The Brainy Business | Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy | Behavioral Economics

509. The Anatomy of Bad Ads

Jun 26, 2025

Jake Teeny, an assistant professor of marketing at the Kellogg School, dives into the art and science of advertising failures. He discusses why ineffective ads thrive, from unclear messaging to the risk of emotional disconnection. Jake emphasizes the necessity of clear goals in advertising to captivate audiences effectively. The balance between nostalgia and novelty in campaigns is also unveiled, highlighting its impact on consumer engagement. Listeners gain valuable insights into avoiding common pitfalls and crafting ads that resonate while standing out in a crowded market.

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INSIGHT

Clear Objectives Crucial

Effective ads must have a clear, specific objective to succeed.
Vague or broad goals dilute focus and reduce the ad's impact.

ANECDOTE

Distinct Car Ads Capture Attention

Car ads often blur together with similar fast car, rugged terrain themes.
Citroen's alien-driving car ad stood out by being different and engaging.

ADVICE

Hook Quickly to Retain Attention

Start ads quickly to capture attention before viewers tune out.
Avoid slow starts as viewers often skip ads if not immediately engaged.

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In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer sits down with Dr. Jake Teeny, an assistant professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management. Together, they delve into the world of advertising, specifically focusing on what makes an ad ineffective. They discuss the common pitfalls brands encounter, from failures of attention to unclear messaging and memory issues. Jake shares insights from his extensive research on social influence and persuasion, helping listeners understand how to create more impactful advertisements while avoiding the mistakes that lead to cringe-worthy campaigns.

Melina and Jake explore the importance of having a clear objective for advertisements, the dangers of overloading messages, and the need for emotional resonance in ads to enhance memorability. They also touch on the consequences of failing to distinguish your brand in a crowded market, and how tunnel vision can lead to offensive or tone-deaf marketing efforts. The episode wraps up with Jake’s actionable framework for evaluating ads, ensuring you’re on the right track to creating memorable and effective marketing communications.

In this episode:

Discover the two main types of ineffective ads and how they can waste resources.
Learn the importance of having a clear objective and specific goals for your advertising campaigns.
Understand the impact of emotional high points on memory retention and brand recall.
Explore the concept of “tunnel vision” and how it can lead to misjudged advertising strategies.
Gain insights into the ad plan framework to evaluate and improve your advertising efforts.

Get important links, top recommended books and episodes, and a full transcript at thebrainybusiness.com/509.

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