Neutrality is the dark matter of advertising - invisible, inert, and larger than everything else put together
PrincipleBrand & Creativity
Neutrality is the dark matter of advertising - invisible, inert, and larger than everything else put together
System1 describes Neutrality as the dark matter of advertising response: it leaves no trace, it does not interact with anything else, but in many cases it represents more of the audience reaction than all seven measured emotions combined.
Source
Another Dull Whitepaper: The Extraordinary Cost of Dull - launched at Cannes Lions 2024 (2024)
Jon Evans (System1), Adam Morgan (eatbigfish) and Peter Field
p. 8, The Extraordinary Cost of Dull (2024)
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StatFeeling nothing is the single most common reaction to a television adStatB2B advertising produces even less emotional response than consumer advertisingCaseA 20-second film of grazing cows beats more than a quarter of all advertisingStatDullness kills happiness and surprise while leaving negative reaction untouchedWarningPlaying safe removes the upside of an ad without removing its downsideStatB2B advertising loses positive emotion to dullness at exactly the same rate as consumer workStatThe dullest quartile of advertising buys roughly a thirteenth of the share growth of the most interestingStatClosing the effectiveness gap with media money would cost more than all US TV advertisingStatThe UK cost of dull is more than twice the country's entire television ad spendStatMarketers already put the most money behind their most interesting consumer advertisingWarningUK B2B puts more than half its television money behind its dullest advertisingStatUS B2B spreads its money evenly across dull and interesting work alike