Further Thoughts On Magnum’s Advertising
August 8, 2008 – 2:28 pm | by Daryl TayGoing back and re-reading the comments from the Magnum post both here and the replies on Plurk, I’ve been thinking a little bit more about the Magnum ad.
1) Does aspirational advertising work?
We know what this is, they teach this in school. Subject A uses product X for benefit Y, so you can be like subject A too. Smart, sexy, whatever. Does it work? Reading through the comments it would seem that the association of Eva Longoria with being sexy and stuff works although at the same time it’s mentioned that surely we can’t believe that eating multiple Magnums gets you her figure. So what gives?
2) How much of it is celebrity endorsement?
This comes up because the comparisons between the Magnum ad, and Utt and the Brands ad came up. In a sense it’s a fair comparison. The Brands ad is everywhere and Utt is fairly popular, but does Eva have more “celebrity pull” than Utt does? Or maybe it’s just easier to reach out and buy a $2 ice cream? Or maybe again this has to do with textbook marketing: get someone “in line” with the brand so that it works.
3) Would non-traditional advertising have worked?
More specifically, would social media have worked? A plurk dialogue page? A blog? A platform for Magnum lovers to share their experiences? An “ideastorm” like page for people to suggest flavours? Or for a product like Magnum, was the best way to really throw themselves out there with traditional means?
I’m not actually trying to make a point here. Just further points that have hit me since posting and reading the great, great comments that have come in that have further inspired me to think about the issue further. Do you have more?
Tags: eva longoria, magnum advertising
2 Responses to “Further Thoughts On Magnum’s Advertising”
By Jo on Aug 8, 2008 | Reply
I found the highly articulate replies from marketers very interesting.
When was the last time marketers did a zero-based test like we do in the medical related professions? What is the base line purchase rate?
And what would happen if all the ice cream vendors collectively advertised “ice cream!”
Cheers for now
Jo
By Walter on Aug 10, 2008 | Reply
I think that the brand association of lushness, decadence and sensuality with Eva Longoria’s persona in Desperate Housewives is probably the key thrust of what the marketers are trying to do here. Magnum is rich, oozing with chocolatey and creamy goodness and sinful. Kind of like an illicit pleasure in this day and age of Atkin’s diets, low carb lunches and exercise fanaticism.
Using social media channels to market ice cream sounds fascinating, but how many people would lick on an ice lolly while tapping away on a keyboard? Marketing of low cost (well relatively) desserts and similar products hinges very much on impulse buying. In other words, they have to “attack” you at your weakest - when you are tired, hungry and worn out from shopping, school or work.
And the best place for that? Outdoors of course!