Yes, the advertisement showed the viewer the four different sizes of flat rate boxes. But USPS should have demonstrated the kinds of items that could fit into these boxes.

How about shocking the viewer by placing something large and heavy into at least one of the boxes?

And what about pricing? Are they hiding something? The ad never once told the viewer what the “low flat rate” was for the program.

They also needed to remind viewers that ‘Priority Mail’ means that your item will arrive to its destination within a 2 – 3 day timeframe.

Last Mental Image (LMI):

Convenience and simplicity. USPS offers a free supply of flat rate boxes, and free pickup.

The bottom line: The USPS Priority Mail flat rate program is a simpler way to ship. The ad comes full circle with the message of running your business more efficiently.

Conclusion:

This ad demonstrates that advertising is easy when you have something to say. The message was on target. And the ad opened with a solid first mental image, coming full circle with its the last mental image.

But again, the credibility and memorability of the ad would have soared had it done a better job with demonstration and pricing. Overall, a good ad with a simple message.