When an advertising campaign is launched, you get all the media metrics around consumer response rates and the rest, but you also get the reaction of the ad industry itself. The expectations were high when our new campaign for JCPenney broke because of the way we won the business. Not with a pitch, but with an idea. Lovemarks. The campaign we presented for the first time during the Academy Awards is called Every Day Matters and I think it is simply beautiful. Some commentators agreed with me. Some thought we had a “bad case of artiness.” The assumption was that the work might look good but that the people in the Midwest wouldn’t get it. My response? Underestimating people has been the squeaky wheel of marketing for too long. Are people in the Midwest only supposed to understand discounts and promotions? Are they untouched by stunning design, inspirational experiences and great service? We wove this campaign from Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy because these are the qualities that inspire people everywhere. Commenting on the new work, Barbara Lippert said in Adweek, “No amount of Lovemarks can counteract a bad shopping experience.” She’s right of course. Lovemarks is not about advertising, it is founded on a belief. The belief that the consumer owns the brand and that it is her desires, interests and passions that matter most.
P.S. Watch the new ads and Bob Garfield’s review on AdAge.com: Calendar and Screen Moments.
