Good advertising - Bad advertising

When is advertising actually good advertising? Read the Bild article by and with Ines Imdahl verbatim:

12 nostalgic commercials that we miss dearly

Here, advertising experts reveal the secret of Diebels Alt, Langnese & Co.

“An alliance for life…”

Well, do you still know the melody? The TV spot of the German insurance company flickered through German living rooms in the early eighties. They were real short films that always told a heartwarming story from life.

Even today, the clips have what it takes to create a good feeling! No wonder, says advertising psychologist Ines Imdahl from the “Rheingold Salon” agency in Cologne, who also worked on the commercial for Diebels Alt (“A beautiful day…”). Because that’s exactly what good advertising aims for.

The power of jingles

“A really good commercial can always be spoken or sung along to - that rounds off the advertising message. Sung jingles are particularly touching and very memorable, but unfortunately this has gone out of fashion lately,” says expert Ines Imdahl. Today, mostly simple 'audio jingles' (e.g. Telekom, Audi) are used.

It’s a shame, because “a good commercial is like an earworm - you can’t get rid of it. Because it gets to the heart of the strength of the brand it advertises in a catchy and memorable way,” says Roland Bös, Managing Director of the Scholz & Friends advertising agency in Hamburg.

What distinguishes good advertising from bad advertising?

Ines Imdahl: “Good advertising touches people by picking up on people’s values and creating situations for identification. It puts people in a state that they can understand emotionally. That doesn’t always have to be logically rational. Good advertising makes people an offer.”

Bad advertising, on the other hand, shows that it only wants to sell and that it is not about the person, but only about their consumption.

Here, advertising psychologist Ines Imdahl took a close look at the BILD editorial team’s favorite spots. She explains why we love them so much:

★ Langnese (“Like ice in the sunshine…”): The summery state of eating ice cream is wonderfully staged. Even today, people associate the same moods with eating ice cream and remember at the same time that this was once the case as a child.

★ Allianz (“Anyone who insures with Allianz is fully secured…”): Life doesn’t always go according to plan, and Allianz advertising plays on this concern. It conveys the feeling that the unforeseen or unpleasant can be controlled - that creates trust. The music and the sung phrases describe exactly the feelings shown visually.

★ Palmolive (“You are currently bathing your hands in it…”): The actual slogan is here - probably unintentionally - in the middle of the spot: “You are currently bathing your hands in it”. This slogan perfectly sums up the gentleness of the product and has thus ensured high advertising recall.

★ Bacardi (“What a feeling…”): This spot works with an 'after work' mood - the rain - at the end of a beautiful day is used to come home (or the house is built in the spot) - and to get to a communal after work. The small, limiting roof over the head symbolically shows that it will not be an excessive drinking session. Barcadi is therefore a spirit that can be consumed in a controlled manner.

★ McDonalds (“Simply good…”): If everyday life is going in the completely wrong direction - symbolically staged here by a hairstyle that you don’t want - then McDonalds can provide relief. You can find yourself again carefree and without regard to etiquette - the etiquette is also represented by the correct hairstyle. And then even a lousy day becomes “simply good”.

★ Obstgarten (“Is loosely light”): A good example of the fact that advertising does not have to be realistic in any way to work. The psyche understands the message of 'heaviness' - and it is a typical state in everyday working life, where not only the food can lie heavily in the stomach.

★ Caro Landkaffee (“The wholesome country coffee”): Here, the strength lay more in the music, which with its pop character appealed to many people at the time. Breakfast and coffee were almost always staged with sunshine, Sunday picnics or breakfast constitutions.

★ Merci (“Thank you for being there”): An example of how a single advertising concept can be successfully pursued over decades. The basic principle of Merci advertising still works today with slight variations. “Thank you for being there” has remained as a slogan. The brand occupies situations in which one feels small gratitude in life, which can also be very everyday moments.

★ Diebels Alt (“A beautiful day”): Here, an all-round holistic feeling of happiness is staged - which is very touching and moving. But it is also a very rare feeling that hardly arises with every beer consumption. Because of the rarity of this feeling of happiness, Diebels said goodbye to this campaign at the time - and was unable to build on its success.

★ Coca Cola (“Coca Cola is it…”): Coca Cola is an “initiation product”, i.e. an important product on the way to adulthood. The first time Coca Cola means for children/teens - they are already big - and this first time is transferred to the first love here. Wonderfully touching - and in a somewhat more modern visual language it would still work today.

★ Duracell (“Lasts decisively longer”): One of the best-known advertisements that promote a single product advantage - i.e. benefit: the longer life of the Duracell battery. The use of rabbits as a central advertising element is clever: they create an unconscious connection that lasting longer also means living longer. This creates emotionality with a 'cold' product.

Why do we like to watch certain spots again and again?

Ines Imdahl: “Advertising touches us when socially relevant values are addressed. If these topics resonate in such a way that they fit well with the product, we are touched.”

Nostalgia arises when a spot manages to remind us of a previous value. Imdahl: “We then feel connected to our former self.” And that feels really good for most people.

By the way: What also feels really good: When the hairstyle fits….