It's All In The Title

We are exposed to over 5,000 advertisements each day. It has become increasingly difficult for companies to break through the clutter and reach consumers. Companies are now creating value conscious content that people are compelled to consume on social media. With consumers becoming more and more indifferent to content on social media, posting has become a science of intrigue and value. The challenge for businesses is to create attention grabbing material that rewards the consumer with something of value. Let's take a look at postings on my Facebook feed and determine how companies are trying to get the attention of consumers.

The key to content creation is having an enticing title that stimulates an individual's curiosity. The first posting is from Magnifier Magazine.   It's first title is "Netflix Has No Heart: November 2016 Edition". People love Netflix, so a title saying that Netflix isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread will cause a moment of pause. Now this first title wasn't enough for me to click into the article, but it was enticing enough that I wanted to read the caption of the photo. This reaction is probably similar to other consumers.

The caption reads, "Don't Look Now, But Netflix Just Got Rid of These Fan Favorites". If you want a phrase that peeks a persons curiosity, "Don't Look Now", would be it. Starting with this phrase drives people to want to click maybe for the simple sake of being a little rebellious. The rest of the caption tells the reader that Netflix is getting rid of some of its shows, but not just any shows, "Fan Favorite Shows". Any Netflix lover would be compelled to read the rest of this article to find out if one of their beloved shows was on the out list. And if it was, what a nice warning you have so you can watch the remaining episodes in your series.

This article captures the principle of attract attention then drive action. The value to consumers is knowing which shows are about to leave Netflix. This allows the consumers to know if they should quickly finish their current series, marathon one on their "Watch List", or warn a friend about the disappearance.

Since Netflix is a part of many consumers' lives, this article has great potential for user interaction through comments and shares. This posting by Magnifier Magazine not only captures the attention of Facebook users, it adds values to their lives.

The next posting is by Forbes. The title "10 Habits To Develop By The Time You Are 30" is great at capturing the attention of individuals younger than 30 and individuals older than 30. This article seeks to create value and capture value. People younger than 30 are likely to click on this article to discover the "10 habits" they should be developing. This provides an opportunity for them to learn how close they are to really being good at "adulting". The value people under 30 gain from this article is awareness of what they should be working on in their personal and professional lives in order to be successful later in life.

People older than 30 may be intrigued by this article as well. They may click on this article because they are curious what the ten habits are and how many they currently possess. These consumers gain the value of reassurance that they meet Forbes' "10 Habits" or learn something new from this article.

Since this article appeals to people of all ages it has great share potential, whether that be between a parent and a young adult, a teacher and his/her students, or among friends.  Individuals who also like this article may be compelled to like Forbes' Facebook page or subscribe to the magazine. In this situation Forbes has successfully created value for consumers and captured value from its readers.

The third posting by Everday Life, is titled, "What Happens When Rihanna Tries To Go To The Beach? I'm Speechless". This title plays with the consumers curiosity. It makes the consumer wonder what would happen if Rihanna went to a public beach and what did happen must have been pretty shocking since the writer is "Speechless" and there is an arrow pointing at something that of course we can't see. You must click on the article to get an explanation of what happened and to view the image that the arrow is pointing at. Like many of Every Life's postings, this one failed to deliver. The arrow was merely pointing at a person with a camera taking a picture of Rihanna at the beach. To be honest that isn't very surprising. It's not out of place for people to take picture of celebrities when they are out in public places.

This article promised an interesting event, but failed to deliver such news. This failure makes the consumer doubt the credibility of Everyday Life postings and feel like they did not gain any value from the experience. This can lead to consumers simply ignoring future postings from Everday Life. I know that I do. 

To break through the clutter on social media today, companies need to add value to consumers' lives. People are curious animals who want to discover interesting content on their social media feeds. Companies that respect the consumer's curiosity and deliver on its promises, will experience the benefit of reciprocity. Creating valuable content is a long term investment that will better the awareness and perception of a brand.

Candy Corn: Please Consume Responsibly

With Halloween only a week away, I find myself falling into the nostalgia of past Halloweens. Growing up, Halloween was about creative costumes that I spent hours making and candy corn. The sickly sweet triangles of delight have always been my favorite Halloween candy. My own love for this candy has encouraged me to write this blog post on candy corn consumption in The United States.

