I was having dinner with friends the other evening, and one of the guests made a familiar statement. “I am not influenced by advertising,” she said.
For those of us in marketing, this is a familiar thing to hear. I often respond by pointing out that Zimbabwean companies would not invest thousands in something they thought didn’t work.
So, what is the secret to great advertising? outstanding creativity perhaps? The answer is a big No; Good strategy is of paramount importance as well as understanding the human insights concerning a product or service that you want to sell. This is what results in one campaign concept having a shelf life of just one month. Successful advertising rarely succeeds through argument or calls to action. Instead, it creates positive memories and feelings that influence our behavior over time to encourage us to buy something at a later date.
Campaigns like “Inspired to change your world” for Econet have been in existence since 2003, making it more than than 14 years old! Could it be that staff at Econet are lazy and can’t conceptualize new ideas? the answer is a big No again. That idea has become more relevant as the business has grown “to the utmost parts of the world” and unleashed new products and services that transform the way people live, work and relate with one another. Proving that good ideas are ingenious at leaving impressions.
When advertising is based on the human insight it connects with the five senses and the market will love it and is prepared to take action.
Take a look on the feedback that the company received when they released their new commercial “We speak African”
Amazing feedback such as “the commercial doesn’t not only make you fall in love with Econet, but Africa as as whole.
Another great example of taping into the human insight is the Friends with Albinism campaign. Days & days were spent trying to understand the challenges that people with albinism are facing & the results are amazing, said at least 40 percent of people who saw the TV commercial on social media & ZBC.
it’s often said that “insight” is one of the most used and abused words in marketing.
What’s the secret? Tap into the human insight.
