I want ever so much to tell you that ads prominently featuring puppies, kittens, and baby animals of all sorts have no effect on me whatsoever. I want to tell you that because I know enough about advertising, marketing, and underlying human psychology, I am immune to this sort of ploy. I want to tell you this. But alas, I cannot.
I, like so many others, am a sucker for grotesquely adorable photos and videos. I swoon over squishy cheeks. I coo at oversized Precious Moments-esque eyes. And I absolutely want to smother (in a good way) baby animals that haven't grown into their own paws yet.
Did I make my last toilet paper purchase based on the puppy on the package? Yes. Yes, I did.
If you have a product that can reasonably feature cute animals in its advertising, and I am at all in need of that category of products, you'll win my business every time by flashing a wet nose and pair of puppy dog eyes at me. That's it. I'm a cheap marketing date.
That's why, when I saw this ad, what instantly sprang to mind wasn't, "Aaaaawwwww," but rather, "What kind of budget did the brand blow here?"
I love good production value as much as the next person. And don't get me wrong, I think drug use is most often a victimless crime, and psychotropics have their place in the creative process. But why, for the love of Pete, would you spend (presumably) so much money on an ad when your target audience is pet lovers?
If your business is blessed enough to have a completely legitimate excuse for including puppies and kittens in your ad, keep it simple. Let animal lovers, not "Avatar" lovers, chart your course for you. It'll save you more money than you can imagine.
To hear more about the latest strategies in online video marketing, attend the iMedia Breakthrough Summit, March 21-24. Request your invite today.
