What makes an ad memorable to the Youth Market?

Each and every one of us is exposed to some form of advertising on a daily basis, whether it's on the tube ride to work, on billboards while we sit in the proverbial stream of traffic, on the radio that makes up the background noise in the office, not to mention the endless ad breaks during our favourite TV program. More recently, social networks have joined in the fun. Now this might well indicate that advertisers have become increasingly savvy at reaching consumers in their dwell time at home or on their way to work, but in such a highly competitive market, reach is no longer enough. How effective an ad really is comes down to how memorable it is.

Can anyone think back to when ads first started to make an impact on TV? Are there any that you remember? It's incredible to think just how much power a short spurt of creative and a well placed slogan have on a brand’s image and ultimate impact on sales. VW Beetle is a great one that comes to mind. If you were alive and kicking in the late '50s, you might remember a series of 'Think Small' ads that promoted a message along the lines of ‘less is more’ with creatives that reflected a similar sense of simplicity. Or even the Clairol, 'Does she... or doesn’t she?' campaign that coined a phrase in 1956 that lasted another 15 years and boosted sales by over 400% in the first six years.

Ok, so that was then, what about now? With the constant evolution of economies around the world, advertising has become a world truly reflective of Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Not only is the audience more techno savvy and critically aware, brands have had to become far more competitive and innovative in their approach to advertising. There is the inevitable trade off, with consumers now asking the question, "Well, what's in it for me?"

So what makes an ad memorable? An article in New Media Age (13/5/10) broached the topic recently and came up with some interesting conclusions. After a survey was carried out, the top five categories listed in descending order were: Funny, Relevant, Unexpected, Informative and Celebrity Endorsed. Now if I have a think back to ads I’ve seen recently, there are already some that would fit perfectly into these categories. It doesn’t take long to come up with something funny - it would have to be Compare the Market’s insatiable meerkat, which has arguably become one of the most recognisable ad series on TV.

So, we know that ads appealing to a sense of humour are obviously a winner with the viewing public. If you think about it, using a meerkat could also fall into the unexpected category. I mean, where on earth do market and meerkat interlink? That leaves relevant and it has to be said that Cancer Research tends to hit home every time, perhaps only because of a family history connected to the disease. It would probably also fall under informative. Celebrity endorsed? Well that would have to be Jamie Oliver and Sainsburys – granted, it took me a second or two to remember which supermarket chain he was representing. But you obviously get the gist. When it comes to student advertising, it’s vital that brands tap into the most creative and innovative resources at their disposal. Youth Media offers a unique portfolio of communication solutions for brands looking for exposure in the heart of the student market. Click here to find out more.