30 Seconds of Fame

This type of executional framework is where a customer is presented in an ad speaking about his/her experience with the product. We've all asked family and friends, or even someone next to us in the shopping aisle, about a product we're considering buying. If we get a positive review it's basically word-of-mouth advertising and brands have tapped into this common experience by creating testimonial ads.


The testimonial may come from an actual customer or a participant in a focus group and there is a credibility that comes with hearing from someone who has used the product giving their personal opinion. This type of ad can work for just about any type of product or service. Services like exercise/weight-loss programs are well known for this:




When you're promoting a service, or just a product like a DVD where the value is not in the physical  item, a testimonial type ad is a very effective way to go.

So do you like ads like this? Would you go out and shop on the advice from a testimonial ad? I have to say I'm pretty sold on the 28 Day Challenge DVD.

PS. Check out Kimberly's post from last week featuring a very clever testimonial ad.

Here's a little tip you can use when viewing ads: find the framework. The executional framework is the style of advertising a company uses to promote their product. The framework employed gives an idea of how the company wishes to position their product, as what works for one may not work for another. For example if the product is something serious like a medication they may use a doctor giving statistics in the ad or if it's something entertainment related they may employ a celebrity instead. Each of those examples belongs to a different framework we'll look at later on but first let's look at something a little... cuter.

I'll be basing my reviews on the framework chosen for each ad I look at and first up is: Animation!

CocaCola's clumsy bear invites us to open happiness.

What makes animation a great choice for CocaCola is its mass appeal. CocaCola is an international brand selling a very well known product. They tend to create advertising that focuses on brand awareness and brand identity. Using animation allows them to appeal to any demographic - since the main character doesn't necessarily belong to any specific race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc. - and simply convey a happy/upbeat feeling being associated with the brand. The clumsy bear doesn't even speak so there is no language barrier, this ad can be used anywhere in the world just by switching out the "open happiness" tagline in the last few frames in non-English speaking countries.

Do you think the animation works for CocaCola here? Did watching this ad make you feel like Clumsy Bear opened happiness?