Avery's run at 3M: Differentiate. Demonstrate. Directed Humor.

Avery (the label folks) are taking a run at one of 3M's core products…the ubiquitous Post-It note.

I like this campaign because the ads do a good job of differentiating the Avery products from the competitors, they demonstrate their use and advantages and the humor in the ads is directed in the right direction. That is, it reinforces the message rather than just being funny for the sake of funny. It's funny when the wife wipes out the guy's fantasy football board with the leaf blower and the Avery note is still firmly attached.

Sidenote: I'm growing weary of the male=doofus theme of our present society, but I'd better get used to it. Not sure what I'm talking about, start with this post from Michele Miller's Marketing to Women blog, Wonderbranding.

I think these ads, obviously targeted at women, will be enough to get people to grab an Avery product when they are displayed alongside the 3M product in a store.

Here's one of the Avery ads…the other two will be after the jump…

 

 

 

 

The third spot focuses on a product that is more aligned with the core of the Avery brand, shipping labels.

 

What do you think? Hit or miss?

Want to know more about advertising? Try OnYourMarket.com

 

4 thoughts on “Avery's run at 3M: Differentiate. Demonstrate. Directed Humor.

  1. Mark Alan Effinger

    Almost perfect. It plays down to the viewer just a tad (when she says the complete name of the product. Like, who DOES that?).

    I know. It’s ADD-vertising. Duh!

    But still: let the audience feel just a little bit smart once in a while.
    Nice score, Dave.

    Reply
  2. Samantha Hartley | Enlightened Marketing

    I hadn’t seen these, so I’m excited that you highlighted them here with your astute observations. I like the ads, although I too am tired of male doofuses and their way-too-pretty-to-marry him smug wives.

    I love the 3M brand, but Avery does go after things about their products that are vulnerabilities. Annoying ones, too. It’s a good lesson for small businesses who compete against big guys:

    Find the vulnerabilities then, as you say, differentiate and demonstrate how you’re better. Humor’s a bonus if ya got it.

    Thanks, David!

    P.S. I like your hover form copy.

    Reply
  3. Social Media Agency

    I like it and Avery has done a solid job leveraging social media. Avery will benefit from that by sharing these commercials with their followers and fans to get the word out.

    I can see this getting tweeted and posted to Facebook often for the shear humor value they create.

    Reply
  4. Chris Wren

    Thank you for calling this campaign out. An excellent job done by Avery in differentiating their product from 3M. I agree that the joke about the doofus husband is a little played out, but the humour sticks. Will it help sales? I don’t see how something like this could hurt. I’d be very curious to see results on this campaign.

    Reply

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