Gesult & Experiments 17-10-08

Experiments
In a group of three, we decided to create a taste test using Coke as our starting point. Coke has many different brands but we wanted to know if consumers could actually tell the difference between each of them. Using Coke, Coke Zero and Diet Coke, we asked three different people to try and see what they thought was what. In Cup 1 was Coke, Cup 2 Zero and Cup 3 Diet. Two of the three people got them all correct and the other only got the Zero and Diet mixed up. These are the two which I thought would be mixed up due to them both being the healthier option of Coke. Once completing this experiment I could see what we should have done better to make the experiment more complicated and have different stages. If I was to continue with this idea I would develop it by using visual aids to see if they would make a difference to what Coke they preferred. Using Pepsi compared to Coke, could have been much more of a difficult challenge to determine the difference as most people say they prefer Coke but in blind tests they actually choose Pepsi.




Another group looked at sense of smell as a test using perfumes to determine if they could tell the difference between brands and different sex perfumes. Using two expensive brands of perfume both men and women, Dior and Channel are two well known brands which also have huge advert campaign running alongside. These brands are well known so would have their loyal customers rather than choosing their favourite. When undertaking the test we found that no-one could tell the difference between the male and females perfumes. To develop this test, the group could get the participants to choose there favourite by looking at the brand campaigns and choose what smell went with what brand. This way the group see how influenced they would be by the advert campaigns and the brands status.

Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt psychology looks at the way in which humans think. Relating to advertisements Gestalt looks at the suggestion that there is a rule book in the way an audience will structure their perceptions.
Gestalt has four primary approaches;

• Figure and ground
  The figure is the element that captures attention, background is largely undifferentiated.
  Below in an image of an old lady and a lady with her back to the audience. Can you see them both? Once they have been noticed it becomes easily recognisable but first they can be tricky to find.
  



• Grouping (Proximity and Similarity)
  Genially objects with similar physical characteristics are places together.
  Beauty products and health brands stick to certain colours and shaped bottles.
  


• Closure
  When the brain sees an incomplete picture it will automatically fill in the gaps.
  When a few notes are played, the audience can remember the whole jingle. Theme tunes for well known Television programs and songs are often remembered.

• Stimulus Ambiguity
  When a stimulus does not correspond to an immediately recognisable shape or form.
  In the 1970s, Saatchi and Saatchi created an advert using Stimulus ambiguity. This was able to be affective as it would make audience members look twice at the pregnant man.

Perception is important for advertisers as it makes a deeper understanding of how the audience may react to an image/campaign and what limits can be pushed to get the brand known. Marketers look at perception and it is important for them to know how audience members would react and where it would get the most out of the audience members.

At the end of each blog I will be posting an advert, as this is the area I want to go into. The advert will range from over the past decade and may have been banned. They are just a few that I have found and wanted to share as I think they have used different advertising techniques extremely well. To start is an advert created by Pepsi. I found this advert funny due to the way in which Pepsi down graded Coke making them look like an awful brand. This advert was banned.