Chapter Reference
Chapter 8: Marketing Communications Principles

Overview
In this activity, you will learn more about the strong and the weak theories of advertising, with a specific focus on furniture advertising.

Activity
Below are links to Oak Furniture Land and DFS. Both companies sell furniture, but using two different types of adverts.
Contrast and assess how one uses a message which is all about product and price features such as those used in most furniture ads (an example of the application of the Strong Theory) and the other conveys its marketing message using emotions and feelings (an application of the Weak Theory). Evaluate what you think is the relative success of each approach and how they might appeal to their respective audiences.

Consider:

• The different rational and emotional appeals used.
• Why would DFS use elements associated with the Weak Theory of advertising?
• For the furniture category, which approach do you think would be most effective?

Websites

DFS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Dv_Ouk4z0
http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/home-and-diy/video-dfs-launches-emotional-ad-as-it-moves-away-from-price-led-campaigns/5034051.article

Oak Furniture Land
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVMrInD8hy8