Identifying Insights that Incite

Try saying that 3 times fast.  DDB Worldwide has released a “yellow paper” to inspire Planners (and advertising/brand marketing professionals at large) to “unlock the simple, yet untapped” idea that could mean the difference between a wounded recession casualty and a brand that evolves along with consumers where they currently are – figuratively and literally.

Jeff Swystun, DDB Worldwide’s Chief Communications Officer, cites a number of interesting examples on how the most brilliant, impactful solutions (both in the business and private sector) have oftentimes been the result of identifying the simplest, cleanest insight – take the case of roll-away luggage, or Dartmouth’s central “green”.  He also showcases the work of several brands (and their agencies) that have successfully tapped into an insight and embodied it in what – to the casual observer – might seem like an unconventional or counter-intuitive manner – but which ultimately succeeded in communicating that x brand or y product helped deliver z benefit, emotion or result – with nary a 5 second product shot in sight.

Tribal DDB launched Philips’ (and the world’s) first cinematic proportion TV, called Cinema 21:9, online by embodying the notion of “launching cinematically”.  Everything about the online experience allowed the target  - tech savvy, sophisticated users – to simulate the experience of having the actual unit.  Stopping the film to look at the director’s view, viewing different aspect ratios, etc.  The campaign captured the target’s attention by embodying the cinematic grandeur of the product and letting users experience it online – versus strictly talking about it – and won Philips and Tribal DDB at Cannes Grand Prix this past Summer.

Monopoly – the old school board game – took on video games, social networking and everything else taking up our attention spans in order to drive sales of its actual board game.  Hasbro and Tribal DDB launched Monopoly City Streets – a 4-month long global campaign that gave the virtual game a real-world dimension and context via a range of Google Earth and Google Maps platforms.  The online campaign preceded the launch of the Monopoly City Edition board game – building excitement for it by playing to Monopoly lovers’ competitive spirit and drive to succeed – regardless of whether it’s in the online or offline board game realm.

According to Swystun,

Insights can be based on real or perceived weaknesses that can be exploited in competitors’ brands. Or they can take advantage of the attitudinal or perceived barriers in the minds of consumers regarding your brand. Or my favorite, insights can reveal an untapped, compelling belief or practice that a brand can choose to own and use to connect with consumers.

Insights are most effective when they are unexpected, causing us to re-examine standards and conventions, and if they alter the momentum of the category, exploit a clear point of difference, and ultimately change the way people think and act. Insights are interesting in isolation, but their real purpose is to solve a problem. And in business, certainly in marketing, that equates to creating customers.

While Swystun leaves the question of exactly how to uncover an insight relatively open, he encourages “healthy doses of curiosity, objectivity, observation, deductive reasoning, perceptive analysis, analytics, creative reasoning, and an open mind”.