Hill+Knowlton Strategies

I read yesterday that men and women respond differently to advertising: women respond more favorably to ads with product research information, more frequent brand name mentions and various types of product illustrations or demonstrations. Alternatively, men were significantly more responsive to ads containing superiority claims.  Research is from Data Gem, more info here.

Don’t you just love a good men vs women piece of research?  It tallies well with the vanilla advertising that litters our world – ‘oooh Bodyform’ (women), ‘the ultimate driving machine’ (men).

My view, for what it’s worth, is that women (and men) respond to shock tactics.  Which may explain why London is being plastered in pants and bra ads at the moment – despite the continuing furore about the sexualisation of children.  I was visually assaulted last night by this:

I’ve written before about copycat ads, and this campaign by Coppafeel is deliberately trying to achieve column inches by copying the Wonderbra original.  The ad took me right back to my student days, when we all raved about Wonderbras, and made me think about buying one again.  It didn’t make me want to ’save my life by knowing my boobs’.   Is it just me, or have times moved on?  Does this ad talk more to men than women? I think so.   Here’s the original, so you can compare.

So, on to pants.  Have you seen these ads?

Genious media buying, with crafty placement at bus stops around town…because there’s not much to do when waiting for buses, and these ads definitely help pass the time. I’d never heard of Aussiebum  before I saw this ad, but they made me want to know more. Having delved a bit deeper, I know they make ‘wonderjock’ pants.  Which do pretty much what it says on the tin (borrowing from another ad slogan).   If you need persuading, watch this  video for over 18s which made me blush but definitely explains the product benefits.  These ads don’t just make me want to buy pants they make me want to go to Australia.

A friend in advertising said the effectiveness of pants ads – on me – might have something to do with emasculation: “terrifyingly testosterone levels are dropping in the world, by about 1% a year. If you think about Gary Cooper, strong, silent type of old v. Jesse Eisenberg, dork, of new – blokes are basically turning into big girls. Compounded by their increasingly sensitive and fragile egos.”

He told me to watch An Emasculating Truth, trailer here:

I’d be interested to know how Aussiebum pants are selling among men, and whether images of  fit men appeal to their fragile egos?

Aside from emasculation, what are the PR lessons from in-your-face underwear advertising?  I believe the best marketing comes from a product truth, and building your story from there.   PR shock tactics (and copying famous ads) may attract initial attention, but ultimately may not have the desired impact.