Desire
Ads and videos written to this emotion: 902. 154 make the Say move, 15 make the Avoid mistake.
What it is
Wanting a thing for itself: how it looks, tastes or feels, or the life it opens. It feels good and uneasy at once, because picturing it reminds you that you do not have it yet.
Where it shows up
A new phone, perfume, a flight sale, a first-class seat, a plot of land.
Say
Make the want concrete so the reader can act with eyes open: the thing up close, in the place it will be used, doing what it does. Then the offer at the same size: the full price with every fee, the conditions and where to buy.
Vivid, concrete messages shifted attitudes and stated intentions by a small to medium amount (Blondé and Girandola 2016, 43 effects from 27 papers, 7,575 people). Limit: it measured intentions, not purchases, and pooled health and commercial messages.
Avoid
Stoking the want and hiding the terms: a "from" price few will get, fees that appear only at checkout, conditions in small print, a deadline that is not real. Hidden terms can lift sales on the day, but the buyer pays more and likes the choice less. In Saudi Arabia an online ad counts as part of the contract, and it must not mislead.
Showing ticket fees only at checkout, instead of the full price from the start, raised spending by about 21% and the purchase rate by 14% (Blake and colleagues 2021, several million users of one ticket resale site over ten days). Limit: one platform, and the figures come from the 2018 working paper.
When optional fees were revealed step by step, 24.5% of buyers ended up with the airline that cost more in total, against 7.8% when fees were shown up front, and they were less satisfied with their choice (Santana and colleagues 2020, 408 adults on an online panel). Limit: the first of six studies, with small cash stakes.
Sources
- Blondé and Girandola (2016). Social Influence 11(2).
- Blake, Moshary, Sweeney and Tadelis (2021). Marketing Science 40(4).
- Santana, Dallas and Morwitz (2020). Marketing Science 39(1).
Doing it right
Ads that make the Say move.
Mickey magazine playing-card giveaway ad, al-Kawakib 1962
The whole deck of Disney character cards spills across the page so the child sees every card, and the line issue plus card deck, 60 milliemes, gives the parent the full price.
Maidenform "Queen of the Westerns" dream ad, Photoplay
The Western dream sells the want through a borrowed film fantasy, but the Chansonette is shown worn in full view and the close lists four fabrics and a price from 2.00.
Mickey magazine figurine gift ad, al-Kawakib 1961
A real photograph of the Mickey figurine shows the exact toy, not a drawing, and the sum at the foot, issue plus gift equals 4 piastres, puts the whole price in plain view.
Maidenform "I dreamed" campaign ad, Photoplay
The flying-carpet fantasy builds the want, the bra is shown sharp and whole, and the close states fabrics, cups and prices: A to C from 2.00, AA at 1.75, plus a free booklet.
Samir children's magazine stamp gift ad, al-Kawakib 1962
An open album packed with colour stamps shows the finished collection, and the terms are spelled out: issue plus gift for 3 piasters, 5 sets in 5 weeks, the next on 14 January.
Mecano magazine subscription ad (van Doesburg / I.K. Bonset)
It gives an abstract review something physical to want, each number in a different colour with many reproductions, and states the terms beside it: F. 5 a year, F. 0.60 an issue, two addresses.
Samir children's magazine ad, al-Kawakib 1957
The drawing shows the colour dining car that couples to last issue's diesel engine, and the copy states the day, the 24 pages and the price, 25 milliemes, so the want comes with terms.
Larkin Company trade catalog cover, free foulard gown offer
Net yoke in fine tucks, two rows of Venice insertion, a three-inch hem and exact bust sizes make the gown concrete, and the $10 purchase condition sits right under the headline.
Samir children's magazine gift series ad, al-Kawakib 1964
A photo of the built cardboard petrol station, pumps and figures in place, held up by Samir's cartoon boy, shows the real toy, with the date, 1 March 1964, and the price, 40 milliemes.
Apple II magazine ad, long features copy page, Byte, 1977
'Clear the kitchen table. Bring in the color T.V.' installs the machine in the reader's home, and the page states both prices, $1298 complete and $798 board-only, plus a dealer demonstration.
al-Kawakib 1965 star calendar house ad, al-Kawakib 1964
The whole page is drawn as the calendar hanging on its nail, the thing shown where it will live, and the bar below gives 29 December, issue plus calendar for 12 piastres, reserve now.
