Comparing Advertisement

In every friendly little competition...there is a winner...and a loser.
That is the beginning of the new Audi spot on US- american TV. The winner in this "friendly little competition" is of course Audi and the loser...is BMW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjCWr8y1GzM

Comparing advertisement may seem like a very direct and goal-oriented form of advertisement: You name your product, you name the competitor and you tell the potential costumer that you do better. But do people really like this very aggressive form of advertisement and is it successful?

There are - like always - advantages and disadvantages when it comes to comparing advertisement. On the one side,  comparing advertisement is more likely to make the brand look arrogant than to create a positive image. People may feel offended, especially when they have sympathy for the competitor in any way. Plus, when you name or at least clearly indicate your competitor in your own ad you also draw attention to its brand. People may remember the competitor's name as well as they remember yours.

On the other hand, comparing advertisement can be very effective: It is a rather uncommon form of advertisement and is likely to draw more attention than a "normal" ad. It offers many possibilties for a funny and creative approach. And it may be successful especially towards people who already use the product and like to be confirmed in their choice.

When it comes to Audi, the ad may not prove successful but it is definitely courageous: In the first nine months of 2010, BMW sold almost doubel the number of cars compared to Audi.

Damaris Stocklassa