Scribbles

I walked into my Shaping Consumer Behavior class the other morning, and I recognized this song within 2 seconds.  It happens to be a remix of the classic “Singing in the Rain”, played in one of VW's television advertisments.  It also happens to be one of my favorite ads, one that never aired where I lived, but saw on the wonder world of Internet.  It features the excellent break dancing of Elsewhere, and the ridiculously catchy and uplifting remix.  If you haven't seen it yet, do it.

Turns out that the professor was prepping for class, and tested the clips that he planned on showing for class.  We had seen a series of VW ads for the course.  This one didn't really follow the topic we were covering, but the prof just liked it.  He was amazed that I had identified the video (without seeing it) so quickly.  Needless to say, I lavishly heaped on my praises for the video clip.  Not that I was kissing up, but he was pleased.

This marketing mini course also features one of my favorite books, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini.  I haven't had the opportunity to review it, but I will do you a favor and recommend that you read it, regardless of your profession, life goals, alignment of the stars, whatever.  After reading it, you will never look at the world of advertising and sales and what they do to influence you again.