What Is Bandwagon Advertising?
Bandwagon advertising refers to campaigns that attempt to convince individual consumers to purchase a product or service based on the idea that many others are purchasing it, making it tempting for the individual to do so as well too. The notion that making the suggested purchase gives the consumer a particular experience or feeling is key to the bandwagon experience. This is one of the most popular advertising techniques.
One type of bandwagon advertising tells the consumer that making a purchase gains him entry into the “in” crowd. This strategy is particularly popular among alcohol manufacturers. Purchasing beer or hard liquor of a particular brand makes the purchaser “cool” as the scenes in the ads show. Groups of friends gathered inside an attractive nightclub drinking the brand being advertised is just one way to encourage consumers to make a purchase.
Another type of bandwagon advertising attempts to get the consumer to join the “winning crowd.” One example of this is the campaigns for Walt Disney World that ask Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks what they are going to do next, and their answer is that they are heading for Walt Disney World. Of course, matching the celebrity on television with the target niche is crucial for this to work.