This year, candy companies will produce nearly 35 million pounds of candy corn. That is approximately 9 billion individual candy corn kernels. Candy corn is a classic Halloween treat that many people have a strong opinion about. People tend to either love it or hate it. A study that 23% of Americans hate candy corn and 77% of Americans love it.

While some Americans can't stand its over powering sweetness, other crave it. 19 pieces of candy corn contain 140 calories and 32 grams of sugar. That is about the same amount of sugar in a 12 oz can of Coca-Cola. If you need a reason to not feel guilty about eating the sugary kernels, candy corn is fat free! Woohoo. The fact that Americans consume this obviously unhealthy treat reminds me of Jared J's blog post about the addictive properties of sugar. In his post, Jared discussed how the last time the American people actively consumed and supported the advertising of a product that was so unhealthy was cigarettes. He also describes a Harvard Study that found that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. Candy corn is pure sugar, no wonder it is an addictive Halloween treat.

Thinking about Jared's post, made me wonder how sugar is effecting society in terms of health and products available. The New York Times article, The Extraordinary Science of Additive Junk Food, discusses this topic in great detail. Obesity is a national epidemic with 1 in 3 kids and teens being obese. Major food corporations such as Kraft, Nestle, and General Mills contribute to this epidemic by purposely adding sugar to their products. For example a half cup of Prego spaghetti sauce contains 2 teaspoons of sugar, which is the same amount of sugar in two Oreo cookies. Adding sugar is an effort used by large food corporations to get people hooked on foods that are convenient and inexpensive. These companies are searching for the "Bliss Point", or the point where consumers develop a craving for the product.

When it comes to the health of society, how much responsibility should be place on food companies and how much responsibility should be place on consumers? 

Major food companies often feel that consumers are fickle and vary in what they care about. One day they might care about sugar; the next they might care about fat content. Food companies often justify the adding of sugar, sodium, and fat to their products because it's "what the consumer wants". Consumers like the taste of sugar and buy products that have better taste. When asked about adding unhealthy additives to foods, a major food company replied, "that's what consumers want and we're not putting a gun to their heads to eat it. That's what they want. If we given them less, they'll buy less, and the competition will get our market. So we're trapped". From this point of view, food companies are simply making the products consumers want and it's the consumers fault if they purchase them. Many brands have product lines that cater to the health preferences of individuals. Take yogurt for example, there are regular, fat free, zero calorie, and zero sugar options available to consumers. It's up to the consumer to pick which one they eat.

On the other hand, we cannot absolve food companies of all of the blame. Many people are unaware of the added sugar, sodium, and fat in their foods and the health risks that come with it. Knowing the potential risks of consuming too much sugar, sodium, and fat, food companies need to look out for the consumers. Major food corporations are "keen to give people more of what they want, yet simultaneously inflict collateral damage on their lives". The last time companies willingly gave consumers what they wanted and disregarded the health risks, were cigarettes.

Finding the balance between giving what consumers want and looking out for the consumers health is a major challenge for food companies. In this situation, consumers can be considered teenagers and the food companies their  wise mothers. There's a reason mom always said, "You'll thank me later." Food companies need to adopt this level of care for consumers, while still knowing that if consumers want to risk their health they will find other products to consume. In the end we must all take responsibility for the general health of society.

Help! Ads Are Following Me...

Living in a house with four other girls means that there are plenty of magazines lying around for leisurely reading. Over the past month I have flipped through the pages of three different magazines, read articles and skimmed through advertisements. Last week I was reading the third of these magazines when I came across an advertisement for Maybelline's new Color Sensational lipstick. There was something very familiar about this particular advertisement. It finally dawned on me that this lipstick advertisement had been present in all three magazines.

Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications provides insights into why marketers use several forms of the same channel for reaching audiences and use variations of an advertisement. Herbert Krugman's Three Exposures Theory relates that a consumer only has to be exposed to an advertisement three times for it to capture his/her attention. Once this attention has been captured the advertisement is considered effective. This theory is based on intrusion value, or the ability of an advertisement to capture the attention of the viewer without his/her voluntary effort. The Three Exposure Theory explains my reaction to the lipstick ad. It wasn't until the third time I viewed the ad that I fully recalled it from my memory. I am not particularly interested in lipstick, so I would say I involuntarily paid attention to the advertisement after my third exposure to it. 

