Should have gone to Specsavers

This advert promotes Specsavers opticians. The clip demonstrates to the view what could happen should they not use the service provided by Specsavers. This exploits the inverted consequences version of Goldenberg’s ‘Consequences template’. The template states that emphasising the potential consequences of using a different product/not using the product at all highlights the benefits of the product in the advertisement. In this case, the audience will want to avoid the embarrassing and somewhat humiliating situation in the advert by making sure they have the right eye care which is offered by Specsavers.

Furthermore, the advert uses humour in their attempt to attract their audience. Although, not many of us will be able to identify with the experience of running along a train platform only to kiss the wrong person, it is an outcome that is unexpected given the opening of the scene which induces humour. In a meta analysis of humour, Eisend (2011) found that humour reduces cognitive efforts and therefore serves as a distraction from counter arguments. i.e. the audience for this advert may have all their cognitive resources taken up by the humorous event occurring on screen and thus not take the time to think of counter arguments such as price and quality of the service. 

Eisend, M. (2011). How humor in advertising works: A meta-analytic test of alternative models. Marketing Letters, 22(2), 115-132. 

Goldenberg, J., Mazursky, D., & Solomon, S. (1999). The Fundamental Templates of Quality Ads, Marketing Science, 18, 333-351.