SHOCK ADVERTISINGSHOCK ADVERTISING

Emergence of shock advertising

• Media clutter: consumers are bombarded with 3,000 messages per day

• Shock ads seek to stand out against the background of media clutter

• Shock ads attempt to exploit a norm violation

• DaisyAd1964.mpeg• brainondrugs.avi

Why use shock?

• the whole point is to be disturbing, offensive, crass, tasteless, edgy– capture attention by

braking through media clutter

– increase awareness, recognition

– generate media buzz through social controversy

– promote memory, retention of an issue

Shock ads as viral marketing

• One goal of “shockvertising” is to grab attention and increase awareness

• An effective shock ad will generate its own publicity by generating “buzz”

Shocking Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

• Norm violation in the form of gory, disgusting images– Anti-smoking PSA– Child Abuse

Awareness PSA (Saatchi & Saatchi, 2002)

– AntiSmokingPSA.avi– CartoonBoy.avi

Shock Ads in Commercial Advertising

• Miller Lite

• Benetton

• Virgin Airways

• Volkswagon

• Shock may be combined with humor, sex, guilt, etc.

Walking a thin line

• A shock ad that is too shocking may backfire

• A shock ad that isn’t shocking enough may not break through media clutter

• Is it better to be seen and perceived as offensive, or not to be seen at all?

• C:\Documents and Settings\rgass\My Documents\My Pictures\Shock Ad Tom Ford for Men.jpg

Shock ads for social causes

• PETA uses sex appeals to attract attention for animal rights

• Is it okay to save animals by objectifying women as sex objects?

Shock reactance

• Has PETA gone too far?– Guiliani “Got

prostate cancer?”– “Unhappy mother’s

day for pigs.”– The PSP ad below,

shown in Holland, sparked controversy.