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

The recent Tesco Clubcard campaign “The Power to More” is a particularly effective demonstration of a simple value message that can be presented in a manner that successfully drives consumer action, without the need for “emotional storytelling”.

The ad scored well above category norms both in its ability to drive Behaviour & Purchase Intent, while receiving a modest score from a Emotional Resonance perspective, suggesting that within the Retail space, there is prioritisation of practical benefits over emotional connection.

Rather than building complex emotional narratives, Tesco has emphasized how the program helps consumers save money and maximise value, which are primary drivers of motivation and short term decision making.

The ad is easy to process and understand the message without creating mental strain.

The result? Higher purchase intent and stronger behavioural impact than typically seen in other retail advertisements that we have evaluated.

In a more price-conscious economic environment, helping shoppers make smarter choices may win out in the short term, rather than investing in more emotional brand connections which typically take longer to bear fruit.

For retailers, this signals the need to reassess their messaging hierarchy.

While emotional engagement remains important, the Clubcard campaign shows that clear communication of practical benefits can drive stronger behavioural outcomes.

The key is finding the right balance, which Tesco has done in maintaining brand warmth while focusing primarily on communicating tangible value to consumers.

The data does challenge some of the prevailing conventions around advertising and emotional connection.

Not all advertising needs to generate significant emotional responses to be effective.

It helps, but you can succeed without it.

From the consumer’s perspective, as they become increasingly focused on what “value” means, retailers who can clearly demonstrate how their value proposition saves money are likely to drive a more motivated response than those messages that rely primarily on emotional appeal.

Additionally, shopping is a habitual activity, so the ability to drive switching behaviours in shopping can drive significant lifetime value.

The Clubcard campaign provides a clear template for this approach: a simple, creatively framed value-focused message will help consumers feel confident in their shopping decisions.

For more information about PRIZM+ go to: https://www.futureproofinsights.ie/prizm-plus/