Bizarre Beginning

Absurdity: Advertising takes a weird turn

Do absurd images in advertising influence purchases? We as consumers often see absurd images in print ads or for that matter moving images in television commercials. E.g. two men arm-wrestling for an ad of suiting or female models flaunting themselves for an ad of footwear, where the sandals go unnoticed. Do these ads and the products for which they are advertised really go unnoticed?

Absurdity in advertising emerges from the basics of associating the images either with imaginative worlds (for instance, the ad of LG air-conditioners portrays the imaginary scenario of Switzerland), or through physical distortions. These images are then combined to form a visual surprise.

Another means through which advertisers bring in the element of absurdity in advertising is Allegory, which involves the description of something in the shadow of something else. For example, the Bisleri ad of "Play Safe" is absurd in the sense that it does not bring out the desired message and the connection to the mineral water is lost.

The link that might connect the ad to this form of allegory is the discontinuity within the ad itself. What this essentially means is that sometimes in this kind of advertising the narrative plays a major role than the image itself.

Absurdity may also result due to use of humour and hyperbole. For instance, the Parachute Dandruff Oil ad of two people slapping each other may be funny and weird at the beginning till the relevance to the product is shown.

On the other hand, the ad in itself may not be absurd but the features may be exaggerated, for example the ad of Hyundai Zip where the product characteristics have been made to make a person feel larger than life while driving it.

Absurdity and information processing

There are basically two reasons why absurd ads are likely to be processed more extensively than non-absurd ads:

• The very nature of absurd ads tends to create interest in consumers, as it challenges viewers' comprehension. This results in high brand name recall as the distinctiveness of the ad leads to more brand recall. Absurdity, normally, is used to grab the consumers' attention. The humour that is in-built, exaggerations, and images that provide you no clue about the product, all lead to the consumer seeking more information about the brand.
  
• The second reason is that the generation of stimuli takes place leading to information processing. For example, the ads of Little Hearts are funny and at the same time it seems absurd linking biscuits with the concept of 'taking it easy'. The stimuli generated here is the humour linked to the campaign.
  

Role of product category's effect on absurdity

The product category plays a very important role in consumer's forming perceptions about the ad. The consumers' past experience with the product/brand tends to bias his opinion about the commercial no matter how absurd it may be. On the other hand, consumers who are not well informed or have not used the product may have negative reactions to the ad. In fact, advertisers expect more positive responses from consumers who have previous associations with the brand. However, these absurd ads may also have a boomerang effect and put off the user, thereby minimising the persuasion effect.

Strategies for marketers:

• Build on the high brand recall factor through absurdity in advertising.
  
• Test the ads before its run and after. This would give creative directors insights about where they are going wrong/right, the definition of absurdity, and where and when it can be used.
  
• Absurdity also should be measured in connection with other elements such as believability, likeability, etc. as they would provide a larger base to see absurdity as a tool to build consumer liking towards the brand.
  

Absurdity in advertising arises from the clutter created by traditional advertising. Advertisers want to enter the consumers' minds through something innovative, which increases the involvement with the brand. Nevertheless, given the complexity of absurd commercials, more research would be of great help to ensure the success of the campaign!.

Related Reading:
"Effects of absurdity in advertising: The moderating role of product category attitude and the mediating role of cognitive responses"; Bolzmann-Arias, Leopoldo et al; Journal of Advertising; Spring 2000