How to choose the concept that contributes most effectively to brand growth?

Background

Centraal Beheer is one of the largest service providers in the Netherlands. In 1985, the first 'Even Apeldoorn bellen' commercial hit the tube. In 2022, the latest one went live: 'Container'. This makes it the 62nd 'Even Apeldoorn bellen' commercial.

In all these years, the humorous 'oops' moments remain the core of the commercials. What has changed, however, is the effectiveness of the humour. Centraal Beheer has been steering a new course since 2018; from insurer to service provider (think domestic help, handyman or solar panels).

To ensure that the humour in the 'Even Apeldoorn bellen' commercials is effective, Centraal Beheer always first tests different TV concepts in the brain with fMRI.

This predicts which concept is most effective and gets people moving. In addition, the research reveals which concept best conveys Centraal Beheer's brand values. So we measure the contribution to both short-term sales activation and long-term brand growth.

Centraal Beheer's question

Which of the two concepts is most effective and contributes to short-term sales activation and long-term brand growth?

How was this researched?

fMRI research

Moving story boards of the two concepts were created with a voice over telling the story that was taking place. These moving story boards were shown to respondents in the MRI scanner. By measuring the concepts in the brain, you discover the unconscious emotions activated by the concepts.

These unconscious emotions and dimensions strongly influence consumer behaviour. Only with fMRI research can you measure this, as fMRI provides access to the deeply hidden areas of the brain.

Online panel - Brain Guided Interpretation

To explain the fMRI results, we used an online panel to interpret the results. Why are specific emotions activated or not? We also used this to measure more traditional KPIs, such as key message, brand linkage and message comprehension.

Check out the two concepts below:

The results

Centraal Beheer' favourite 'Dog' has a weaker balance of positive and negative emotions

Before the concepts were tested with fMRI, the concept 'Dog' was the favourite internally at Centraal Beheer. However, the fMRI results showed that the concept 'Dog' had a weaker balance between positive and negative emotions and scored lower on Engagement, check out the green dot.

The concept did score high on 'Trust'. You can see that in the brain pattern below. To find out why trust was triggered, we asked the online panel. Respondents indicated that it was triggered by the moments between the man and the dog. However, this high score on 'Trust' did not make the concept sufficiently effective.

The end of the concept created a lot of negative emotions. We also asked the online panel why. Respondents indicated this was because the dog runs towards the man with the bomb. Viewers suspect that this isn't going to end well and that Centraal Beheer cannot do much in such a situation.

'Dog' doesn't activate the brand values properly

Due to the ending, this concept doesn't contribute enough to activate the brand values: 'Centraal Beheer thinks along with me', 'Centraal Beheer always helps me' and 'Centraal Beheer makes my life easier' (we have previously calibrated these brand values in the brain with fMRI). The results even showed a negative correlation with the brand values, see image below.

'Container' has the best balance of emotions and scores high on Engagement

The concept 'Container' scores high on 'Trust'. We also asked the online panel why. Respondents indicated that the scene between the two colleagues - the secretary and the driver - at the beginning activates a lot of trust. Similarly, the end, when the slogan 'Even Apeldoorn bellen' appears, also activates a lot of trust. This is because the slogan is so familiar to the viewers by now.

'Lust' is activated during the scenes where it appears that something has gone wrong and at the end where the student's house moves and it becomes clear that his container is on a boat.

The big difference between the balance of positive and negative emotions of 'Container' and 'Dog', is that the ending of 'Dog' has irreversible consequences. Centraal Beheer cannot offer any help in this situation. This isn't the case with 'Container'; Centraal Beheer can still offer help, to both the company and the guy being shipped. This is actually why the positive emotions at the end are activated.

Container activates key brand values

Container activated Centraal Beheer's key brand values, see image below.

Expected reward and novelty may be enhanced more

Respondents of the online panel were also asked how 'Container' could become even more effective. As can be seen in the brain pattern below, the concept scored just below average on the dimension 'Expectation' - 'expected reward' and 'Novelty'.

Respondents indicated that the beginning could be a bit faster and smoother. The beginning takes a long time and takes place in a grey environment. They also indicated that it would be better if the concept ended with a concrete solution (expected reward). What can Centraal Beheer exactly offer in such a situation?

Advice

Our advice to Centraal Beheer was to opt for the 'Container' concept. To make the concept even more effective, we advised as shorter beginning and to offer a concrete solution at the end.

Silver Loeki award

Centraal Beheer took this advice and passed it on to the advertising agency. The agency started working on this.

In the final advert (which we also tested before going live), you can see that the beginning was made shorter and an attempt was made to make it more exciting. The end is no longer the image of the container ship, but a close-up of the boss. His problem makes the most sense for Centraal Beheer to solve.

And as a nice result, the ad also won the Silver Loeki award.