Refresh Everything, Advertise Nothing
Instead of the usual big-bucks 30” Superbowl spot this year, Pepsi have decided to give $1.3m to good causes. The recent Refresh Everything campaign allowed consumers to vote on who should get what, with the results to be announced on March 1st. Pepsi follows the example of TripAdvisor, who in 2008, had more than a million people vote on how they should give away $1m in their More Than Footprints campaign.
This is a major move for a brand like Pepsi and very different from the usual big budget Britney ad and could be a sign of a shift in society’s attitudes towards advertising. The think-tank Compass published a report this week called The Advertising Effect, which argues that advertising fuels our voracious consumerism, which doesn’t really make us happy. It’s the old AdBuster’s thought, but it’s gaining academic weight: the report pulls together Dr. David Myer’s studies on happiness, as well as work by Prof. Richard Layard and of course Oliver James. There’s also interesting input from organizations such as The Children’s Society.
A factor leading to rising mental health problems is the increased degree to which children and young people are preoccupied with possessions; the latest in fashionable clothes and electronic equipment etc. Evidence both from the United States and the UK suggests that those most influenced by commercial pressures also show higher rates of mental health problems.
Against this background, Pepsi’s decision to ditch their usual Superbowl as looks a progressive move – but will the new approach delivers sales. Such a move challenges all of us to find positive ways to drive sales for our clients. Interesting that all this coincides with some very encouraging comments by PepsiCo’s Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi talking to the FT about the company’s “license from society”:
‘We’re constantly watching the changing societal trends and looking at the interplay between corporations and societies… [In] Davos, both this year and last, everybody is talking about the new rules of capitalism, [which] are, don’t just think about the company within the four walls of the company, think about your obligations to society.’
The Compass report starts from a marketing-is-evil presumption. They want to ban lots of advertising. That’s just a lack of imagination. The answer isn’t no advertising, but good advertising. The real challenge is to find positive ways to engage consumers, which enhances their lives and builds business for clients.
Thanks to Jon Miller for this story. Jon is visiting a job centre next week.
