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How do you prejudge an ad?

I've been doing some blogging with my friend's at AdPulp, and the comments on one particular post got me thinking.  Here's my post:

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Rate the ad: That's Not a Real Breakfast

Have you seen Denny's new ad with Tony Sirico, channeling his Sopranos persona Paulie "Walnuts," paying for a fast food breakfast with phony money?

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So, how would you rate that ad on a scale of 1 – 10?  More importantly, what criteria did you use to arrive at your decision? I have my own list, but I'm really interested in what you all in the industry use.  And let's not play the ROI card.  Someone had to evaluate it and approve it prior to seeing the results.  How'd they go about it?  What was their thought process?

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And here are a few comment excerpts from AdPulp readers (you can read all of the unedited responses at this link):

"Good overall idea (I'd have bought the idea in concept phase and felt good about it). But I wanted more comedy out of it."

"I've seen it once on TV and remembered the advertiser and the 'real breakfast' message."

"Effectiveness: 0 (I remember the commercial, but I can't remember who the advertiser is.)"

"As always, it’s subjective. But I stand by the lame, 20th century comments. It’s the old 'tell ‘em versus sell ‘em.' Yes, the spot communicates Denny’s has real breakfast. But does it motivate people to go? Does it make you hungry for Denny’s fare?"

So here's what I'm thinking: The commercial is intended to help establish Denny's as an alternative to the unreal breakfasts at places like McDonald's, B.K., Dunkin Donuts, and other sources of precooked, microwaved breakfast fare.  Does it work?  It doesn't for me (although it did make me laugh). Time will tell if it works for Denny's.

Here's how I would prejudge any ad or other piece of marcom.  And I base it on the fact that the marketplace of old resembled a mass of passive caterpillars hanging around the tree of traditional media, venturing down the branches of mass distribution, and consuming the offshoots of brand advertisers. No more. The masses have escaped their pupae, spread their distinctive wings, and are fluttering around fields blossoming with an abundance of colorful and succulent offerings. A fleeting glimpse is all one usually gets of them.

1. See the flower. 

The first thing an ad must do is grab the attention of the audience. Therefore it must be different; different enough that the audience pauses and says, "Huh? What's that?"  This is difficult to do with a TV ad. We tend to multi task with the television humming in the background.  That being said, I did notice the Denny's ad. Check.

2. Smell the flower. 

Certain butterflies are attracted to certain flowers.  The same is true with people and their marketplace predilections.  Therefore an ad must be highly relevant to a specific audience.  It should creatively communicate compelling value to that audience, as well as deliver value in its execution; e.g. engaging, identity enhancement, provides social currency, etc.  I'm not really sure who the Denny's ad is speaking to?  Is it addressing the folks who eat unreal breakfasts?  Are those people not aware of slower, real breakfast restaurants? Where is the reason to choose Denny's over every other local sit down breakfast joint?  And what am I saying about myself, to myself and to others, if I suggest breakfast at Denny's?  This is not clear to me at all.

3. Taste the flower.

Let's say the audience does approach the flower to taste it.  To prove that it's not some clever, plastic facsimile (like most ads).  Does the experience match the expectation?  Is Denny's real?  When I consume the experience, does it taste as good as it looks and smells? And what precisely is the expectation created by the ad, beyond "real" food?  I'm not saying that the value has to be some price, food, or atmospheric feature and benefit.  Burger King's wacky ads made the value about a shared sense of strange humor, social currency and identity. But I'm missing the compelling value of Denny's ads.

4. Talk about the flower.

Is there a way for the audience to easily share the brand and reinforce their Denny's identities?  To say, "Look at what I found!"   In this case, the ad was easy to find on YouTube. Most ads are not (why is that?).  But I highly doubt that people are compelled by the ad to spread it around to their friends and pseudo friends (e.g. the ones on Facebook, Twitter, et al.).  If you see someone wearing a Denny's t-shirt, please snap a picture and send it to me.

So that's my quick, strategic look at the Denny's ad.  Feel free to toss in your two cents in the comments.  But if you do, please make them "real" comments!

Posted February 27, 2008
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