Lessons from Apple and Donbei
“Advertising is the art of moving between the abstract and the concrete.” It may sound a bit dramatic, but it’s true that most successful ads are structured around conveying abstract values through concrete expressions. Today, let’s explore two examples of this formula in action: Apple and Nissin’s Donbei 📺📱🍜🍏 Apple’s “Privacy on iPhone” – Whispers in the Park That Speak Volumes
In the “Privacy on iPhone” campaign, Apple takes the abstract concept of “privacy protection” and expresses it through familiar, everyday scenes. A quiet conversation in the park, flipping your phone face down at a café, someone unknowingly sharing their location— These relatable situations are shown alongside actual iPhone features that address them. As a result, the ad makes viewers personally connect with the message that “iPhone = privacy”, earning both understanding and trust 🔒📱🦊 Donbei × Kitsune Dance – How to Make Abstract Values Dance
On the other hand, Nissin’s Donbei ad connects abstract values like “friendliness,” “fun,” and “humor” with a pop culture trend: the Kitsune (fox) dance. The name “Kitsune Udon” (fox udon) and the popular, playful fox dance synced visually and emotionally, creating an ad that’s both engaging and intuitive. In short, they took the abstract theme of “approachability” and cleverly made it dance with the zeitgeist 🦊🎵🧠 Can Abstract Ideas Be Made Personal?
What both ads have in common is that they don’t just state abstract values—they translate them into scenes and emotions the audience can relate to. Advertising isn’t about shouting your values. It’s about asking: “In what situation?” “How does it feel?” and building a narrative that lets the viewer place themselves inside. When abstract ideas are delivered in a way that feels personal and true, the audience will think, “Yes, I get that. That’s me.”💡 In the next installment, we’ll look at examples where this “abstract × concrete” formula didn’t work—a dive into failed ads and the pitfalls they reveal. (Continued)