What was the last ad that made you do something and why? July 13, 2015

What was the last ad that made you do something and why?

According to our panel, a call to action in conjunction with a match to a current wish list seems to be the winning formula when it comes to prompting action as a result of seeing an ad. The ad needs to hit the right note at the right time. As one panelist says “the only time something hooks me in is if it is something I am already thinking of getting. It helps me to make a decision.”

Consumers zone out to irrelevant ads, however if they hear or see something that is already on their radar, it will catch their attention. There were many examples given to us by our panel which demonstrate this. Here are just some of them:

“Saw a storm stunner ad on TV for Hungry Jacks for $5.50I was hungry and it seemed like a good deal so I got one.”

“Saw an ad for a vacuum cleaner at a good price, reminded me that I needed one so I went ahead and made the purchase.”

“My wife and I were sitting on the couch talking about the lack of decent shows to watch on free to air TV and the Fetch ad came on so we decided to give it a go.”

This need to hit consumers with what they are looking for, combined with the ever increasing need to stand out from the background noise, illustrates the importance of targeting. The importance of researching thoroughly exactly who will be the most likely to listen to your message, and speaking to them as directly as possible.

And what is the call to action which resonates the most? Not surprisingly, it’s the discounts! Money off things. Consumers will look at catalogues specifically to find discounts and specials advertised. However the common theme is still present here – they will often only look at catalogues to see if what they normally buy is on sale, rather than buying something just because it is on sale.

On a side note, the ads with the most spontaneous mentions in our study were all automotive brands. Specifically, Jeep, Mazda and Holden Cruze all received multiple mentions.

If you’d like to know more please contact us at: questions@edentify.com.au


Our latest thinking

April 11th, 2024
AI or Authentic Insights

As a market researcher, one of my roles has been to train colleagues and clients in how to generate deep, useful insights. Anyone who has worked in research knows that getting beyond the data and identifying meaning is a critical skill and what sets insight apart from simple information. It...

Read more
September 13th, 2022
Why brand goodness is important

In a trend that has emerged over the past few years, more and more brands are jostling to position themselves not just as products and services, but as responsible citizens. At the same time, consumers have become more focused on the impact that the brands they purchase have on the world, whether...

Read more
August 05th, 2022
COVID-19 and the Great Resignation

The COVID-19 pandemic turned many aspects of our lives upside down. One of the biggest disruptions was to how we worked.Frontline workers bore the brunt putting in shift after shift in our busy hospitals, supermarkets and essential services.Those who work in hospitality, retail and tourism among...

Read more
May 25th, 2022
Is the Australian Dream still a reality?

One of the hottest issues of the 2022 election was home ownership. All sides of politics put forward new policies to address calls to make buying a house more achievable.This issue is nothing new: buying a home has been a hot topic on Edentify’s Café Chat for a while now. We asked...

Read more