He determined that all ads fall into the following categories:
| Demo ad: | Visual demonstration of a product's capabilities |
| Show the need or problem: | Demonstrate the problem and then show the remedy (eg a dropped mobile phone call) |
| Symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic: | Same as (2), but the problem is a feeling, so the problem of pounding headache is symbolically represented as a drummer pounding a bass drum. |
| Comparison Ad: | Compares product with competitors |
| Exemplary story: | A short narrative is played out, which illustrates the product's benefits (Jenny's school play is tonight, but there's a stain on her costume. What will mum do?) |
| Benefit causes story: | Shows a series of scenarios all because the central character adopts the product |
| Testimonial: | 'I had that problem until I used brand X' |
| Ongoing characters and celebrities: | the use of a recurring character, or celebrity, can help cement a brand's identity into the viewer's brain. eg the Energizer Bunny |
| Symbol, analogy, or exaggerated graphic: | Same as (3) but it demonstrates the benefits of the product (rather than the problem) |
| Associated user imagery: | People achieving brilliant things all because they use this product |
| Unique personality property: | A pitch from the founder or endorser (eg James Dyson for vacuum cleaners, Remmington for electric shavers) |
| Parody or borrowed format: | The use of the product is parodied, so that the product is tied to parody. The ad relies on the user understanding the parody |
Original article by Seth Stevenson at Slate.com. Go to the site for examples of each ad.
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