With kind permission of TBWA, Bangkok, Thailand
Fig. 2.2. Stain remover erases impurities at the moment they appear.
In the stain remover advertising, the stain of spilt coffee is divided from the sofa—it is literally peeling off. In a similar way, we can show the separation of the stain, for example, of melted ice cream from the back seat of the car. Or the stain of the ink could be divided from the carpet. And so on. These separations are performed quickly and easily. That is exactly what happens if you use the advertised product.
It is a very strong creative tool to divide into pieces what we perceive as an indivisible unit.
For the promotion of the powerful racing car we can divide, for example, the reflection of the car in the lake and the car itself (see Fig. 2.3.). To increase the contrast, we can place several trees with the “correct” reflections.
The idea of Maurice De Bevere, Brussels, Belgium, redrawn by Juriy Gerasimov
Fig. 2.3. The advertising of the car which outruns his own reflection.
The same technique can be applied to the beams of the headlights of a fast sedan with a four hundred horse-power engine under the hood (see Fig. 2.4.).
With kind permission of Michelangelo Cianciosi and Francesco Fallisi (DDB Milan, Italy)
Fig. 2.4. The division of the inseparable unit is a promising thinking tool.
The essence of the tool remains the same. We split what is normally connected to each other. The transition to a flexible system of thinking can give tangible benefits. The same approach in advertising allows us to deliver our message in a new and stronger way.
But why is it only in advertising?
Aircraft collisions with birds sometimes lead to serious disasters. During years of aviation development people invented a variety of ways to scare away birds from airfields. In order to keep birds off, people tried mechanical stuffed animals, naphthalene spraying, and so on.
But the best and practically free solution to the problem turned out to be the playing of loud screams of frightened birds recorded on magnetic tape.
Would you agree that separation of the cry of birds from the birds themselves is an unusual solution? It took time to come to it.
Another charming example comes from the history of science. The German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was famous for his genius not only as an outstanding scientist, but also in lively everyday communication.
One day he received a letter with a request to mail some X-rays! Also, the ridiculous correspondent asked to attach instructions to the parcel about how to use the rays. The author of the letter did not have time to come, even though he wanted to get rid of an age-old revolver bullet in his chest.
Röntgen wrote in response: “Unfortunately at the moment, I do not have the X-rays. Besides mailing of X-ray is a very troublesome thing. Let’s make it a bit simpler: send me your chest ...”
What principle did the outstanding researcher and the first winner of the Nobel Prize in physics use for his answer?
Here are a few more examples. In advertising moisturizer we see a tattoo with rose petals falling from a fading flower (see Fig. 2.5.).
With kind permission of Tiago Valadão and Paulo Henrique Gomes (Mood/TBWA, São Paulo, Brazil)
Fig. 2.5. The impressive demonstration of the effect of the dryness of your skin.
The slogan of the advertising campaign exclaims: “Your skin needs moisture”.
At the next layout, the advertised milk promises to make your body so smooth that no dragon will ever stick to your shoulder (see Fig. 2.6.).
The idea of Bates, Singapore, redrawn by Juriy Gerasimov
Fig. 2.6. The advertising of a moisturizing cosmetic product for your face and body.
Division technique can be applied not only to the content of advertising but also to the form of advertising. Divide mentally the layout into two parts. Could this procedure lead us to some interesting ideas? In many cases it definitely would. In the beginning of the chapter I mentioned one of them.
Here are a few more examples. A manufacturer of products for hair removal (epilation) shows a sexy smooth female leg on one page. On the other page he shows the hair you can get rid of with the help of the advertised product (see Fig. 2.7.).
With kind permission of Luc Du Sault (Lg2, Quebec, Canada)
Fig. 2.7. Instant hair removal in the pages of glamour magazine.
The woman opens the favorite magazine and performs epilation at the same time. Quickly and painlessly.
The manufacturer of folding bicycles splits the image of the product to demonstrate that even a child can fold the bike (see Fig. 2.8.).
With kind permission of Kürşat Ünsal (The Adquarters, Istanbul, Turkey)
Fig. 2.8. Just close the magazine to fold the bike.
Let’s divide the billboard into two parts and put them on opposite sides of the highway. We get an unusual advertisement of a large fish, for example (see Fig. 2.9.).
With kind permission of Anatoliev & Partners, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Fig. 2.9. Ocean fish is so big you need two billboards to advertise it.
But for the advertising of super sharp knives you don’t have to push anything. On the contrary, the closer the posters are placed to each other, the better the result is (see Fig. 2.10.).
The idea of Leo Burnett Frankfurt, Germany, redrawn by Juriy Gerasimov
Fig. 2.10. Advertising knives that are anything but safe.
Sometimes you may need to divide the poster into more parts. For example, in the advertising of romantic movies where the most juicy, explicit scenes are not cut (see Fig. 2.11.).
The idea of Kolle Rebbe, Hamburg, Germany, redrawn by Juriy Gerasimov
Fig. 2.11. Do you want to watch movies without censorship and interruption? Then get tuned to the new erotic channel.
But who says that this creative technique works only in space? Why not divide our advertising in time? What happens then? We get a creative technology which is known as a “teaser”.
Teaser campaigns consist of two stages. Initially there is an advertisement