I absolutely love this Out of Home ad from Amazon subsidiary Soap.com. I saw it outside an NYC subway station in Jackson Heights, Queens.
First – the business idea is great: Do your drug store shopping online. When everything, including grocery shopping, is going digital, why should people not be able to do their drug store shopping online? Soap.com figured out how to do it.
Second, the insight is great. One of the most frustrating places to shop is the drug store. Although I really like what Rite Aid has done with Wellness+ and what Duane Reade has done with updated store layouts these things don’t fully address:
- The long lines
- The ineffecient checkout process
- Surly checkout staff (not necessarily unrelated to #2)
- Difficulty navigating the stores
- High turn product availability issues (because who wants to make another stop?) and
- Checkout problems requiring manager approval
Frustrating, I know. Soap.com knows too and with this billboard, they’ve spoken to consumer pain points in a manner that resonates both powerfully and playfully with consumers. That’s absolutely beautiful.
Third, this ad is empowering. In a world where people consciously resign themselves to unpleasant experiences because that’s how life is – this ad (THIS AD!) tells the consumer “NO! IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!”
Just say no.
That’s empowering. That is not an insignificant thing to communicate to someone. People are often reminded of their lack of power in many circumstances – by telling consumers to say no to a store they need, Soap.com is essentially saying “you have power, you have Soap.com”. Simple but genius.
Until next time.
