Reflections on an advertising message

A few days ago I attended an informal lecture in which the speaker commented on the different approaches that advertising, to sell a product or service, could have. Then, it was clear to me that the speaker was making a simplification, perhaps an excessive one. Now, I am sure that marketing and advertising creative specialists will find my comments simplistic, to say the least. But I know that those comments generated a couple of questions and reflections in my head, or should I say ramblings, and I know that the ramblings taste better when shared.

He mentioned three ways to advertise a product: answering the questions what, how or why. As to what, the examples are many and sometimes can be obvious. They are basically the description of the product and its performance: a vehicle with so many horses, the efficiency performance in terms of kilometers per liter or the need for an essential accessory. As to how, the examples are less common: explaining what should one do to get a discount or to get access to a new phone service or a low cost credit program. As to why, sometimes it is direct: like pointing out the possibility of huge savings or how to relax with a nice vacation. Sometimes they come in a rather “subliminal?” manner, searching a way by which consuming a certain product I would see myself as successful as those on the small screen in front of me who use it, Thanks to their success, they drive the car I would like to drive and are accompanied by the attractive people that I would like to surround me. In short, they have the life I would like to have.

My musings were – do I really need to say it? – spinning around advertisements that more often than not, tax administrations use. What came to mind were a number of ads that were contracted by various administrations and were broadcast through various channels and the media. Sometimes they were shown on television, sometimes in the radio, on leaflets, on printed shirts, on hats or even calendars (the not so sexy ones).

I remember many “whats.” First the obvious, “Remember that next March 31 is the deadline to submit your tax returns and pay your income tax.” Or, the one reminding us that you could qualify for tax amnesty or for such and such voluntary disclosing program that will help prevent or reduce the payment of penalties or interest. There was the simple but direct, “Up to date with the Tax Administration?” Then there’s the widely used, “Ask for your invoice on all purchases of goods and services.” From the last ones, I remember particularly that advertisement in which the child scolded the father for trying to save some money by “buying without an invoice.”

I remember some “hows.” First the message that instructed taxpayers to gather five, or ten or twenty invoices and send them in sealed envelopes to the tax administration, so they can participate in a lottery for fabulous prizes; or, a less frequent message saying, “If you are qualify as a certain type of taxpayer and sold less than so many thousands in recent months you can choose to adhere to a simplified regime.” Of these, I remember particularly the catchy, “Sit back, relax, file your taxes on-line.”

The host was telling us that it is more difficult to correctly transmit the how than the what, and even more the why than the how. But he also said that the why is more effective than the how and the what. The dividing lines are thin and there are areas of convergence and also sometimes an advertisement may try to answer all questions at once.

The time to search for some whys arrived. I found two trends. On one hand, I remember two commercials. A short one saying, pay your taxes, lend a hand to the country. The second was a television campaign, transmitting its message in a cheerful and casual way; some kids were playing on round wheel while singing a Venezuelan children’s song that could be titled, “With a dime and a half,” in which they replaced in the lyrics, the animals mentioned in the original song, for roads, schools and hospitals that the country could have if everybody paid their fair dime and a half.

In terms of the second trend for the why, I remember very clearly the citizen, who very quietly confesses his tax sins to a priest to only receive as penance the fines, interests and problems associated with noncompliance.

The two schemes of why are different, one is aimed at developing a tax culture or tax citizenship, to understand, accept and enforce the rights and duties of all taxpayers. The other just tells us a message: if you misbehave, the administration will find you, and when it does, you are not going to like it.

Both can be important but which one is the most effective?

Greetings and good luck

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