Do Offensive Ads Turn You Away?

[vangogh]

My cat (an imaginary one, since I don't actually own a cat) is quickly dialing the ASPCA.

Offending people isn't always a bad thing when it comes to marketing and advertising. For example if you're marketing to one of the two major U.S. political parties you would do well to offend the party you aren't targeting. Sure you lose half the general population, but you also stood out that much more to the other half which is the one you're targeting.

The GoDaddy ads like offend some, just not their target audience who most likely thinks them among the greatest ads ever to hit to tv. Most of us aren't particularly swayed or offended.

[Spider]

I am inclined to not use Godaddy because of the ads - not because I find them offensive but because I find them irrelevant. If a tech company (my thinking goes) thinks an ad like this is a good portrayal of their business, it doesn't say much for their technical capabilities. Likewise, the name Godaddy is a loser, in my book.

I use Directnic - better name - no silly advertising - good products - great service.

As for GEICO, I thought the caveman ads silly and irrelevant, and the 'eyes' campaign almost as bad - very amatuerish both of them. The GEICO gecko was better and, at least, passed on a little information about the benefits the company offered.

Just because an ad gets people talking about the company doesn't mean that talk is positive, and negative talk doesn't particularly translate into positive sales results. Most times the talk is about the ad while the company and/or product is lost entirely. How many times have you liked, laughed, pondered or been affected by an ad and not remember what they were advertising?

And what good is that to anybody?

[nealrm]

In terms of advertising positive talk about a product you sell is best, this is followed by positive talk about an ad, negitive talk about an ad, no discussion about your company and last by negitive talk about your product. So while it is best to have a positive ad, a negitive ad still get people to remember your name.

[vangogh]

If a tech company (my thinking goes) thinks an ad like this is a good portrayal of their business, it doesn't say much for their technical capabilities.

Why would an ad like that make you question their technical abilities? Granted it's not going to increase your knowledge of their technical abilities, but I don't think it should make you question them.

In all honestly if most companies produced commercials to highlight their technical abilities, most of their users would only be confused. Not all, but most.

You have to remember we're not all the same. I'm like you in just wanting information about benefits and features. That doesn't work on everyone though, which is why many companies will produce different kinds of ads. Each is usually aimed at a different kind of personality. You mentioned the GEICO ads. I'd bet the gecko and cavemen ads were each directed at a different type of person in their market. You favored the gecko. Another person favored the cavemen. One thing both do well is connect the commercial with the brand. And it's hard to say the cavemen commercials are failures. They did become popular enough to launch a tv series, albeit a very short lived one. Some people out there certainly like that commercial.

[Spider]

In terms of advertising positive talk about a product you sell is best, this is followed by positive talk about an ad, negitive talk about an ad, no discussion about your company and last by negitive talk about your product. So while it is best to have a positive ad, a negitive ad still get people to remember your name.

So what? - If what I remember about the company is negative, I ain't gonna buy - even if I remember every last word of the ad's jingle!

[Spider]

Why would an ad like that make you question their technical abilities? Granted it's not going to increase your knowledge of their technical abilities, but I don't think it should make you question them...

Godaddy is a technical company. "Technical" is what they do. Technical processes are what they advertise. Technical stuff is the only reason I might buy from them, no matter how little I might know about technical things. The less I know, the more I need to be convinced they can do what I need. And the blonde police hottie unzipping her jacket provocatively does not suggest that they even have an interest in taking care of my technical needs.

I would doubt the ability of a heart surgeon if he advertised using the Budweiser frogs. I would doubt the ability of an accounting firm if they advertised their services like a Sandals Beach Resort.

The point is that the whole of the ad says something about the company and its brand. Anything that might suggest the accountant could syphon off some of your money to spend on lavish vacations, will not serve the advertiser well. Anything that suggests the heart surgeon may operate on you while under the influence of alcohol, will detract from the effectiveness of the ad.

Different aspects of an ad cannot be taken in isolation. So much of an advertisement is subliminal.

[vangogh]

Technical stuff is the only reason I might buy from them, no matter how little I might know about technical things

Again that's you. You're not everyone. Just because a company is technical doesn't mean it's the only way they can or should market themselves.

People have different personality types and respond to different things. For a certain group of people (expressives) technical stuff is completely irrelevant, even for a technical company. What they want to know most is that other people have used and enjoyed your products. They want to belong. A handful of testimonials will count much more with these people than anything you say, technical or otherwise, about their product.

You might want to see a technical company talking about technical stuff, but understand that's not important to all of GoDaddy's potential customers. Speaking as someone who does work all the time with domains and hosting, I can tell you people don't ever ask me about anything technical in regards to where to buy either. Most just ask me who they should use and price is the dominant concern.

Here's the ad they use in search engines when you search for the single word domain

$6.99 Domains ·GoDaddy.com
Why Pay More? Compare Us. FREE Hosting w/Site Builder & more.

I suppose they mention technical things with the words domains, hosting, and site builder, but the focus on the ad is a lower price. I'd bet the lower price means more to their customers than anything technical the company could say.

When you watch their commercials they're clearly using sex to sell. That may not work with you, but look around at advertising in general. It certainly works for many people.

I'm not suggesting you should use GoDaddy. Obviously to you it's important that as a technical company they should focus their advertising on the tech side of things. I'm just suggesting that not everyone sees it the same way. Their ads don't work on you, but they do work on other people. Prior to their first Super Bowl commercial not many people knew who they were. Now they're probably the first company that comes to mind for most people when thinking about domains.

[Dan Furman]

As for GEICO, I thought the caveman ads silly and irrelevant, and the 'eyes' campaign almost as bad - very amatuerish both of them. The GEICO gecko was better and, at least, passed on a little information about the benefits the company offered.

Both absolutely brilliant, and I would guess both were very, very effective.

Geico is almost a household word now, and a serious insurance contender.

Know what Geico stands for? Government Employees Insurance Company. They once only served a small niche. Now they compete - strongly - with everyone. Their advertising budget and ads are the reason.

Advertising can be soooo misunderstood by many. The whole "that commercial doesn't make me want to buy the product" argument usually completely misses the point.

[phanio]

Depends on how offensive the ad is. But, if I don't like an ad the first time I see it, my mind just shuts it out the next time.

What I like about watching other ads is trying to decode them. When I see an ad, I like to think about what market they are targeting, are they using the right channel, the right message and then, try to decide if I will ever remember it if I am in the makret for their product or service.

Guess it just keeps me thinking about ways to improve my own marketing.

[Spider]

...Geico is almost a household word now, and a serious insurance contender.
Know what Geico stands for? Government Employees Insurance Company. They once only served a small niche. Now they compete - strongly - with everyone. Their advertising budget and ads are the reason...

Bit late with the news, there, Dan. Geico has been selling to the general public more or less since inception, and in a more targetted fashion since probably the 1950s or before. Warren Buffet was investing in the company by the 1970s and took them over in the 1990s, if memory services me correctly. I believe they have only been advertising in the current mode for the past ten years.

Judging by comments from the company, the gecko ads are more profitable than other current ads, and despite the massive increase in advertising expenditure overall during the past decade, GEICO is still only the sixth largest auto insurer, I think. As far as I can tell, they have been a household name for the past 40 years.