Advertising as a Myth! One step closer to the Ad psychodynamics theory!
Hello, friends!
My name is Yevhenii Brzhechko an experienced marketer and advertiser in the field of pharmaceutical marketing.
And I’m very glad to see you on my channel “Brzhechko&Nobody”, where we dive deep into the world of pharmaceutical advertising!
Please, don’t forget to like, subscribe, turn on notifications and share this video that would provide you insights about advertising you have never heard before!
This is the second video in the section on the basics of advertising creation, part of my course, “Shoot It Right.” By completing this course, you’ll understand the psychological foundations of advertising, learn how to create impactful ad concepts, shoot them effectively on the set, and much more to advance your career in advertising and pharmaceutical marketing.
Today, you’ll learn which branch of psychology can help us to find a right way for creating effective ads and how myths fit into the picture.
Be ready to think in extremely unconventional way and let’s get started!
In the previous video, which I strongly recommend you watch, we began exploring how advertising really works, the rules that define its effectiveness, and what it takes to craft ideas that sell.
The key takeaway was simple but crucial: the effectiveness of advertising lies in human psychology, as advertising is fundamentally about influence. But one big question remained – which branch of psychology is most relevant to understanding the secrets of successful advertising?
Let’s recap what we discussed in the last video.
Over ten years ago, during my very first shoot, a director said something that stuck with me:
“Every ad should have something of the movie in it.”
At the time, I didn’t know much about what advertising really is, but this statement didn’t sit right with me. It felt exaggerated and somewhat off.
Ten years later, in 2024, another director, whom I deeply respect, told me this:
“An ad should have a significant dose of theatricality.”
These two statements, spoken a decade apart by different directors, sound similar in form but carry distinct meanings. Reflecting on these ideas led me to a deeper understanding of the nature of advertising. Most importantly, it pointed me toward the branch of psychology that could serve as the foundation for developing a theory of advertising psychodynamics – a framework for creating consistently effective, predictable ad concepts.
So, what did I learn from these two directors?
Advertising is neither cinema nor theater.
– Cinema is designed to evoke emotions and experiences, but that alone isn’t enough to persuade.
– Theater encourages reflection and understanding of the playwright’s message, but contemplation isn’t what we aim for in advertising.
Our goal is to inspire blind faith. This is especially critical in pharmaceutical advertising, where we’re not just selling a product – we’re selling belief in healing through that product.
This realization led me to ask a key question:
“Which literary genre is best suited for inspiring belief?”
The answer became clear – it’s the myth.
Myths evoke deep, irrational belief that doesn’t require proof. They create confidence that a product can solve a problem under any circumstances.
Why myths?
– Cinema provides experiences, and its goal is to make viewers enjoy the visuals and emotions.
– Theater provokes thought, which isn’t suitable for advertising. Very important point to understand! By theater, I mean the literary genre. When it comes to the staging, acting, and visual style, theatrical approaches can be quite effective for advertising – but that’s a topic for another video.
– Myth, however, builds faith – deep, blind, and unquestionable. It promises healing, hope, and the triumph of good over evil, illness, or challenges.
Myths have been a cornerstone of Carl Gustav Jung’s studies in depth psychology.
Jung demonstrated that myths are rooted in archetypes – universal symbols embedded in every human unconscious. These archetypes influence our decisions, often without our awareness.
Advertising should leverage archetypes that resonate with people on a subconscious level. It should deliver messages that feel like mantras or incantations, instilling confidence and motivating action. While this is a simplified explanation, the essence lies in using myths as a psychological tool.
At this point, I want to emphasize something important, as it’s likely to cause some misunderstanding. When I say “advertising as a myth,” I’m not suggesting ads should feature gods, mythical creatures, or fantastical plots. That would be too simplistic and wouldn’t deserve your attention.
Instead, advertising should harness the phenomenological essence of myth, as revealed by Jung. This means understanding and utilizing the intricate symbolism and relationships between archetypes that directly influence our behavior.
Right now, without sufficient knowledge, it may be challenging to grasp and accept this idea. You might be imagining that I’m proposing to create fairy-tale-like ads. That’s not the case. We’ll gradually work toward a shared understanding of this concept, which has a profound impact on advertising effectiveness.
In the next video, you’ll learn about the essential concept of Jungian depth psychology – about archetypes, and how this knowledge can help you create impactful advertising.
Please like this video, subscribe, turn on notifications and share it if you wanna to hear things about advertising you’ve never heard before!
