American advertisements

Author: James Tw
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Sometimes, the methods of oral communication in advertising worship are experimented. A small advertiser in New York recently hired some charming actors to go to luxurious public gathering places such as Roanoke, CafeTabac, and Blooming, asking them to use Martini made with Hennessy Cognac instead of ordinary gin or vodka. When the bartender said he had never heard of such a drink, the actors would loudly and elaborately explain what brand should be used. Meanwhile, Hennessy continued to advertise in magazines like The New York, and held tasting events at concerts and parties. Such actions remind us of the past, when the Jamp;B Scotch whiskey distiller always hired beautiful women to order Jamp;B brand drinks in bars, and turned away haughtily if they weren’t available. This always happened the day before the Jamp;B wholesaler’s visit.
Although word-of-mouth may not be the main reason we order Martini, it is still a basis, a basis for most of us when choosing a professional such as a doctor or a lawyer. Word-of-mouth makes some colleges and preparatory schools “hot,” keeps Broadway shows afloat, attracts customers to restaurants (as confirmed in Zankode’s survey), keeps the Med Club business booming (about 60% of the business comes from conversations between customers and others), and finds audiences for movies (e.g., “Faster Than the Speed of Light” was only shown to 40 Boy Scout troops in New York City before its general release). For a long time, the popularity of Coors beer was almost entirely brought by word-of-mouth among friends. Book clubs can greatly increase or decrease the sales of best-selling books. In computer service agencies, such as “Computer Service” and “Genius,” as well as on the internet, word-of-mouth—or, a more appropriate term, electronic word-of-mouth—influences the sales of many software projects. Some companies, such as Beauty Shop, which only sells eco-friendly green products, stand against advertising from the public’s perspective and set up an “Anthropology Department” to promote their integrity as a substitute for advertising. Some companies, like Tupperware and Amway, adopt the method of “keeping word-of-mouth and products in your home,” thus innovating the methods of oral communication in Fuller’s style.
It is well known that the spread of non-commercial advertising is difficult to control, as demonstrated by the power of rumors. Bad word-of-mouth can bring down a president, cause stock prices to plummet, and make a movie a complete failure. Just as people hear rumors that Procter & Gamble’s products have extremely evil slogans, there are bugs in McDonald’s Big Mac burgers, or electric razor blades in Pepsi’s canned drinks, such bad word-of-mouth can paralyze an entire company.