Lamb Australia’s ‘Australia Day’ TV spot via The Monkeys ranks #11th most emotional ad for 2017

56,400 consumers worldwide have been asked by research company System1 which ads made them feel something. The global survey by System1, reveals of the 56,400 consumers questioned, what commercials had the most emotional impact. The 705 ads were chosen from a base of industry award-winning or virally successful TV ads and digital films.

Lamb Australia’s ‘You Never Lamb Alone – Australia Day‘ spot via The Monkeys, Sydney has ranked in at #11 most emotional spot and Richards Rose, Sydney has ranked in at #43 for Helga’s “Love Thy Neighbour Thick Cut“.

For the first time ever in the five years since launch, the UK tops the global list with Gravity Road’s Belvita ‘Next Stop: Good Mornings‘ ad, with Japan and the US coming in second and third. In a year of marked by change and upheaval more brands than ever have dialled up emotion to allay the concerns of a beleaguered consumer. The FeelMore50 list is the world’s most comprehensive analysis of brand advertising and consumer emotional response.

The full list was revealed today during an industry breakfast at the Curzon Soho, agency heads, marketers and brand leaders gathered to hear and discuss the results of the FeelMore50 list, which were broken down by country and sector.

Some insights included:  

Digital Domination: FeelMore50 reveals brands are connecting with consumers on a meaningful level across multiple platforms. Seven of the top ten list are digital films. Television no longer holds the emotional exclusivity of consumer’s hearts and minds, connection can be achieved at any time and any place.

Attention Span: Of the seven digital entries in the top ten, the average length of each film is two minutes, demonstrating consumers have a ‘willingness to watch’ if the message emotionally relates.

Reaction to Upheaval: Given world events in 2017 brands have reacted to a year of populism and political upheaval. FeelMore50 includes patriotic contributions from Pedigree, CanonLife, and Canadian Tire. Although brands aren’t letting go of liberalism – they are just presenting it with more humour, as ads from Kia and Australian Lamb illustrate.

Around the World in 80 Slays: FeelMore50 is a snapshot of what makes consumers smile and laugh globally. From delightful Japanese woolly bears (at #2) to long-form French romance (at #7), the list demonstrates the cultural levers for happiness and emotional impact.

Says Rod Connors, Agency MD, System1: “In what can feel an ever-divided country and chaotic world, brands have a unique opportunity to provide unity, continuity and connection to consumers. Movies and boxsets have it easy, brands have a miniscule window of opportunity to positively impact a consumer and capture their attention. Making a consumer feel something is a marketer’s dream. System1’s FeelMore50 is a snapshot of a brand’s emotional resonance, and a steer for brand leaders and creative strategists for 2018.”

The FeelMore50 Global Top 10:

1.     Belvita: “Next Stop: Good Mornings” (UK) (Gravity Road)  Train guard makes people happy

2.     YKK: “Zipper & Bears” (Japan) (Adk Asatsu DK)  Cute bears on child’s room come to life

3.     Jameson Whiskey: “The Long Lost Barrel” (US) (EVB) Parody of heritage whisky ads

4.     Netto Marken Discount: “Die Oster-Überraschung #DerWahreOsterhase” (Germany) (Jung von Matt) Animated story of the Easter bunny

5.     President’s Choice:  “Eat Together” (Canada) (John St.) Guests in hotel eat together in corridor

6.     Coldwell Banker: “Somebody to Love” (US) (Siltanen & Partners) Sad man adopts a sad dog

7.     Monoprix: ‘Lait Drole La Vie‘ (France) (ROSAPARK)  Romance via supermarket own-brand labels

8.     Nespresso: “Coming Home” (US) (McCann New York) – Clooney searches the world

9.     Kia:  “Hero’s Journey” (US) (David&Goliath LA) – Melissa McCarthy as eco-warrior getting into comical trouble

10.  McDonald’s: “McLanche Feliz” (Brazil) (DPZ&T) – Monster drawn by child brought to life

APAC TOP 10

1.    YKK – “Zipper & Bears” (Japan) (Adk Asatsu DK) – Bears on a child’s top come to life 2.    Lamb  Australia – “You Never Lamb Alone – Australia Day” (Australia) (The Monkeys, Sydney) – Comic celebration of Australia’s diversity for Australia Day

3.    Boss – “The Last Train” (Japan) (Dentsu) – Japanese station-master gets retirement surprise

4.    Shaddy – “Gift of the Magi” (Japan) (Dentsu) – Lavish adaptation of classic Xmas short story

5.    Drypers – “A Beautiful Journey” (Malaysia) (Publicis Malaysia)- Emotional journey through pregnancy to birth

6.    CanonLife – “Redefine Thai Alphabet” (Thailand) (Rabbit’s Tale) – Canon funds better textbooks for Thai kids

7.    Koncept – “Oh Yes” (Thailand) (Agency unknown) – Hybrid pop video / furniture ad tells of bizarre love triangle

8.    Singapore Airlines – “The Magic Pen” (Singapore) (TBWA Singapore) – Child finds magic pen, wishes for return of businessman Dad

9.    Verena Sure – “Capture” (Thailand) (McCann)  – Officious Thai traffic cop arrests fatty foods

10.    Helga’s – “Love Thy Neighbour Thick Cut” (Australia) (Richards Rose) – Australian mother makes surprise sandwich for elderly neighbour

Says David Timm, chief brand officer, Pizza Hut International: “Science has proven what we have intuitively believed to be true – that emotion sells. In and of itself that is reassuring for marketers, what is exciting is that we now have methodologies that measure and dimensionalize emotion. Ultimately this will improve the effectivene
ss and drive business performance.”

Says Guy Escolme, global brand director, Johnnie Walker, Diageo: “For anyone interested in learning about how iconic brands are built. A simple, compelling and inspiring case for the power of emotion as the key to advertising that can transcend a category and unlock disproportionate growth.”

Creating positive emotions is advertising’s greatest benefit and should be its primary goal. Relationships  are rarely rational, the ‘gateway to connection’ is understanding the emotional wants and needs of your audience. Connecting with a consumer can only be initiated and nurtured through entertainment, empathy and even seduction, not dry, monotonous persuasion. Using Professor Paul Ekman’s seminal model of basic human emotions, System1 maps consumer’s emotional engagement to the biggest ads of 2017.

Adds Connors: “System1 undertakes this huge annual self-funded research to encourage marketers to focus on building more emotive, long term brand building advertising. These findings clearly demonstrate, the more a campaign makes consumers feel something, the more they buy.”

VIEW THE COMPLETE LIST HERE – FEELMORE50 2017 FULL REGIONAL SECTOR TOP 10s.docx