By Robert Wheatley

Powerful tools to build brand value and relevance

Today the Wall Street Journal features a story about a new ad campaign from General Mills for their iconic Pillsbury brand. You can watch below.

What’s obvious to the viewer: this spot is less ad-like and more about story telling. The approach is appropriate in an environment where consumers remain skeptical and disinterested in overt pitches and interruptive selling. This spot is anything but.

What’s especially significant is the power and relevance of the idea. It is related directly to a phenomenon researchers have reported on over the last few months. Stock market trouble, mortgage industry woes, energy costs, higher prices, unemployment, decreasing net worth – all these combine to create a measure of uncertainty, a sort or pervasive uneasiness that interacts with the public consciousness. It certainly is impacting purchase behavior — witness the reports today that October was the worst month for domestic auto sales since World War II.

We already know that emotional insecurity and financial reality stir together to invite more focus on the kitchen and eating at home. Pillsbury captures the sense of this. The clicking heels a nostalgic reminder of the Wizard of Oz line, there’s no place like home. The feeling and desire for family is genuinely conveyed here. It is a reflection and mirror of the current milieu people finds themselves in.

People buy based on relevance and good feelings. Importantly, how this communication is executed – the real-world visuals, the emotive music, even the child at the end smelling the fresh baked rolls. Persuasive stuff to be sure. If the brand were to go beyond this piece of push communication to get involved even more directly and authentically to help enable the latent desire for home, family and hearth — we predict positive results at the bottom line.

What is most gratifying is evidence that the brand understands the relationship with consumers can no longer be viewed strictly as a transaction. When a brand aligns itself with a higher purpose, magic can indeed happen. What do you think?