A key aspect of a successful advertising testing project is to test the ad among the right target audience. So when I came across this ad from Whiskas (2009), I couldn't resist letting my mind go wild thinking how best to have tested it.
The audience is cats. There are no spoken copy, just cat sounds and sounds that will attract cats. So obviously a cat owner is not the right audience for testing; the right audience is the cat itself.
How do we think Whiskas tested this ad (if they ever did)? I believe focus groups won't work (cats who don't know each other in one room is asking for trouble). Online surveys won't work either, cats like to sit on keyboards not type on them. So one-on-one ethnographic observations are best in this case.
I tried the test on my cat. I played the ad and observed its reaction. The beginning of the ad with the cat sounds got its attention, the noises of scratching a surface kept it involved, but then interest deteriorated rapidly after the first 10 seconds - a moment-by-moment trace would have been a short peak followed by a rapid drop.
But at least we know how the target reacted to the First Ever Commercial for Cats.
Unless you are an older Generation Xer or a Baby Boomer, you would most likely have no idea who Rula Lenska is.
Advertising research and learning on celebrities in advertising were probably limited at that time. Would an unknown in North America posing as a celebrity promoting hair products good for the brand or not?
The exotic accent and lack of awareness created enough intrigue that Who is Rula Lenska became a running joke on the Johnny Carson show as well as a question raised by many who saw the ads at that time. So why did the sponsor drop her on the basis of not being well known in the Americas despite strong word of mouth?
Many of us have seen learning about how the celebrity in advertising works best when he or she is recognized and fits with the brand. But how about someone who poses as a celebrity, specially with such great big hair and lots of intrigue? Something to ponder upon as you watch some of those fun 70's ads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuwuG7q5V2U
