Culture and the use of comedy in British advertisements

Culture can be explained as a society's personality and the way in which people may view certain subjects. Culture may help an individual shape their personalities and identities.

This therefore means that if a society does not have many sub-cultures, what they view as a 'social norm' will be viewed the same by the majority of individuals. 

Culture can also be linked with beliefs and values, as it reflects the idea that what people believe in and trust, can impact the way they react to certain matters and situations. 

For example, since 2009, British financial service comparison website Go Compare has been very popular with the British audience, for good and bad reasons. The company decided to base their marketing on a large, Italian man singing his heart out. The lyrics would include the words 'Go Compare' continuously to remind the audience of the brand name. The audience also get to experience the Go Compare man annoying a couple who are struggling with financial services. This reflects a UK ecology, which is the fondness of humour in almost every subject.  

Go compare man annoying a customer

This marketing of the Go Compare advert is very smart, as it is so random, novel and annoying that the whole situation is funny and worth talking about; especially as the jingle/song is very catchy and will stick in the minds of anyone who watches the advert. This is useful, because it means that if an individual is looking for a financial service the song will spring back into their minds, even in 2016. The idea of using humour in a catchy song is very beneficial for the company, as it reflects a part of the culture in Britain and therefore becomes part of an individual's life. This means that even if the advert is not on television anymore, if 'Go Compare' is ever mentioned, the individual will remember the advertisement and think of the song. By creating this form of marketing, it is implied that instead of the company repeating the advert and making their audience get bored of seeing the same thing, they are able to make the audience help market the brand because the song is already stuck in their minds since the first few times they have heard it.   

The one and only Go Compare man

However, it can be argued whether the 'Go Compare' advert would work in every area of the world. This mainly because each society will have different ecologies, ideologies and social structures, so therefore they may not understand the whole 'humour' concept. This suggests that one view of humour may not be the exact same in every other society. For example, what one culture may find humorous may not be looked at in the same way elsewhere and may actually seem disrespectful; creating a negative experience for the consumer. 

Overall, I think the 'Go Compare' advertisement was a very successful form of marketing, as it uses annoyance and humour to keep their website gocompare.com in the minds of consumers. It is quite clear that the company is able to bring in a lot of attention, as it has been voted "most irritating advert"; which therefore shows that individuals can actually remember the advert. This hints that if they are ever in need of finding the cheapest, highest quality financial service, they will remember the ridiculous, repetitive advert and continue to their website; thus increasing the amount of people using the company's website. 

Starbucks Experiential London Store- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Sensory Marketing

In October 2015, Starbucks decided to create an 'experiential' store in London.

The new store was very different from any other Starbucks in the world and even introduced an evening menu that has a variety beers and wines. 

Starbucks is known to sell rich coffees and other hot beverages, however by adding a little twist and selling beers and wines, this meant that the store could expand their target audience; thus giving them a chance to gain more market share in the food and beverage sector. 

Starbucks displaying their choices of food and beverages

Another smart move from the brand is their involvement with technology. Starbucks typically is filled with businessmen/women with laptops or other devices, producing work alongside drinking a cup of coffee. Starbuck's idea to include wireless charging will be a great benefit to the company, as it means that customers no longer need to bring their chargers and search for a space with a socket. This will make their consumers feel valued and part of the brand; therefore creating brand loyalty. This sort of involvement creates a viable experience and links in with the 'belongingness' level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as it makes the consumer feel that they are accepted by the company and mean something to them. 

Starbucks may also meet the accomplishment-ego needs with their new store, as it includes hand-held payment units, virtual screens, table service and the freedom to wait wherever they want for their chosen drink. Their evening menu also includes prestigious meals, such as truffle mac and cheese and drinks, such as unique espressos that are not available in any other Starbucks stores.

The 'experiential' store in West End- London

Firstly, the upgrade in technology and service means that customers can order and pay for their beverages anywhere in store; therefore allowing the store to serve more customers, whilst bringing in more profit quicker. It also means that the company can also show prestige and status, because currently they are the only brand who provides this type of service. This sense of prestige and accomplishment hits another level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and creates a feeling that makes the consumer reflect their ego-needs, which are fulfilled. 

As you can see in the image, Starbucks have created quite a 'chic' look in their store, which looks very appealing in the eyes of a consumer. The layout and design draws in the customers attention, making them want to sit in and enjoy a beverage. This design reflects the theory of sensory marketing and explains that the way an area is set up can create an atmosphere that impacts whether an individual wants to come in or not. The design also includes glass windows everywhere, allowing consumers to look into the shop straight away and see the barista create the wonderful smell that they have just walked past. This form of sensory marketing is very smart as the strong smell of coffee helps draw in customers attention; making them want to go in and buy a drink. Another form of sensory marketing is the placement of the food, as seen in the top image. The food has been placed on high stands and some in glass cabinets, making it easy for consumers to see the tempting variety of products. Some of the baked good on the stands are not covered, which meets the needs of the consumer's smell and sight senses. Once these are fulfilled, the consumer can move on to the hear, touch and taste senses when they pick up the baked item, take the first bite and then appreciate the flavours. 

This form of marketing from Starbucks was an extremely good idea, as it really helped explore an individual's senses, gave them a sense of prestige and accomplishment, whilst still feeling valued by the brand. It is safe to say that this will lead to a good reputation of the brand, as it really shows that they take time in making their customers feel as relaxed and as happy as possible.