BroadVision Marketing Blog

Guest Blogger Ann Mullen

In the previous part of this report, we talked about how Frank W. Baker came to put Jeb Fowles’ Advertising 15 Basic Appeals on the internet. We looked at the first three appeals and I added my cute little remarks. Today we are going to look at numbers 4 through 9. I want you to remember that even if I don’t discuss the need for sex in every one of these, that a lot of times the number one need is in evidence by the youthful appearance of the actors, if nothing else.



4. Need for guidance- a father or mother figure can appeal to your desire for someone to care for you, so you won't have to worry. Betty Crocker is a good example.

Betty, who? These days the guiding figure is the doctor who tells you all the terrible things that can go wrong with the medicine you are encouraged to bug your doctor to give you. By giving you this benign, calm-speaking figure the advertisers expect you not to pay attention to the stuff they are required by law to mention.

5. Need to aggress- we all have had a desire to get even, and some ads give you this satisfaction.

My favorite aggressive ad is the woodchucks chucking wood into the farmer’s pond. He yells at them to quit. They throw a couple more chunks of wood, laugh manically and scamper off. Maybe I also like the ad because I know that woodchucks are really groundhogs, but some vindictive part of me likes those woodchucks. Go figure.

I also like the new car ad with the kid dressed in a Darth Vader suit who tries to be aggressive with the washer dryer, a doll and finally his father’s car. He has been so unsuccessful that when he makes the car start (or so he thinks), he turns to his parents in awe. This may not be getting even, but he is Darth Vader, the Dark Lord. That’s a pretty aggressive role model.

6. Need to achieve- the ability to accomplish something difficult and succeed identifies the product with winning. Sports figures as spokespersons project this image.

I love William Shatner as the Priceline Negotiator when he is competing with Naomi Price and she beats him. He tells her that her last move was “well played”. Can you imagine Captain Kirk saying that to one of his lesser crew? As for sports figures, I think the last person Naomi shows in her master of disguise competition is a real sports figure. I just don’t know who he is. You can always tell me in the comment box below. Just be nice.

7. Need to dominate- the power we lack is what we can look for in a commercial "master the possibilities."

Women seem stuck dominating foul room odors and stubborn stains while men are looking at the newest murderous video games that they can pre-purchase along with the limited edition game player. Men can master the possibilities two ways with this game. Not everyone is going to get one or will be able to find one, while our powerful male is not going to have to fight over one later. Men also like to purchase cars with the most “best in class” awards or the most power under the hood. Do you think this has something to do with sex?

8. Need for prominence- we want to be admired and respected; to have high social status. Tasteful china and classic diamonds offer this potential.

Good grief. It seems that women are into high status as well. This is similar to domination, as near as I can tell; but once again the women come off as second class. Tasteful glassware has to be spotless for that formal dinner. Having it is not enough, it has to look good, too. Not so with the men and their respected vehicle which can be so caked with mud a person would have to know the truck by its configuration not its logo to know what it is. I know, I know. Any man who had such a powerful vehicle can tell you any truck by its configuration. Let us admire and respect just a man, but he won’t get any you-know-what until that truck is as spotless as those glasses.

9. Need for attention- we want people to notice us; we want to be looked at. Cosmetics are a natural for this approach.

Let’s not forget the men here. What about those ads for four layers of razor blades or the ads for razors that don’t take it all off? How about the ads on a race car used in an ad for something else?  Men are featured in weight loss ads as well as exercise machine ads. These guys take off their shirts to show how buff they are. They want to be looked at. Can you tell the difference between what was written by a man (Fowles) and what I write?

We are going to stop here because I don’t want to make these articles so long you won’t read them. The last part is going to discuss the needs for autonomy, escape, to feel safe, need for beauty, to satisfy curiosity and psychological needs. If any of what I shared in this post makes you want to add to the discussion, 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.