McDonalds has just launched it's Light Choices TV ad which is a classic UP metaphor. I have written about the fundamental significance of UP as a metaphor before and I won't repeat except to say it is very fundamental to our biological programming - and if we are looking to connect at a deep emotional level - we need to use the up metaphor and other somatic metaphors.
Consider what the ad would be like if it told us that McDonalds had a lot of lighter healthy choices - perhaps like McDonalds has been doing for some time. We know that information - that's information and that's good but... it doesn't connect in like this ad can.
The ads goes up and up into other higher, lighter more airy worlds featuring McDonalds Lighter almost fantasy/other world offerings without even mentioning 'healthier for you'. It is the overiding sensation that makes the difference - no need (and better not) to say much at all. We all intrinsically know what the UP metaphor is about - it intrinsically feels good - it intrinsically is good - defying all verbal description. Good one McDonalds!
Wolf Blass's eagle is also another excellent example of the UP metaphor in marketing. They don't have to use words to say what they are trying to say about the brand and trying to describe their positioning still defies words. The soaring eagle says it all to many wine drinkers. True people can't put the brands positioning into words - but who cares?
Renault Megane recently tried to own UP and register it as a trademark. I noticed the outdoor campaign but don't think many other people did except those people watching for metaphors. I applauded the registration of UP. However, it was really only a series of views looking up into the sky from an open car so it didn't really capture very much of the potential impact of the UP metaphor. It is also interesting to see that they are really clued into the metaphoric symbolism of the car - and also making deliberate allusions to "the butt" of their car in their advertising. Interested to see what they do next.
