ESPN Cognitive Dissonance

ESPN is known for having great commercials. One website even compiled a list of the Top 50 ESPN commercials of all time.

However, an ESPN commercial I recently saw may be the best example of cognitive dissonance I have ever seen in advertising. The commercial essentially raises the question of how NASCAR drivers use the restroom during a race without resolving the issue.

I believe the power of the commercial lies in successfully walking two fine lines. The commercial is general enough that the audience understands the issue but specific enough that it feels like an inside joke. In addition, it is uncomfortable enough to grab a viewer's attention ("I have to know!") but not discomfortable to the point that it turns the audience off. It simply gets the viewer to further engage with the sport and ESPN even if, like me, the persuadee is not a NASCAR fan!

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