In the second decade of the 21st century, you’d think we would be way past 'yell and sell' retail TV advertising.

But alas, our senses are still assaulted daily by the likes of Victoria’s Basement, Harvey Norman and Godfrey’s. The formula is simple (well it ain't called 'yell and sell' for nothing). Cram as many voice over words as you can in 30 seconds, scream the message (and repeat it often – after all, the audience are comprised of idiots). Then complement the audio with a plethora of brightly coloured, flashing graphics. Finally, remove any element that is remotely creative or brand-building. (In the world of price and product, 'brand' is a dirty word.)

Look, the technique does work, after a fashion. But in my opinion retailers like Harvey Norman primarily 'win through weight'. They succeed because of enormous advertising budgets. Frankly, you could put pretty much anything to air and if it pops up often enough, the message will get through. (Television is still an incredibly powerful medium.) The questions remain though; is 'yell and sell' good enough, isn’t it inefficient, and isn’t there a better way to do things? And the answer in all three cases is 'yes'!

A brand new Walmart commercial in the US is a case in how to communicate value in an intelligent way, while moving a brand forward. The spot broke in the lead-up to the Superbowl and garnered a great deal of attention from consumers and critics alike.


The commercial opens with Dad putting the finishing touches to a clown costume, as he prepares to entertain his little girl for her birthday party at home. Meanwhile, we cut to Mum who is telling her friend about how she got everything for the party at great prices at Walmart (and critically, how they even saved enough to buy the clown outfit). Cue Dad, who enters the birthday scene silently, intent upon making a big impression. Which he surely (or perhaps sorely) does, unwittingly skewering his foot on a toy unicorn, causing him to scream in pain and completely terrify the kids. Have a look at the spot here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsvAj6qfmFQ.

Walmart’s clown commercial has been an internet hit, generating 1.7 million views online and making it to the Top 5 viral videos on the web. But while it generated buzz beyond paid media, the commercial’s real success is in getting across a compelling message; one of price, range and convenience, which adds up to true value. America’s Ad Age said this week that “the commercial dovetails nicely with the messaging that enabled (Walmart) to navigate the downturn so successfully.” The ad also puts a smile on your face, and leaves you feeling warmly disposed towards the Walmart brand. (And I bet it worked too. 'Funny' can turn into 'Money'.)

A few years ago IdeaWorks (the company I work for) had the privilege of assisting Supercheap Auto in transforming their retail brand. One of the most dramatic changes was in the tone of the television commercials. We moved from 'yell and sell' to a campaign that humorously depicted guys obsessed with Supercheap Auto. (For a sample, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfNDISQ9HeQ&feature=related).

The spots not only generated a strong sales response, but they also created an outpouring of affection from customers, and a real shift in how the brand was perceived. Yes, the campaign was supported by event and price and product advertising – reasons for customers to come into the stores today. But the brand spots worked on many levels.

'Yell and sell' advertising is a one-dimensional and often crude attempt to flog price and product. The Walmart and Supercheap Auto examples instead communicate 'value' to the customer and build the value of their respective brands. If you’ve got a choice, why not go for the latter?

Jon Bird is CEO of retail marketing specialist IdeaWorks (www.ideaworks.com.au). Email jon.bird@ideaworks.com.au.