Do Customers Like Your Ads and Marketing?

When Sally Field won her Oscar back in 1988, she proclaimed, “You like me, you really like me.” It wasn’t an ego thing, it was a revelation. She was sincerely surprised to see acceptance of her work as an actress. And in doing so, she continued to develop as an actress, and arguably one of the more recognizable actresses of our time.

 

How does that apply to advertising and marketing? It applies very directly!

 

Several research studies in the past decade have shined new light on the importance of “likeability” of advertisements. In one study in 2005 by Hermie, Lanckriet, Lansloot and Peeters, it was determined that up to 80% of an ad’s memorability is tied to it’s likeability.

 

Think about that…if they like you, they are more apt to remember you…and if they remember you, at least you’ve got a shot at making a sale.

 

In related research, Sutherland and Sylvester conducted research that positively links likeability and persuasion.

 

What can we all do to make advertising more likeable, and thereby more persuasive and more memorable? Erik du Plessis, in his book The Advertised Mind,  postulates a model called the COMMAP, which identifies six areas that can affect likeability.

 

These areas that affect likeability include:

  • Entertainment
  • Empathy
  • Relevant News
  • Familiarity
  • Confusion
  • Alienation

 

It is important to note that the first three, entertainment, empathy, and relevant news, are things that we should strive for. Familiarity (defined by du Plessis as being over-saturated in the market, confusion, and alienation, are three things that we should reduce.

 

Do people like your ads? Maybe it’s time you asked the question, “Do people like us?” Your ads might have something to do with the answer.