Tag Archives: advertising
Bad Brand Strategy Spoils Creative
We view brand strategy as the guidance system of the brand. When smartly researched and articulated, it can transform companies. It’s also the key reason creative work, from social media and web site development to advertising and web marketing goes haywire. Give creative teams garbage, they’ll give it right back to you in crazy ways you never dreamed of.
Here are the elements of a smart strategy:
1. A worthy objective. Ideally it’s attached to a metric. For example: increase sales 20% for BillyBob’s Bar Stools.
2. A clear definition of a single marketing problem that’s standing between your product, and achieving the objective. For example, Billy Bob’s Bar Stools are more expensive than the competition, and Bar Owners won’t to pay the difference.
3. Definition of your target audience. Be as specific as possible: For example, upscale bar owners and restaurant owners that serve microbrews.
4. A single sentence that states your argument. For example, Marketing will convince Bar Owners that Billy Bob’s Bar Stools are a better investment, because they last twice as long as the competition.
5. A convincing and true claim that supports your marketing promise. Billy Bob’s Bar Stools last longer, because they’re manufactured from construction grade steel.Finally, what does your brand sound like? Does Billy Bob sound like a private club, a college bar, or a neighborhood watering hole.
6. Strategy shouldn’t sound sexy, or like advertising. The goal is to present a clear argument for building your brand. As John Lyons said in his book, <i>Guts</i>, Strategy is a well thought out plan to murder the competition.”
With smart strategy, everybody’s happy. Creatives get the input they need. And you, as a marketing manager, will have a benchmark evaluating your agency’s work.
Democracy: The Enemy of Marketing
One man, one vote works brilliantly in democracy, which moves slowly and mitigates risk at every corner. But it’s a tepid way to run a brand. Instead of focusing on results, marketing democracies seek to placate their constituencies, employees, boards, spouses, and sometimes ex-wives. It poisons everything in your marketing, from strategy and creative to research and advertising execution. Not to mention the traction you lose by plodding along.
What’s a marketing director to do? Dictate, we say. Take counsel, but don’t follow advice if it doesn’t resonate with your plan. Be aggressive and succeed wildly. If you fail, blame the agency. Either way is a better move than a career of mediocre results.
- Determine who in your organization is required for approvals, i.e. the smallest group possible.
- State goals, objectives and timelines that are realistic, but light a fire under your colleagues.
- Develop a strategy that’s understandable by anybody in your company. Make your approval group sign it in blood. Solicit and assimilate feedback.
- Explain that the creative work that you present will meet the strategy.
- Present the work by restating the strategy and objectives.
- Gain agreement that the work will deliver the strategy.
- Sell like crazy.
- Unless you welcome copy changes from spouses, don’t let anyone leave the room with the work.
- Maintain focus. Don’t dilute your plan and budget with last minute add-ons.
- Execute with a vengeance.
- Plan your celebratory extra week of vacation.
Don’t vote on it. Do it!
Combined years of sucking.
Is Your Current Ad Agency a Bit Stale?
40+ Years of experience and fresh ideas to help focus your marketing.
www.some_real_ad_agency.com
I was checking out our search placements yesterday, and I came across this hilarious ad from another agency. The combined years of experience gambit is common with many services companies. It seemed particularly funny here, because it was linked with “freshness.” Besides, we all know companies out there that defy Darwinistic logic to survive even though they totally suck. Also, are we talking one, old dude here, or 40 interns? C’mon guys, it’s the intertube era. What can you do for me now?
Awards – What Really Matters.
The awards scene in the advertising industry gets more idiotic by the minute. Consider this quote from an email I received from “Creativity” magazine, an offshoot of Crain’s “Advertising Age.”
If you think of business in terms of sales, then money is the way to go about keeping score. But if you’re in the business of creativity, it’s all about the awards.
No, this isn’t a pathetic call for entries for their own awards competition, it’s a pitch to buy a $70 directory that tracks which agencies have won which awards.
The inanity of the offer is only trumped by the cynicism of a publication that believes the professionals they serve only care about bagging trophies.
Let’s be clear. With few exceptions, awards shows are not about recognizing talented creatives; they’re about raking in entry fees. And, if you happen to be an agency that regards award-getting as a business strategy, you can wrack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in entry fees for a one-pound piece of Lucite that will gather death spores in your lobby.
There are still worthwhile shows, like the Kelly Awards, One Show and Cannes, and a few that reward – horrors – marketing effectiveness. But for every one of these there are dozens of vanity shows. And to what end? How valuable is an award that you must pay to receive?
A Blonde Approach to a Marketing Career
This is a "real" cover letter I received yesterday. I’m so screwed up, I thought brains mattered in this business.
1. Write a great cover letter.
My name is XXXXX. I’m a local model/actress. As a full-time model/actress living in Cincinnati, obviously I’m looking for a day job;) I was wondering if you had any need for a multi-talented, attractive blond at your office. I have a degree from XXXXXXX University in theater; so I am more than proficient in public relations, communications…and answering phones. I have decent typing skills,and I am professional and a fast learner. I feel that having me in your office would be a benefit to both of us: I could learn more about what goes on behind the scenes in the advertising business, and you could have a cute, personable, hard-working girl at your front desk! Please contact me if you have a position available.
Note to readers:
I don’t think XXXXXX is going to work out, so if you’re hunting for a job in advertising, take a look at Ideopia’s Job Page.