Now you see it, now you don't...

Centella Anti-Cellulite Tablets

That's the promise Centella makes with this print ad. It's a brief that was done by advertising agency Grey Argentina for the product Centella Queen Anti-cellulite Pills in October 1999.

One of the reasons I think this makes for a good ad is the fact that the client's product literally got used to portray the benefit it wishes to communicate to the target audience.. No over-the-top illustrations or empty promises. What you see, is what you'll get, and with a delicate matter such as cellulite it's never going to be about what you say, but how you say it. Something I'm sure most women will agree with.

I'm impressed that with their ad they manage to negotiate this obstacle very well, and as a result, there's no grey area that might get misinterpreted and create possible offense. Speaking of offense. Sometimes you actually want to make use of it to target your audience, but with cellulite I don't think that's the route to go.

So how did they do it? 'Formulate an effective strategy', are the words that come to mind. Do that and then execute it by showing your benefit in a way that is surprising and entertaining. By now I know to be effective, you have to relevant. If your strategy is falling by the way side, chances are you are going to end up doing a Humpty Dumpty ad, and 'all the king's horses, and all the king's men, won't be able to put your brand together again'. They obviously invested some decent time into compiling a good strategy for the Centella brief and both agency and client should feel proud.

This ad is pretty simple like I said. No fancy fonts or dramatic colours. Very straightforward. It shows and says what it has to, but does so in a fresh manner. That's it.

What they do achieve that I consider great is to make a promise with regards to their product's benefit and that is that it actually works. It's not just some sales pitch, it's real, and that's always good for business. Perhaps that's the reason why in this print ad it's only necessary to show the benefit in a very simple manner.

One thing is for certain, you won't see your cellulite anymore, and if this kind of not-see-seeing is still considered believing, then I'll be a believer too.