It’s amazing how little substance there is in most brand advertising today. The vast majority of product campaigns all seem to be pretty photography and fluff.
Brand awareness obviously is the objective. But in most campaigns you have to ask the question, “awareness of what?”
Barbasol, a shaving product that came out almost a hundred years ago, aired a campaign this year that showed some substance.
First, the Barbasol shaving cream people picked out a specific segment of the male market: that segment to which macho means something. Then they took the brand directly at those guys with commercials featuring he-man types from cowboys to World War II G.I.s.
Barbasol’s ad agency CEO said, “There’s nostalgia in the traditional concept of manhood, and a desire for getting back to what’s real.”
Well, there certainly is a segment of the male market about which that statement is right on the money. The whole campaign is about getting some Barbasol shaving cream and a real razor, and at least shaving like a man.
We men nowadays may be involved in a whole lot of "sissified" things, but, according to Barbasol, we can at least be a man at shaving time.
The Barbasol campaign identifies a specific market. It has appeal and interest. It has a benefit. And it has strong brand identity.
That’s advertising.
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