This year, John Lewis created a £7 million clip of a young girl named Lilly who continuously attempts to make contact with a Man she sees on the moon, through her telescope and other ways of communication, such as letters. This blog post will analyse the effectiveness of the advert in regards to Maslow's hierarchy of needs and will also look at how John Lewis has managed to motivate their customers year after year.
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| Lilly looking through her telescope to fine The Man on the Moon |
The first two levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs are physiological and safety, which this advert meets straight away, as Lilly is living in a house with her family. It is very effective that, although the man seems like he is alone, he still has his basic needs met through warmth and shelter. This is well produced by John Lewis, as it means that consumers can get through to level 3 of the hierarchy (Love and belonging) quickly, which leads to their target market segment following the story through, due to the creation of emotional attachment. Love and belonging is emphasised by the fact that the young girl is surrounded by family and even though the man is by himself, he is still connected to Lilly. It is suggested that the feel of belonging affects individuals, as emotion is built up, which produces a connection between the short film and the consumer. This can be shown through the the advert, as the idea that Lilly never gives up on the old man is a way of pulling the consumer in by telling them to follow in her steps and carry on watching the film for results. This will urge the consumer to become fully immersed into the story of The Man on the Moon and watch how Lilly tries her best to get in contact with him. It can be suggested that this is the smartest move John Lewis created in this advert, because if the individual is immersed into their advert, they will be drawn into all the little details. This is therefore extremely good subliminal marketing from the brand, as every item in the advert, from the telescope to the paper the young girl uses, to the wrapping paper on the man's present, are their own products; thus creating brand awareness without the consumer even noticing.
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| Bench, balloons and wrapping paper are all part of John Lewis' product portfolio |
It can also be suggested that belongingness makes consumers feel more valued and makes them feel closer to the business, which is useful during this seasonal, busy time of the year. This means that the loyalty will bring in sales; therefore leading to profit maximisation.
The advertisment then finishes with the the words "Show someone you love them this Christmas". This creates more of an emotional experience, as it gets the consumer to think about other people who they may have forgotten about or have lost. The fact that John Lewis has the individuals reflecting back on their own life from the short film, creates substantial impact, because it implies that the brand will stay in the minds of the consumers throughout the day, as it reminds them of personal memories. This is another example of good marketing by using the belongingness level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs to keep the consumer questioning the meaning of the advert whilst keeping the brand in mind.
