Hotels.com and Hershey’s spots make System1’s 5 most effective US ads of April
Jon Evans at System1 explains how not every ad is created equal in the eyes of the public. Below, he shares the five US ads that were most enjoyed by viewers last month.
In Hershey’s ad, a child named Lane says he aspires to become an “official chocolate taster” / Hershey’s
Fifteen seconds can be a small canvas to build emotion on. While it’s possible to do great storytelling in a tiny space, a more reliable route for short ads is to focus on one effective element and do it well. Whether it’s human connection or using brand assets in quirky ways, the three short-form ads in this month’s US Top 5 excel at that focus.
5. Coca-Cola ‘Recipe for magic’
Star rating: 4.1
The first of our 15-second ads comes from Coca-Cola, with a quick execution from its ongoing ‘Real magic‘ brand platform. A lot of the Real Magic ads have focused on Coke’s social role, showing people hanging out, chilling or just having fun with Coke as a familiar presence bringing them together. It’s a more subtle, less salesy role than Coke often plays in its ads, and the human togetherness and authentic vibe pays off with a 4.1-star score.
4. Albertsons: ‘Sincerely, custom decorated cake’
Star rating: 4.2
Grocery store Albertsons advertises its cake decoration service in another short-form ad. Cute cakes, delighted kids – you don’t need to be a guru to work out why this one makes viewers feel good. Again, plenty of human connection is the icing on this particular cake. Albertsons should also feel happy with an above-average Brand Fluency score to go with its 4.2 stars.
3. Hotels.com: ‘Find your perfect somewhere | Miami’
Star rating: 4.4
Hotels.com launched its ‘Find your perfect somewhere’ campaign last year, with the smart idea of having the ads narrated by the hotels themselves, as if each one was placing a personal ad. For this wave of the campaign, Hotels.com have taken the execution in-house and hired celebrities to deliver the voiceovers – in Miami’s case it’s Andy Garcia, whose seductive growl is a perfect fit for a hotel putting the hustle on you. The booking website sector is one where good branding matters as the product doesn’t change much – Hotels.com is working to make itself distinctive.
2. Wonderful Pistachios: ‘Get crackin’ with Pac-Man’
Star rating: 4.4
Combine a videogame icon, strong branding, and a cheeky way of centering your product and you get this Wonderful Pistachio’s ad, in which Pac-Man munches his way around a maze of pistachios on a background of the brand’s signature colors. Cultural and nostalgic references are to effectiveness what a power pill is to our hungry yellow friend – they turbo-charge an ad and turn an average snack spot into a four-star commercial viewers love.
1. Hershey’s: ‘Lane’s story’
Star rating: 5.2
The month’s only five-star score goes to Hershey’s, with an ad that mixes product and purpose to a highly emotional effect. It tells the story of Lane, a young boy with cerebral palsy who wants to be a Hershey’s Taster. The candy brand makes Lane’s dream come true to the delight and pride of his classmates. This kind of ad focusing on brands helping out and doing good has fallen a little out of fashion as brands opt for more high-level, abstract engagements with “brand purpose.” But the fact is showing your brand making a difference to just one person can feel more real and impactful than all the big statements. It’s no wonder ‘Lane’s story’ gets 5.2 stars and tops our April charts.
Methodology
System1 tests ads on measures that predict long-term brand growth (star rating) and short-term sales growth (spike rating) – each between one and five stars. These measures are validated using the independent IPA database and also against real sales data at a category level. The star rating captures the emotional response to an ad. Only 1% of ads on the system score five stars. A one-star ad will have zero effect on brand growth, while a five-star ad will have an exceptional impact (up to three points of market share gain, depending on investment). Often the work that receives the highest ratings comes as a surprise to everyone.