BroadVision Marketing Blog

Guest Blogger Ann Mullen

This is the third part in a series based on the 30+ year old Advertising's 15 Basic Appeals, by Jib Fowles, quoted by Shirley Biagi, in her textbook “Media/Impact: An Introduction of Mass Media”( now in its 8^th edition) and put on the internet by Frank W. Baker at http://www.frankwbaker.com/fowles.htm.  We have covered appeals for sex, aggression, attention and domination, some pretty hefty appeals as well as some more benign ones like the need for affiliation, nurture and guidance. Let’s see what the last set of needs appeal to.



10. Need for autonomy- within a crowded environment, we want to be singled out, to be a "breed apart." This can also be used negatively: you may be left out if you don't use a particular product

I think some ads make this appeal, especially ads for trucks. The women’s ad that says, “Because I’m worth it,” means that she is in a select group of women worth it. I think both men and women want to be set apart by the products they use. Special teeth whiteners, tooth paste and mouth wash that allow the use to eat all the onions he wants. And why do they all want to be set apart? To get sex would be my guess.

11. Need to escape- flight is very appealing; you can imagine adventures you cannot have; the idea of escape is pleasurable

There are many ads for states, countries and adventures. Many people cannot afford to “book it”, but I think there are many more who can. They do want to do their booking in a smart fashion. I also think a lot of the expensive car ads may be a part of the need to escape, but it is possible that the expensive cars are in financial trouble so they need to advertise, some for the first time ever. Of course they would play up the need to escape.

12. Need to feel safe- to be free from threats, to be secure is the appeal of many insurance and bank ads

On the other hand, we have the need to feel safe and in our current financial maelstrom this has taken on new meaning, much like it did in the 1970s actually. OK. My favorite ad is the one with the dog who is worried about his bone. He buries, digs it up, takes it to a bank safe deposit box, gets it out and finally is comforted by having insurance for it. It’s cute, but really?

13. Need for aesthetic sensations-beauty attracts us, and classic art or dance makes us feel creative, enhanced

I think there have been some very artistic ads trying to stand out from the crowd. One has to do with dancers who gravitate together to become silhouettes of singular images. The latest Prius ad is incredible. It contains many people bound together to appear to be one person until they are presented with individual cars that bring out their individuality.

14. Need to satisfy curiosity-facts support our belief that information is quantifiable and numbers and diagrams make our choices seem scientific

The LifeLock man sharing his social security number with the world proves scientifically that he can’t have his identity stolen. The U.S. Air Force shows what looks like something from a science fiction movie and then says that it’s not science fiction. (They still are not sure where all those pieces landed). And then there is a yogurt product that is good for digestion that has just added a doctor telling people that it works if you eat it three times a day.  Hum.

15. Psychological needs- Fowles defines sex (item no.1) as a biological need, and so he classifies our need to sleep, eat, and drink in this category. Advertisers for juicy pizza are especially appealing late at night.

First of all the need to sleep, eat and drink are not just psychological needs. They are as biological as the need for sex. But we will let Fowles keep his definition. Have you noticed how many sleep aid commercials show up in the evening? Some are prescription only and others are over-the-counter. Of course food commercials are always an added incentive for a couch potato trip to the kitchen. Even liquor commercials have been coming back on cautiously and full of reminders to drink responsibly. I wonder how many pizza calls are made after pizza commercials and if it matters what brand was on the commercial.

Now that you have looked at these 15 basic advertising appeals, it’s time for a session in front of your television. Can you tell what each ads appeal is? I’d love to hear your thoughts on all this. Please comment in the box below.

Ann Mullen has been writing most of her life, some of it even for pay. She wrote as many as 3 columns a week in a newspaper in South Texas. For the last year she has been learning about websites, blogging and social media managing. Lately, Ann has been a team member of Broadvision Marketing.

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