Kenophobia is the fear of void or empty spaces. This is meant in a physical sense however I can’t help but notice this phobia creeping into the world of communications.

Your communications need to grab attention. Attention is the behavioural and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Let’s not go to town on this. Let’s not make the consumer run a mile when that’s not the desired response we want.

If the objective of the communication is to achieve cut-through and deliver a message, then space is our canvas (be it print or broadcast) and it needs to be considered not crammed.

So I need to do some form of exercise. Let’s say I come across these two communications below, which would make me want to sign up?

 

It’s not that the second ad is more beautiful, (let’s face it, that is not a pretty Pilates ball!), it’s the simplicity and clarity that allows the message to cut through in just a glance. I see the problem and the solution immediately. Nothing else is needed. It’s job done and done well as far as I’m concerned. The first ad shows me everything yet tells me nothing, I fail to see the consumer benefit and I am not motivated to ‘sign up now’. It’s a classic case of fear of space!

If we’ve 1.3 seconds to engage with people then we need to really focus on clarity in order to grab attention and deliver our message effectively.

We’re asking people to notice our communications above all other communications, in pretty much every place imaginable, and above the millions of business and personal thoughts they are already processing in their own heads. We need to make it easy for them.

Budgets are so tight nowadays and the temptation is to put everything we possibly can into paid-for communications.  Over the years I’ve often heard clients saying “There’s too much white space, we need to fill it”. While I completely understand the fear of unused, paid-for space I think the above Pilates comparison highlights how effective it can be to focus on clarity of the message rather than filling the space.

We’ve looked at a visual example, but what about an audio one? I remember during my time on the client side while I was working for a particular 5 Star hotel which needed a little lift in sales (and in a hurry!). There was quite a challenge here and it struck me that it wasn’t space cramming that was needed. In order to make my pending radio campaign work hard to deliver results I needed both creativity and bravery. Creativity from my agency and bravery from myself (a tough sell internally I tell you!).

The result was a beautiful suite of ads which focused on the hotel as an experience rather than the mandatories. This hotel was all about the experience. We had 40 seconds and we weren’t wasting them talking about the obvious. Rooms? I’d assume there are a few, it’s a five star hotel. Restaurant?  It has to be decent enough, again it’s five star. Rate? If you have to think about that then it’s not for you! We bravely omitted all of these from our ad which opened up a space to do someone magical…

“I am quiet, I am relaxed, I’m happy, I have all that I need, all that I could wish for and I like it.” whispered lyrically by Joanna Lumley. These are the opening lines to the first radio ad. The entire ad was the lovely Johanna Lumley talking about the fantasy and experience of the hotel. I can tell you now that nothing prepared me for the boost in sales from that activity. There was a modest medium-weight media spend and this was a sharp reminder of the importance of focusing on clarity and delivering the right message in the right way.

We all fear ‘space’ but we need to see space as a clear platform for our message rather than something that is crying out to be filled to capacity.

From my own experience both in agency and client side, I’ve learnt that it requires bravery to break away from the competition and I truly believe that fortune favours the brave.

Let’s avoid Kenophobic behaviour.  Be brave, respect creativity and don’t fear space. You’ll then achieve cut-through, and cut-through will deliver results.

Susannah Hewson
Account Director

Nowadays marketing departments feel a continuous need to come up with new marketing directions. A fear of settling on one creative position, look and feel and tone of messaging transcends into a fear of being left behind amongst competitors, missing some essential strategy, positioning or clever concept.

But in doing so, are brands distancing themselves from prospects and customers?

What brands need to realise is that time invested in developing their core proposition, tone, messaging, offering, and overall brand positioning is important to get right first time round… as is the creative used to portray this. If brands can do this right, they can make impressions, and in turn a stronger brand affiliation amongst their audience.

Examples of brands getting this right and creative that is timeless include Coca Cola, Budweiser, and Kellogg’s, to name but a few.

Coca Cola Christmas Trucks
First launched nearly 15 years ago, the Coca Cola trucks made their way onto our screens and there is an expectation to see them this year too. For some, this signifies the start of Christmas, as it resonates with consumers and the time of giving. The same proposition is held by Coca Cola today, just worded slightly different “Share a Coke”.

Budweiser
In 2006 Budweiser launched “Budweiser Clydesdale Horses” And 8 years on, they are still very much part of the brand creative approach. For those of you who haven’t seen the latest ad, here it is: http://tinyurl.com/mfgrwus

Rice Krispies
Growing up, I remember watching the Kellogg’s Rice Krispies ads. I had no understanding of what product they were selling but something made the advert particularly appealing and memorable.

The cereals unique feature ‘snap, crackling and popping’ became the companies USP for advertising. This year “Snap, Crackle and Pop’ who first featured in 1928 celebrate their 86th birthday!

Growing up with our favourite brands bias what we think is ‘cool’ and what we are likely to purchase in the future. Connell, Brucks & Nielsen (2014) found that brands we identify with as we grow up create resilient product evaluations, which carry forward to adulthood. Positive feelings towards branding were found to be significant mediating factors in the formation of such evaluations (Moore & Lutz, 2000). TV advertisements are particularly appealing in the eyes of child consumers, 80% stating that appearing on TV suggests that something is ‘cool’. This is magnified if branded mascots such as ‘Tony the Tiger’ or ‘Snap, Crackle & Pop’ are used.

Adverts such as the ones above have the potential to have a great influence on consumer decision from an early age and are just as relevant today as they were when they first appeared.

Creatively beautiful and timeless advertising.

 

Another week has come and gone and it’s time, once again, to catch up on a few of the top stories that caught our eye. Pop on that kettle, kick up your feet and settle into a few of the latest stories–here is your latest mashup.

 

Freeview Mixes 80s Power Ballad With Misfit Toys In New Ad

Following on from their recent ads featuring singing Cat and Budgie, Freeview is back with an amusingly sad ad featuring a table full of loved-and-left toys that make you feel really sorry for them. Like, really sorry…

 

 

Instagram’s First Beer Ads From Stella Artois Have Arrived

Millennial foodie-loving beer-drinkers, beware! Stella Artois has begun their Instagram ad rollout and they are targeting YOU. Don’t say we didn’t warn you–these ads look delicious!

 

 

 

Sol Searching For Pubs

On a hunt for the next hotspot? Leave the Google-ing to the amateurs and tap into the new Sol Search that ranks the results based on authenticity rather than popularity or payment (ahem, Yelp). Sol, which champions Espiritu Libre (Free Spirit), steps up to the challenge of finding authentic destinations with a bespoke search algorithm that promote hidden gems within your community.

 

 

 

7up Fully Knitted

Having undergone a recent brand identity revamp fueled by a global campaign that centers around the idea that ‘It feels good to be you’, 7up is having a blast highlighting the individuals that celebrate their uniqueness. Have a watch of ‘Urban Knitter’ Magda Sayeg’s story below…

 

 

Pizza Hut’s Mind-Reading Menu

Pizza Hut is currently experimenting in the UK with a new ‘Subconscious Menu’ app idea that chooses pizza toppings for you based on eye-tracking technology. Combining the eye-tracking technology (that works by selecting toppings based on the ingredients where your eyes tend to linger the longest) with an algorithm based on your choices, specific recommendations are given that eerily match your cravings.