Are you familiar with Louis Cheskin?

Greetings Group,

I recently came across some interesting studies by Louis Cheskin. Here is a short bio of him as described by Karen Hegmann.

"Cheskin was a motivational researcher who sought to understand how consumer's perceptions motivated their purchase behaviour. He coined the term "sensation transference", and spent most of his life researching how people's perceptions of products or services were directly related to aesthetic details of their design." - Karen Hegmann

If you are not familiar with the phrase: "Sensation Transference", here is two pictures and a brief explanation to demonstrate Cheskin's findings.

In the Fall of 1992, this print ad appeared in people's mailboxes. This ad implies that Domino's cuts corners, but Pizza Hut doesn't.

A month later this ad (below) followed. (The copy extending from the Domino's box reads: "Domino's medium cheese pizza." The copy extending from the Pizza Hut box reads: "Pizza Hut medium cheese pizza. We teach our crews to pile on 70% more cheese.") This ad implies that Pizza Hut gives more then Domino's.

The ad campaign showed that one competitor's product was ok, but using "Sensation Transference" with a side by side comparision, along with some short but pointed copy, the other competitor's product appears more superior to the viewer. Hence giving them a better market position and a more desirable product.

Has anyone here read any of Cheskin's books? If so, what did you think and did any of his ideas change your marketing or advertising?

Woody Quiñones
The Promotional Guy