Every week, Amárach and Future Proof Insights share exclusive findings from their PRIZM+ ad testing service, showcasing best practice creative advertising in Ireland.

Promoting a product like Gaviscon is a challenging task, as it typically enters consumers' minds only when discomfort strikes.

This makes it essential for advertising to build mental availability around the most relevant category entry points: heartburn and indigestion.

The creative here succeeds by clearly framing these problems upfront, positioning the product as the direct solution, and keeping the brand integrated into every key scene, a structure that supports both clarity and memorability.

From the outset, the ad does not shy away from its functional role.

The depiction of overindulgence and subsequent discomfort immediately primes viewers to think of heartburn and indigestion, activating the relevant mental schema.

This leverages the Peak-End Rule, by opening with a relatable problem and closing with the reassurance of relief; the ad ensures these moments are weighted most heavily in memory.

The creative also shows strong discipline in maintaining brand presence throughout.

Gaviscon is introduced visually and verbally before the animated product demonstration, ensuring that the viewer already associates the solution with the brand.

The animated sequence itself creates a distinctive and memorable brand-linked cue, aided by Dual Coding Theory, where verbal messaging about the product’s action is reinforced with the vivid pink liquid and fireman metaphor.

Cognitive Load is well managed.

The brief spike during the animation is beneficial, activating Conceptual Closure as viewers see the problem visibly solved.

This helps drive the point home: this is how Gaviscon works, this is why it works.

Importantly, the load quickly returns to an optimal range, supporting efficient encoding of the message.

This creative, very cleverly manages and handles audience motivation over the course of the ad.

By introducing humour through the twin storyline and showing the positive outcome of using Gaviscon, the ad draws viewers toward the brand.

This taps into what is labelled Benign Violation Theory, where a generally discomforting scenario is made safe and approachable, creating approach motivation rather than avoidance, a subtle but important lever in a category where people may otherwise disengage from the message.

COM-B data reinforces this picture.

The ad performs well under Capability, with the product’s mechanism clearly and credibly conveyed through both verbal and visual cues.

It scores quite strongly for Opportunity by embedding the brand within an everyday family scenario, making its use feel normal and relevant.

Motivation is also strong, aided by Affective Priming, with the warm and reassuring tone increasing openness to the brand.

This produces an Overall Behavioural Impact score that is strongest among older audiences, where the symptoms are more common, and the message lands most effectively.

In contrast, younger audiences show lower Motivation and Opportunity, reflecting a lower natural category relevance, a predictable pattern for the brand.

In short, this is a well-structured piece of advertising that plays to the strengths of the category.

Its power is in its simplicity and the universal nature of the narrative, by clearly framing the problem, positioning Gaviscon as the solution, and keeping brand cues tightly integrated into the narrative flow, it ensures that what sticks in the mind is not just a charming story, but a clear brand association linked to key consumer needs.

For more insights from PRIZM+ on how neuroscience drives advertising impact, visit: https://www.futureproofinsights.ie/prizm-plus/