Getting to the heart of the consumer

Featured Events | Mar 15, 2016 | Gabelli School of Business

Ole Pedersen, executive vice president of global planning at Deutsch Advertising, speaks about marketing during a March 8, 2016, event. (Photo by Nina Heidig)

By Nina Heidig

You might be surprised to see rocker Iggy Pop’s sinewy torso and ragged face in a fashion ad for H&M. But for Ole Pedersen, this unorthodox pairing exemplifies the power of creative insight.

Pedersen, executive vice president of global planning at Deutsch Advertising, believes that in an age of enormous technological innovation, it’s essential for advertisers to understand the very human reasons why people make the choices they do.

In a talk at McMahon Hall on March 8, he told students, “Market research can’t necessarily get you to … that special thing that resonates and grabs your emotions.”

He urged students to approach account planning by questioning conventional thinking, considering unexpected connections, and staying “relentlessly curious.” He also recommended unplugging from devices to “give your brain time to work through things.”

Pedersen used his successful campaign for GM’s Saturn brand as an example of how the heart can outweigh the head in consumer decisions.

He explained that people’s love for Saturn had very little to do with the car itself.

“It was more of a belief system. It was a philosophy. It was all about people,” he said.