Advertising Parodies – The highest form of flattery.
There has been much exciting chatter at Gertrude & Ivy this week about parodies – more on that secret project to follow…
The strength of parodies in advertising is something brands have played with for years, and when pitched correctly they can prove highly successful.
Humour is regularly used in marketing to attract the attention of the consumer, hold their interest and improve engagement – parody is one such comedic device. Parody campaigns can drive quality audiences to engage with the clever nature of such content, thus aligning themselves with the chosen brand. Although a parody by nature is a way of making fun of a subject, when delivered with a sense of affection and flattery, are most successful.
Campaigns using parody must be clever and original enough to impress their audience. To use parody effectively it must fit the established tone, heritage and background of the brand. A well-executed parody allows a brand to build on its own reputation of being witty and edgy. It can also makes the brand look current, knowledgeable and responsive. It helps if the original subject is well known, better still iconic, so the viewer automatically makes the connection and picks up on the smaller details of the parody which contribute to its impact.
The ambition for anyone investing in producing a parody is that it becomes a piece of content of such quality, that the audience is compelled to share it, thus delivering the benefits of social reach and in the best cases, going viral. When a parody trends on social media and achieves that level of exposure, it can also inspire audience participation, inspiring consumers to create their own parodies – a top result for the modern marketer is driving user generated content.
I have hand-picked my top 3 ads I consider to have ticked all the boxes identified above which make a successful parody. Each of the original subjects are so iconic, it shouldn’t be necessary for you to watch the original versions to be able to enjoy the parody to its full potential.
Tango-Bravo
Ikea – Experience the power of a Bookbook
118 118 – Cog