In order to be successful, advertising needs to elicit a positive impulse, a so called Wow-Effect. Only then it develops viral potential and initiates an orientation towards and behavioural change in line with the promoted product.

As clear as this prerequisite is, as multifaceted are the opportunities of how the advertising party could put it into practice. The positive impuls can either be driven by content, through an emotionally touching or rational persuading message, or formally, through an unusual or funny presentation.

The key is, that advertisements need to score highly within at least one of the 4 dimensions: heart, intellect, attention or joke. At which of the 4 dimensions is scored, is irrelevant for the production of a Wow-Effect and its viral potential.

At the same time, advertising cannot make the mistake of initiating negative feelings, through boredom or disgust for example. Otherwise, the ad will disappear from the consumer preference.

By means of comparing advertising tests across different product categories, very different spots like „Lachende Pferde“ for VW parking assistance and the Amazon Prime spot „Straßenmusiker“ gained especially high Wow-Index values. „Lachende Pferde“ scored at the Joke dimension and „Straßenmusiker“, because it touched the heart.

An essential prerequisite for a successful advertisement is therefore, that it follows a clear path. As for which path is taken, advertising parties and marketers are quite free to decide.

The presented results are based on various advertising tests, as well as a foundation study conducted in fall 2017 by komma research and consulting GmbH with almost 1.000 representative interviews through an online panel.