Don't Wake up in a roadside ditch
Throughout the course of the Super Bowl, one thing that both avid football fans and those lesser in tune to America's game look forward to the commercials. In recent years, the Super Bowl has become less about the game itself, and more about the surrounding hoopla, namely the commercials. Indeed, the Super Bowl has become the iconic climactic moment for Corporate America to spread its message far and wide.
One of my favorite commercials from this year's Super Bowl was a certain DirecTV commercial. This commercial features a string of cause-and-effect relationships. The causes and effects at the beginning of the commercial were pretty believable, but rapidly begin to become more and more ridiculous as the commercial progresses. At the end of the commercial, what once was a dissatisfied cable customer has now acquired an eye patch and is shown waking up in a roadside ditch.
While thoroughly outlandish and completely ridiculous, one would be hard-pressed not to appreciate the creativity and ingenuity that went into making this commercial what it is. By producing this commercial, consumers subconsciously associate the feeling that this ad engenders with the brand itself. In addition, although the commercial is obviously hyperbolic, DirecTV nonetheless instills a sense of doubt about their competitors' ability to produce a good product. In psychologist lingo, essenttially DirecTV is trying to create contrasting conditioned responses, both to DirecTV's product as well as its competitors.
Here's the link to the video. Hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did. And remember, don't wake up in a roadside ditch.
Interesting. I enjoyed the commercial- very funny.
I think because of the outlandish nature of the commercial, it's not going to convince people subconsciously that they should get rid of cable and get DirecTV.
I think conditioning, in light of itself, is a profitable tool that advertising agencies have been using recently. People KNOW now why they want a certain product if it's associated with feeling good, or vice versa.
I think in bringing it to light, advertising agencies are doing another form of conditioning- honesty. People relate to and desire for honesty.