STRONGBRANDS    Professor Tim Calkins, Kellogg School of Management

Advertising isn’t that complicated. If a spot is going to have an impact on sales, it has to do three things.

First, the spot has to stand out.

It has to break through the clutter. People see thousands of ads everyday, and the number is only increasing, making it all too easy for individual spots to blend in. A piece of advertising has to be distinctive and unique if it is going to have an impact.

Second, the brand has to come through.

People have to notice it and connect the creative to the brand. Linkage is a critical issue.

Third, the spot has to communicate a reason to buy the product or service.

People are motivated by benefits; there has to be a reason to use a particular service or brand. Why should I buy this product? If the benefit doesn’t come through, the spot won’t significantly help sales.

 

Wix.com’s new spot featuring Heidi Klum is a good example of effective advertising; it delivers against all three conditions.

The spot breaks through the clutter. It is funny and entertaining, and Heidi Klum is a recognizable character.

The branding is strong. Although the brand shows up late in the ad, it is clearly a spot for Wix. The brand still stands out.

Most importantly, the spot communicates a benefit. Why use Wix? For a simple reason: it is easy. The ad implies that if Heidi Klum can build a website on Wix, then I might be able to as well.

Take a look:

 

 

Wix can continue this campaign for a long time. The company used the same creative idea on the Super Bowl this year, featuring football players instead of Heidi. There are many celebrities who could fit into the series, so Wix is in a good position when it comes to negotiating deals.

Breakthrough, branding, and benefit are the three essential characteristics of an effective piece of advertising, and Wix nails all three.

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