Absurdity: Key to Social Relevancy?
Take a look at some of the recent advertising from these brands:
Wheat Thins
Old Spice
Milwaukee’s Best
Dos Equis
Dr. Pepper TEN
They are farcical, self-deprecating, goofy and void of little or any product information, let alone benefits. These aren’t the type of attributes most companies are trying to associate with their brands, but for brands targeting Gen Y, principally males, these associations seem to work.
These brands aren’t saying, “Buy us. We taste good.” They are saying, “Buy us. We get you.”
These brands have figured out that consumers, particularly Gen Y males, don’t acknowledge commercials or traditional advertising and marketing. These consumers want content – content that they can associate with, content that reflects their own personality traits and their own comedic styling.
The 18-30 year-old came of age watching Will Ferrell movies. Absurdity is in their DNA. This type of marketing is meant to entertain, not inform. And that is why this type of marketing excels in today’s social environment, particularly in this post-Facebook Timeline era. It is entertainment that is amplified and extended by consumers – shared, re-purposed, re-edited, co-opted and commented upon.
