A big mistake is to simplifying people into consumers; rational beings with rational triggers to fit in a spreadsheet
Photo credit: Kilarov Zaneit, Unsplash
CONTEXT IS KING
We crowned the wrong ruler. Content is merely the messenger; context IS the message.
Context is an expression of effort—our opinions of a brand and its product or services are shaped by the context in which we encounter them.
OUR BRAIN’S NATIVE LANGUAGE
We understand reason, but we relate to context; that's when something feels right (or wrong); when we connect (or disconnect).
Context is a language—a constant stream of emotional cues speaking directly to our subconsciousness, which translates them into" emotional arguments" aka feelings: curious, intrigued, opportunistic, eager, happy, loved, safe, belong, stressed, warm, bored, skeptic.
The subconscious mind will always make the initial decision, often, the standing decision, commonly known as a gut feeling. "I can't explain it. You have to see it for yourself!"
Our story doesn’t end with what our customers see; it’s what they feel when they see it that matters
Photo credit: Cassandra Hamer Unsplash
Examples of controllable context:
How a product is placed, worn or used
How we write it, phrase it; what accent and tempo
Facial expression, body language, emojis
Environment (Physical or digital): entrance, flow, placement, width, height colours, lighting; if it’s clean, dirty, messy, cluttered, fresh
Package design, how it’s packaged and delivered
Noise, sound effects, music, acoustics
Font, letter spacing, letter placement
Scent, taste, texture
THE REAL STORY
Context gives us the full story, beyond the product or service. It lets us travel back or forward in time. It merges with our memories and dreams to give a glimpse of new.
It’s what makes a story true, not because we understand it but because we can feel it!
A big mistake is to simplifying people into consumers; rational beings with rational triggers to fit in a spreadsheet.
But once every blue moon, a brand is bold enough to tell a story so good we can’t look away, a story told mainly through context, to the person, not the consumer. Last time I came across a brand story like this was four years ago.
a personal experience
This is one is a personal experience of the power of context; when my subconsciousness decided on a Volvo.
As a lot of men in my generation still, and previous (Gen Z I have faith in you to do better!), I'm somewhat hesitant to show too much emotion, and I pride myself on not letting emotions dictate my behaviour (big if true). Composure is a virtue; crying is only a result of sadness, and who wants to be sad, right!? (....right?)
So let me tell you about this one commercial that caught my composure off guard.
A phone screen doesn't really do it justice, at least put on a pair of quality headphones, sit back, and let it take you on a ride for 2 minutes and 46 seconds.
“This is the best commercial ever made, don’t @ me! ”
I'm not only a "composed man's man," but also the most cynical ad viewer I know. It didn't help; I was teared up the first time I saw it (, a f#&%*!ng commercial).
The poem! The (Thanos) Voice! The scenery! The photo! The sound production! The Buffalo herd! The payoff! Are you kidding me?! Goosebumps! Masterpiece.
Of course, it's a cliché, but it doesn't make it less true; this is a warm blanket on a cold winter night, a comforting voice telling me everything is going to be alright. At the same, time it's Shia LaBeouf's "Just Do It." "What am I waiting for?" "I'm meant to travel the road, become one with nature, be true to myself, not be stuck in an office..." It was written for me and by me. Not that I had anything to do with the making of it, but the narrative was already there inside of me, and in so many guys like me.
Photo credit: Lachlan Dempsey, Unsplash
Offhand, I imagine the planning behind something like this:
Western male, 29-49-year-old
Middle to upper-middle-class
City guy
An almost forbidden feeling of being trapped in a steady 8-5 office life, with a promising career, “Is this it?;
Triggered by a Millennial up-roaring demanding “Me” time, freedom, work-life balance and deeper meaning;
Leading to a newfound interest for nature, exploration, and finding one’s true self;
Making him feel a little lost in his male role, “Is there still a place for masculinity?”
It’s a story of self-discovery, and somehow I’m okay with Volvo telling it. No, it’s not their poem, but it’s a damn good remix; the emotional context (voice, sound, photo, portrait) completes it; both my conscious and subconscious self is happy and willing to trust it.
It speaks directly to me and my own conflicted feelings towards masculinity: the urge to do more, to be more, to explore, to live free, to run away, to become a better man! By buying…a Volvo?
You must understand, growing up in Sweden, Volvo was the car “everyone” had. It was the safe, boring and reliable family tank with the sex appeal of a shoebox on wheels. But after this brilliant brand portrait (along with the new design, yes), Volvo was reborn for me.
I’m ready to go as far as to give it credit for being a part of why I’m now living in Vancouver, British Columbia, and still dreaming of the day when me and Erika, my life partner in crime, are handed the keys to our own Volvo (V90 Cross Country, please!).
"You had me at Awareness," I don't need: a technical spec, trademarked nonsensical superlatives, a detailed price plan, an extra pair of winter tires; I'm sold on the lifestyle, and that's what I'm buying. Don't interrupt my vision of a higher self; let me live in this commercial for a brief moment.
The funny thing is, a recent study showed that emotion in advertisement has a more substantial impact on males. From experience, working with other car brands, this especially applies to car buyers. In general, women seem a little "better" at looking for more rational arguments such as safety, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly, etc.
The advertisement era as we know it may be coming to its end, but this is a masterpiece, acknowledging that buying a car—just like a new home—is buying a story, the next chapter of our life.
Thank you, Volvo and Forsman & Bodenfors, for this beautiful little piece that I still, four years later, visit for a little male pep talk.
CONCLUSION
It takes a lot of courage to lead with this kind of content, and it takes a lot of knowledge of who our audience is—the person, not the consumer—to create the right context. But when we do, our brand has the chance to solve more than just practical needs.
Takeaways:
A clear Call to Action is important; the (right) context will allow it to happen
It’s not only what we say or do; it’s equally how we say or do it
How is the practical expression of why we do it
P.S. Here’s another one: the music, the scenery, “the couple goals.” It’s pure entertainment.
Just look at the comments, Youtube is not exactly known for its heartwarming crowd. How often do you see this much appreciation and love for a brand’s communication?