What people now view in six-second increments on their iPhones is not very different than what prehistoric people drew on caves, according to Brand Creative Executive Lorenzo de Guttadauro.

A GIF is just the modern version of the zoetrope, which is an updated cave drawing, he says, adding that today’s content is forever changing, but in a way, it’s really all the same.

“Humans have been storytelling for millennia,” he said. “What hasn’t changed is what captures the human imagination.”

In Thursday’s PromaxBDA Master Class presentation, “The Promo is Dead. Long Live the Promo,” de Guttadauro discussed capturing viewers’ attention through promo, understanding human behavior and marketing by entertaining.

“Humans are predictable,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what device or app or streaming service someone is using, not even the century matters. What matters is that consumers are human and that makes their behavior predictable. If you want to catch their attention, entertain them.”

Using Oreo as an example, de Guttadauro says that people just want to connect, even if it’s with a cookie. Through online posts and tweets, Oreo managed to connect with people on a daily basis, from cycling fans to Shark Week viewers, letting them in on private jokes along the way.


Budweiser, from the first time they introduced the Clydesdales to this year’s “Lost Dog” Super Bowl spot, managed to continue a campaign with a character, the Clydesdale horse, who people connect with and relate to.

The Super Bowl spot was simply a continuation of the storyline with animals that pulled at everyone’s heartstrings.

“Everything that we do as marketers is to make our brands top of mind,” de Guttadauro said, just like advertisers want to make sure you’re thinking of their product in the grocery aisle.

Deciding what to watch on TV, he says, are essentially the same - it’s an impulse buy. By changing the channel or deciding to tune in, consumers are battling each on-air message to decide on what to watch. One creative roadblock marketers often see is that people have been marketed to all their lives so they know they’re being manipulated.

“Think about the things that scream PROMO,” he says. In other words, don’t talk to people in promos in a way that you wouldn’t talk to people in real life. Avoid instructional speak and red flags like condescending tones and otherwise unnatural conversational setups.

“The marketing red flags are the cues that tell consumers they can just tune out,” he says. “It’s just information. That kind of promo is dead. You can’t fool your audience, they know they’re being sold to. The selling is not the problem.”

For example, Android’s “Friends Fur Ever” spot illustrates a similar pattern to the Budweiser spots. It manages to catch one’s eye while also promoting a product in a creative way.

“If you really look at it,” he says, “it’s just a clip spot, pure and simple.” But with the music, the shot selection, the editing and the story it tells, that spot shows a lot more care and attention that shows respect to the audience.

“Every piece of creative is a brand story – original series don’t get better treatment than acquired titles.”

Here are some questions he says he asks himself when evaluating work:
Am I entertained?
Does the script sound conversational?
Is the hook unique?
Does the promo reflect the brand voice?

“Don’t treat your viewers like a certain type of person – put yourself in their shoes. If you think something isn’t really special, why would it be different than your viewers? If you want people to pay attention to your marketing message, respect your audience and entertain them.”

So, who’s doing it well? According to de Guttadauro, Adult Swim is one of the best out there on the TV side, but Jack in the Box has a solid campaign for fast food with a character viewers have truly gotten to know through spots, billboards and commercials.

Key Takeaways:

1. Technology changes. Human behavior does not.
2. The fundamental building blocks of what makes great creative are even more important today.
3. Viewers don’t care about who put in the work order. They just want to be entertained.

The next PromaxBDA Master Class will be Thursday, April 16 at 11 a.m. PT, with Tooth+Nail’s Linda Button presenting “Make it Personal: The Net Trend in Effective Marketing.”

For more information about the Master Class series and other PromaxBDA member exclusives, visit promaxbda.org.

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