One of the great premises of Reversal Theory is that one state can be used to evoke another; accessing one state can lead to motives being filled in other states as well. The following AT&T Smartphone Data Plan advertisement illustrates this point beautifully. Watch the video and then read more below.
Everyone should have knowledge and power on the go! Each scene in this advertisement calls upon the Mastery state: the state that gives power, competence, and ability. It is through this mastery access that other states are fulfilled:
- Finally, a man gets where he needs to go without needing to ask for directions (Mastery leads to the goal achievement inherent in the right turn, the Serious state)
- A new couple starts to deepen their relationship by learning each others’ music preferences (Mastery leads to the connections of Sympathy)
- A small child eliminates her fear with her phone’s assurances that the monster isn’t real (Mastery invokes a sense of protection, which indicates the Playful state)
- A teenager confirms that she will fit in with what’s popular by buying a new dress (Mastery fills the needs of the Conforming state)
- A marriage is saved when the lights come back on (Mastery achieved through a job well done by our repair team – note the little bow – leading to all the positive states involved in an important event like a wedding)
While grounded in the Mastery state, this is also a Playful ad: the music is light and the sketches are fun. As noted with other posts, though, like all good advertising, there is an undercurrent of Serious. Without an AT&T data plan, you might not have the knowledge and power you need to navigate daily life, special events, or even the monsters under the bed. Knowledge is yours only if you have the power of AT&T.
