10 Principles by Bill Bernbach

+ Ad Techniques refresher

(for your next assignment)

AD 216: Class 5, 09/23/14

Gina Collura, Creative Director

DDB + VW on "Madmen"

Bernbach’s

influence on ad-land

is stronger than ever

Bernbach’s

influence on ad-land

is stronger than ever

Bernbach’s 10 Principles: As demonstrated by the work done by one of

NYC’s hottest independent ad agencies, BFG 9000

- Opened its doors in 2010 by award-winning Founder/Chief Creative

Officer, Gerry Graf

- Agency is named after his grandfather

1. Go to the essence

of the product.

State the product's essence

in the simplest terms of its

basic advantage.

And state this both tangibly

and memorably.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

2.Where possible, make your

product an actor in the scene;

not just a prop.

This makes for a tremendously

effective method of getting

your product

remembered. Because the

provocative element in your

advertising is also the element

that sells your product. This is

so simply stated, so difficult to

execute.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

2. Example: Little Caesar’s

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000 "Little Caesar's"

3.

Art and copy must be fully

integrated.

They must be conceived as a

unit, developed as a unit.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

3. Example: BabyGanics

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000: BabyGanics

4.Advertising must have

vitality. This exuberance is

sometimes called

"personality.”

When advertising has a

personality, it is persuasively

different; and it is the one

because of the other.

You must fight to get "bounce"

in your advertising.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

4. Example: DISH/Hopper

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000, "The Hoppa"

5.

It is little less than useless to

employ a so-called gimmick

in advertising ---- unless the

gimmick itself tells the

product story.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

5. Example: Kayak.com

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000: Kayak

6. Tell the truth.

First, it's a great gimmick.

Second, you go to heaven.

Third, it moves merchandise

because people will

trust you.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

6. Example:

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000: "Climate Name Change"

7. Be relevant.

A wonderfully creative

execution will get the big

"So what" if it isn't

meaningful to their life,

family, business etc.

And always opt for an ad

that's relevant over one

that's exciting and irrelevant.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

7. Example, Ragu, 2012

BFG 9000, Ragu Campaign

Case StudyBernbach’s

10

Principles

8. Be simple.

Not simpleminded,

but single- minded.

Who has the time

or the desire to

listen to advertising?

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

9. Safe ideas can kill you.

If it's been done before, your

competition will be ready for it.

Your only chance of beating the

competition is with

advertising they've

never seen before.

Which means, you've never

seen it before either! Be brave.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

10. Stand out.

If your advertising

goes unnoticed,

everything has been wasted.

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

Principles 8-10.

Be Simple.

Stand out. Be Brave.

Example:

Integrated campaign for

Little Caesars

Bernbach’s

10

Principles

BFG 9000: Little Caesars, Integrated Campaign

Ad Techniques:

Refresher 1. Exaggeration

2. Metaphor

3. Drama

4. Humor

Exaggeration

Metaphor

Drama

Humor

Let’s

See,

Lee

REMINDER: FREE Screening of ADC’s 1st InspirADCion Film

Tuesday, 9/30, 12:15 – 2pm @ Katie Murphy Theatre

Special guests include: Creative Director/Filmmaker, Rick Boyko

+ Ignacio Oreamuno, ADC Executive Director

Due Next Week:

Class 6

Create 4 ads for your favorite edible breakfast item

(this can be a brand of cereal, pancakes, breakfast

bar, etc) using the 4 techniques:

humor, drama, metaphor, + exaggeration.

Assignment: Create 4 ad concepts using each of

the 4 techniques. Wall critique.