Shock Content in Advertising: What It Means, Examples, Pros and Cons
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:35 am
Scandals and loud cries always attract attention. What is out of the ordinary finds a response from people, although not always positive. The shock effect technique is not something new, but a long-tested scheme.
Shock content: what does it mean? Shock content is any material: videos, pictures, text or even audio recordings that can cause anxiety, laughter, disgust, etc. Some content can even cause horror. The main thing is to focus attention and evoke the strongest emotions.
To achieve their goals, advertisers even use materials that are incompatible with social, generally accepted moral standards and the usual way of human life. Among such content are images with sexual connotations. These can be fruits or vegetables laid out in an appropriate way, which evoke associations of a piquant nature. Some use photographs of scenes of violence, various diseases with visible skin lesions, parasites and much more, which can cause hostility and even nausea. This approach is most often used in teaser advertising, and we have repeatedly published cases describing such advertising campaigns.
trypophobia
Such photos can often be found on the covers of articles bank data with shock content, as well as advertising banners for nutra offers. In this case, one of the most widespread human fears is used - trypophobia (fear of cluster holes)
Surprisingly, in any case, this makes you switch to the advertised channel, at least out of curiosity.
Shock content often includes banners with a conspiracy-style caption, such as the approach of the end of the world or a message about the death of a movie star. Any shocking information certainly arouses interest, even if it makes one feel disgusted. This technique is used by "yellow" newspapers, which are published in huge batches.
Vanga
It is important to understand that shock content is not only about focusing attention. Answering the question "shock content is a simple definition", we can say that the goal of such a marketing approach is to cause a controversial and stormy reaction, to provoke a discussion of the topic put forward for baiting. Thus, interest in the advertised product is heated up.
But this category includes not only the well-known flashing pictures and sharp statements printed in large font. Often, contextual advertising containing shock content is done well and competently. It can mainly be seen as coverage of environmental issues, racism and other social issues.
Shock content - this definition, in simple words, sounds like information that evokes strong (often negative) emotions.
Shock content: what does it mean? Shock content is any material: videos, pictures, text or even audio recordings that can cause anxiety, laughter, disgust, etc. Some content can even cause horror. The main thing is to focus attention and evoke the strongest emotions.
To achieve their goals, advertisers even use materials that are incompatible with social, generally accepted moral standards and the usual way of human life. Among such content are images with sexual connotations. These can be fruits or vegetables laid out in an appropriate way, which evoke associations of a piquant nature. Some use photographs of scenes of violence, various diseases with visible skin lesions, parasites and much more, which can cause hostility and even nausea. This approach is most often used in teaser advertising, and we have repeatedly published cases describing such advertising campaigns.
trypophobia
Such photos can often be found on the covers of articles bank data with shock content, as well as advertising banners for nutra offers. In this case, one of the most widespread human fears is used - trypophobia (fear of cluster holes)
Surprisingly, in any case, this makes you switch to the advertised channel, at least out of curiosity.
Shock content often includes banners with a conspiracy-style caption, such as the approach of the end of the world or a message about the death of a movie star. Any shocking information certainly arouses interest, even if it makes one feel disgusted. This technique is used by "yellow" newspapers, which are published in huge batches.
Vanga
It is important to understand that shock content is not only about focusing attention. Answering the question "shock content is a simple definition", we can say that the goal of such a marketing approach is to cause a controversial and stormy reaction, to provoke a discussion of the topic put forward for baiting. Thus, interest in the advertised product is heated up.
But this category includes not only the well-known flashing pictures and sharp statements printed in large font. Often, contextual advertising containing shock content is done well and competently. It can mainly be seen as coverage of environmental issues, racism and other social issues.
Shock content - this definition, in simple words, sounds like information that evokes strong (often negative) emotions.