Asian Paints – Does The Same Trick Work Every Time?
This ad is fresh off today’s front page newspaper Times of India. I have written earlier about using celebrities to endorse your brand and relying solely on the power of the face to sell your product. Look at the above ad and take a moment to think how you feel like reacting to this ad:
- Smile and feel happy – Deepika is staring right back at you
- Skip the ad – there is nothing which makes you notice it
- Feel disappointed – there is just a bit of punch missing
Don’t the TV ads of the same company and same model make you feel happier? So what is it about this particular ad which makes it less effective in attracting the eye and not engaging the viewer to want to read more about this product?
According to Joe Navarro, ex FBI specialist in nonverbal communication, “Neck touching” is one of the most significant and frequent “pacifying behaviors” we use in responding to stress. When women pacify using the neck, they sometimes touch, twist or otherwise manipulate a necklace, if they are wearing one. (Taken from What Every Body is Saying). How can the model be posing in a way which makes her appear stressed in this ad?
The second, cluster behavior being exhibited by the model is that of self hugging. This is again a “comforting behavior” which one takes on when one is under stress and wants to feel comforted. Though a general closed arms pose does not signal anything strongly when used alone, here since it is used with the necklace touching pose, the overall signal that the picture gives is one of discomfort. Add to that the forced smile on the face and the slight flaring of the nostrils which makes the area above the lips seem tense, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Asian Paints has gone with a previous ad campaign with the same model and the same attire. If you look at the previous campaign, it appears much better and does wonders to attract your attention.
The question then is – does what work once as a success work again a second time? If you look closely at the body language of Deepika Padukone in this particular ad, you will see a lot of difference.
The left hand is on the side, with the wrist exposed, which makes the model appear more attractive. The right hand comes across to cross her torso is in a similar pose as in the first picture but it is not clinging itself around her waist; it is not a “self hugging” posture. Her smile is relaxed and so are her other facial features. All these postures, put together, is what had worked for this particular photograph.
Subtle differences in body language can cause a big difference in ad campaigns being successful or otherwise.
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