Advertising Agency's Blog

Yes oops! This is our reaction when we see something going against our build social values and beliefs which directly or indirectly hit our feelings and emotions giving us shock! This type of advertising is known as shock advertising. But remember these advertisements create buzz in the mind and are the most remembered one. They attract the audience and penetrate into the unconscious triggering the conscious.

The trend for shock advertising spread like viral in the market and every other marketer ran behind it. The famous Italian clothing brand “United Colors of Benetton” is the best example for shock advertising. Although the shock ads can be used to promote social issues like Health, Education, Literacy etc… the health ad may include Anti-cigarette campaign, the tobacco cancer causing ads and so on. Earlier the ad agencies make ads on these issues divulged the violent, gory or fear creating images and actions that could shake anyone’s beliefs. The shock factors for these include:-

• Defiance of social or moral code

These may include vulgar or brutal content which may seem cheap or objectionable material that is not to be discussed publically or openly.

• Horrifying or terrifying images

The content may include gruesome, revolting or repulsive scenes that may create violence and attack the senses anyhow! It can even cause ill-effect to people with weak heart.

• Violating the peace & law

As the law says complete or semi-nudity is banned but still some shocking ads have come forward with breaking these laws. They carry lewd or obscene content harming the religious sentiments or any individual’s feelings.

These shock advertisements have more impact on the human mind as most of the time they have an emotional appeal like humor, fear, love etc. as you know humor has been a magic tool for advertising since a long time. Thus these ad film production create a viral image for themselves in a short time as controversies rock!