Arabella and Araminta Stories book poster
A sample of the book's own strange picture, two girls sharing one black dress, sits between lines giving the count, XV pictures, and PRICE $2.00 NET in the title's letters.
كن من بين 9 رابحين بسيارة تسلا
The Tesla is shown whole and up close, and the conditions sit at the same size as the prize: register, use the card, 9 cars, terms apply.
STC - عرض هاري بوتر خلال عطلة المدارس
The film clips make fans want the saga itself, and the brand's own text states the new price, the old price, the discount and the exact dates.
(حوّل راتبك للوطني وتِخيّر (وكالة لكزس
The cars are shown up close in the showroom where the loan is used, and the terms sit at the same size: 0%, up to 25,000 KD, tied to a salary transfer.
إعلان مصري مضحك جداً عن الكمبيوتر ☺ أبو كرتوني
Each wish, a computer, a laser mouse, a bilingual keyboard, speakers, controllers, is answered 'take it', and the full bundle lands at 555 pounds plus shipping, delivered home, ordered by phone.
فليكس #دلعِلُّه - ياسمين عبد العزيز وعبد الباسط حمودة
دلعله makes the bundle permission to treat yourself, then names the entry point, Flex 70 and up, the free Shahid VIP, WATCH IT and Anghami Plus subscriptions, and over 100 pounds saved.
It makes the want concrete, a named car model and gold of stated weight and purity, and gives the condition at the same size: open the account, transfer salary for three months, enter the draw.
Doing it wrong
Ads that make the Avoid mistake.
Alinma Bank: real estate financing to own your forever home
Own the home of a lifetime sits large over a rendered dream house, while the terms, a rate from 5.89% and up to 30 years with conditions applying, are pushed into small print.
Ideal fitted kitchens ad, al-Kawakib 1957
It calls the kitchen every housewife's dream and promises pride in showing it to friends, then gives only a from-3-pounds-a-month figure over 23 months and never the full price.
Bank AlJazira: three Ajwaa Visa cards, APR from 40.95 percent
Three card tiers glow before lit boutiques at dusk under 'everything you need', while the rate, APR from 40.95%, is kept in small print so it never competes with the cards.
flyadeal: domestic fares from SAR 179, offer extended again
It keeps the Limited-time headline while announcing the offer has been extended again to 9 September, so the deadline is shown not to hold, on a from 179 fare for selected destinations.
SNB: home finance includes up to 150,000 riyals you do not repay
The figure 150,000 stands as a solid object before the unfinished villa, but it is an 'up to' ceiling with no conditions printed for who qualifies or how much most buyers get.
Jahez: order a New Year cake with delivery starting at SAR 1
It stokes the want with a lit chocolate-petal cake and 'the cake you can't resist', while the only term is delivery starting at 1 riyal, a from price with no cake price or conditions.
Jahez Shops: Al-Kisaei men's fabric, up to 65 percent off
Folded white thobe fabric leads the frame to make the cloth itself wanted, then the offer is only up to 65% off, with no item, price or condition saying who gets it.
Jarir: trade in any phone, save up to 50% on Galaxy Z Fold8
The Fold8 photo builds the want, but the headline saving is 'up to 50%', which depends on an old phone's value the ad never shows, with the terms sent to jarir.com.
Mobily: Apple Watch Series 12 from SAR 86.25 a month
The line your heart is its guide and the screen reading 62 make the watch wanted, but the only price is from 86.25 riyals a month, with no total or term given.
Mobily: Apple Watch Ultra 4 from SAR 166.75 a month
The stamina pun turns a trait the wearer claims into the battery claim, building want for the Ultra 4, yet the only price is from 166.75 riyals a month with no total or term.
Mobily: AirPods 5 from SAR 28.75 a month
Under the sound-leap pun, one pill holds the whole offer, from 28.75 riyals a month, read before the product name, with no total price or number of months stated.
Mobily: AirPods 5 from 28.75 SAR a month
The pun on a sound leap builds want for AirPods 5, but the only price is from 28.75 riyals a month, with no cash price anywhere and the terms line set small beneath it.
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