Smarterita 100 calorie margarita
The smarTer way To “GeT waisTed”
Only one weightwatchers point per serving!
This print advertisement is an example of Classical Conditioning. The ad itself is introducing a
healthier choice in traditional margaritas. Adults like the opportunity to drink alcoholic
beverages, whether they are dieting or not. The purpose of this ad is to show individuals that are
currently on a strict diet that they can still indulge in multiple alcoholic beverages without
worrying about it affecting their diet. This message is assumed to elicit a positive response from
this target audience, as many of their beverage choices are limited by their diet restrictions. By
using a graphic of a ‘fit’ woman that is satisfied with her waistline, it conditions potential
customers to believe that they too can reach this goal while consuming a low calorie margarita
option such as SmarteRita. Additional positive reinforcements to dieters are present in this
advertisement, as each serving contains only 100 calories (or one WeightWatchers point).
THEORETICAL RATIONALE: Classic Conditioning
Target Audience: Dieters
Theory categories
Matching Ad Elements
Unconditioned Stimulus
(UCS) : Identify and show or
describe a need or want of
your target.
A pre-mixed margarita that has the same amount of alcohol as
a traditional margarita, but is lower in calories
Conditioned Stimulus
(CS) : Show or describe your
product/idea (CS) with the
UCS
Only 100 calories per serving. Only one WeightWatchers
point per serving
Unconditioned Response
(UCR): Anticipated response
to UCS: Get it, have it, buy it,
believe it…
Tastes like a real margarita with a fraction of the calories,
so more can be consumed. It is a “smarter way to get
waisted”.
Conditioned Response (CR) :
Target transfers UCR from
UCS to CS and acts
accordingly, a CR.
More diet friendly, WeightWatchers-friendly,
Unconditioned Stimulus
(UCS) : Identify and show or
describe a need or want of
your target.
Wanting a great-tasting margarita at home that will not
sacrifice their diet to indulge in.
Choose a Winner and get thinner!
Try Smarterita today!
This print advertisement is an example of Operant Conditioning. This advertisement is aimed
at changing the purchasing history of current margarita drinkers and dieters by showing
SmarteRita’s recent taste award and offering buyers a reward for switching to the new brand. By
making “the smart switch”, consumers will realize that they can still enjoy a great tasting
margarita without having to worry about the additional calories. If potential consumers have had
negative experiences with poor-tasting low-calorie margaritas in the past, the advertisement will
help these individuals feel confident in their decision to try SmarteRita, as they will see that it
has received a taste award—disproving any preliminary feelings of uncertainty. After tasting the
product and enjoying its taste and diet benefits, it is assumed that the experience will cause
customers to continue purchasing SmarteRita.
THEORETICAL RATIONALE: Operant Conditioning
Target Audience: Current Margarita Drinkers/Dieters
Theory categories
Matching Ad Elements
Condition target: Define your
target… and know what they
want (positive reinforcement)
and what they don’t want
(negative reinforcement.)
Margarita lovers appreciate a good deal that contains free items
to their beverage purchase (free glass and margarita salt), but do
not want a beverage that tastes bad.
Positive reinforcement:
Performative positive or
modeled positive reinforcement
SmarteRita has recently won a silver medal in a spirits tasting
competition, so the product is guaranteed to taste good.
SmarteRita is a low calorie margarita option.
Negative reinforcement:
Performative negative or
modeled negative reinforcement
Drinkers will not enjoy a margarita if it tastes bad or wrecks their
diet. Instead of guessing, SmarteRita’s award shows that it tastes
good and is diet-friendly.
Dieters would like to enjoy a margarita without worrying about
sacrificing taste or caloric intake.
This print advertisement is an example of Modeling. In modeling advertisements, four steps
need to be present: attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation. In this
advertisement, Jillian Michaels is seen holding a SmarteRita bottle, with text explaining that
some traditional margaritas can contain 540 calories each. This is assumed to grab the reader’s
attention, as Jillian is popular in the fitness industry, and it takes a large amount of exercise to
burn 540 calories in the gym. To support retention, the advertisement includes a bold, green,
catchy phrase to ensure that the message is seen and remembered by viewers. It is assumed that
by using a different color font in this area of the message, it will stick out to viewers and,
therefore, increase mental retention. To ensure motor reproduction is supported in the
advertisement, the advertisement needs to show that the action can be reproduced. Through
endorsement by a popular fitness celebrity and reminding readers that drinking traditional
margaritas will ruin their diet, it is expected that potential customers will see how easy it is to
save calories simply by switching their brand of margarita. It is then assumed that after this
connection is made, consumers will be quick to switch to a lower calorie margarita to help meet
their fitness goals. Finally, to motivate the potential customer, text is added that states “your
health is your responsibility”. It is assumed that fitness enthusiasts will be motivated by this text,
as they will realize that it is up to them to make healthier choices in life. When comparing
SmarteRita with a traditional margarita, it is assumed that the choice is simple. Customers will
choose to switch to SmarteRita.
THEORETICAL RATIONALE: Modeling
Target Audience: Fitness Enthusiasts
Theory categories
Matching Ad Elements
Attention (notice): Strong graphic,
bold headline
Traditional margaritas are high in calories. Popular fitness icon,
Jillian Michaels, is holding a SmarteRita bottle.
Retention (remember): Keep it
simple. Use a memory hook
(alliteration, rhyme, etc.) or surprising
graphic
“Drink smart. Drink SmarteRita”
Motor reproduction (reproduce
behavior): Call to action.
Drinkers can enjoy alcoholic beverages while still obtaining their
fitness goals.
Motivation (want to perform the
behavior): Fulfill a need or want
Switch to SmarteRita to avoid consuming unnecessary calories that
will need extra gym time to work off.
This advertisement is using the Yale Approach, which assumes that persuasion has four
components: attention, comprehension, acceptance, and retention. By including a bright yellow
message showing that customers prefer the taste of SmarteRita, it is assumed that the attention of
customers looking for a lower-calorie margarita or those that currently drink Skinny Girl will be
gained. It is then assumed that many members of this target audience will become curious of
SmarteRita’s taste, as they may think Skinny Girl tastes terrible. By seeing the results of the taste
test, these individuals will comprehend that there are other, better tasting options available. At
that point, they will accept the information presented in the advertisement and become curious as
to what SmarteRita tastes like. By including the discount available for mentioning the ad in any
Sigels liquor store, it is expected that retention of these readers will increase. After tasting the
difference between the Skinny Girl and SmarteRita, it is assumed that the ad’s message will be
further reinforced, and it is expected that those that prefer the taste of SmarteRita will continue
purchasing the product.
THEORETICAL RATIONALE: The Yale Approach
Target Audience: Low-calorie margarita seekers/current Skinny Girl customers
Theory categories
Matching Ad Elements
Attention: Strong graphic, bold
headline, aimed at target
audience
Bright yellow text box showing results of a recent taste test.
Interest: Hook into person’s
needs or wants
SmarteRita tastes better than Skinny Girl, but is still only 100
calories
Evaluation: Provide rationales &
reasons
Potential customers should switch brands because SmarteRita
tastes better.
Conviction: Call to action
Mention of the advertisement will give those that purchase
SmarteRita $5 off their next purchase at a Sigels location.
Outcome: How success is
measured – purchase,
telephone/web query to provide
qualified lead, etc.
Sale receipts at Sigels locations during the promotional period will
be examined to see how many purchases include the discounted
rate. Analytics of these sales will show any increases in SmarteRita
purchases and decreases in Skinny Girl purchases.