Marketers rely on impressions, or the the total number of exposures of the audience to an advertisement, to reach their target market. Magazines reach specific audiences, so magazines are a great tool for reaching target markets. I came across this Maybelline Ad in Shape, Cosmopolitan, and HGTV Magazine. The magazines have the following circulations: Cosmopolitan 3.0 million, Shape 2.5 million, and HGTV 1.3 million. Therefore, this advertisement has made 6.8 million impressions  by using these three magazines. In other words this advertisement has reached at least 6.8 million individuals. The 6.8 million impression doesn't take into account the additional number of viewers who see a magazine in communal settings such as patients in a doctor's waiting room. The more an individual times an individual views an advertisement the higher the brand recall will be or that individual.

The size and placement of advertisements also influences effectiveness. The Mabelline Ad is the same size in each magazine, but it was found on page 13 in HGTV, page 23 in Shape, and page 79 in Cosmopolitan. In addition to placement, consumer brand recognition requires an emphasis on the visual presentation of the product. The Mabelline Ad uses bold colors to catch the readers eye and represent the bold colors of its new line of lipstick. Each model in the advertisement is touching her lips to draw the consumers attention to her mouth displaying the new lipstick product. It's interesting that each advertisement has a different model. Varying models help make it interesting and keeps the consumer engaged. Using the same advertisement may lead to the consumer quickly ignoring it. The different women in these advertisements caught my attention, making me remember all my previous experiences with the advertisement. 

The World's Top Brands: What It Takes To Be a Strong Brand

A brand is more than a name and a logo; it's a company's image. A brand can embody a company's values, mission, history, leadership, competitive advantages, and much more. CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz said, "the most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart". Strong brands contain vital elements that set them a part from competitors. Let's take a look at 3 brands that Forbes has deemed the World's Most Valuable Brands and determine what makes each a strong brand.

Ranked #1 Apple

It's no surprise that Apple is the top global brand. As of May 2016, sales for the last fiscal year were $233.27 billion. Apple is considered a strong brand for several reasons. First, the Apple logo is recognized anywhere in the world. The company's name doesn't even need to accompany the logo for consumers to know what company it represents. Second, the Apple brand reflects the company's values of creativity and innovation. Its products are the epitome of these concepts. Consumers mentally tie Apple with innovation. Third, Apple is authentic. Apple has followed its original mission to create valuable user experiences through innovation and creativity. Apple has stayed true to why it does what it does and consumers value that commitment. Finally, Apple's product packaging creates a unique and memorable experience with the consumer. When a customer opens an Apple product for the first time he/she is met with a sophisticated white box that sparks anticipation and imagination. Apple is a global power house, whose brand successfully embodies its mission and values.

Ranked #4 Coca-Cola

Generating sales of $43.49 billion as of May 2016 for the previous fiscal year, Coca-cola truly is an international brand. Coca-Cola is a strong brand because it is highly recognizable. It is so recognizable that consumers who only see the shape of a Coca-Cola Bottle are able to determine the brand.

Now that's a powerful brand image. Coca-cola is also a strong brand because it is consistent. Coca-Cola has delivered the same level of high quality in its soft drinks for over 100 years. It doesn't matter if you are in The United States or in Italy, Coca-Cola will deliver a consistent refreshing beverage. The brand is also considered strong because it is authentic. Founded in 1892, Coca-Cola has maintained its original logo and color palette. Though Coca-Cola's tagline has changed throughout the years, its key messages of unity, happiness, and social consciousness have remained the same. The Coca-Cola brand is strong for it embodies the company's history, values, and global presence.

Ranked #8 Disney 

Disney is a strong international brand, making $53.9 billion in sales as of May 2016 for the previous fiscal year. Disney has a global presence with theme parks in The United States, China, France, and Japan. Disney is a strong brand because its brand character embodies a youthful spirit that consumers of all ages identify with. To go with brand character, Disney's brand voice is fun, imaginative, and ageless. Disney believes that everyone has a youthful heart. Disney is also a strong brand because it has excellent distribution. Disney movies and television shows are viewed in theaters and on channels abroad. The company even has store fronts internationally. For example, there is a Disney store in Venice, Italy that receives a lot of traffic from the plethora of international tourists. Disney is a strong brand because consumers relate to its character and voice.