The 3 Transparencies of Advertising: Part One

Something was bothering me. A quiet nagging in the back of my mind that said, “Are you sure about that?” every time I stated that good advertising is informational. David Ogilvy built an advertising empire by disseminating information the right way—he chose the most relevant information to convey and then did so as clearly and concisely as possible. And it worked. Then he wrote a book or two, and several decades later those books transformed my perspective on advertising.

But Ogilvy’s great successes were on paper and ink. His understanding of TV was limited, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around this fact: Television commercials are unbelievably expensive. They are tested rigorously, and tested using technology that wasn’t even a dream in Ogilvy’s time. They are designed to succeed.

So if information sells, then why aren’t TV commercials informational? Half the time I see a commercial, I have no idea what it has to do with the product. But we know that these commercials work. The Superbowl is a perfect example, if ever there was one. A company creates a commercial that has nothing to do with its product but keeps millions of viewers entertained for twenty seconds, and next thing you know their sales go up. Why?

What is it that makes advertising work?

Well I read and I read, because I wanted to quell that nagging voice in my head. I searched high and I searched low, but in the end I still had no answer to show. (and oh how this worried me so!)

But I did have an idea. Three  small ideas, actually, each revolving around one big, important concept: Transparency.

Transparent
\tran(t)s-ˈper-ənt\
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin transparent-, transparens, present participle of transparēre to show through, from Latin trans- + parēre to show oneself
Date: 15th century

1 (1): having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly (2): allowing the passage of a specified form of radiation (as X-rays or ultraviolet light) b: fine or sheer enough to be seen through

2 a: free from pretense or deceit b: easily detected or seen through c: readily understood d: characterized by visibility or accessibility of information

3: The property of an entity that allows another entity to pass thorough it without altering either of the entities.

4: When used in a social context, implies openness, communication, and accountability. It is a metaphorical extension of the meaning a “transparent” object is one that can be seen through.

That’s what people want from advertising. It occurred to me that in the same way that good advertising uses a promise to promote a product, the advertising itself should deliver on a promise, a fulfillment of expectations. The philosophy that I propose to you here goes like this: Above all else, people want advertising that is transparent. Transparent in message, in form, and in process. Those are my 3 transparencies of advertising. In a nutshell, it means advertising that doesn’t promise more than it can deliver, doesn’t jar its audience out of their frame of mind or interrupt an experience that they have paid to enjoy, and doesn’t withhold any information or pull any punches.

Stay tuned for separate articles explaining each one of those transparencies in depth!