Using your advertising to successfully target your niche market….
July 31, 2007
Knowing who your target audience is one thing, creating a message that excludes all others takes true creative genius.
Get it in Writing started the process by picking up on three different ads which by nature act as a screening device. By creating a puzzle which can only be solved by those competent to join the team, three cutting edge companies have found an effective way to target ONLY those who are not "pretenders to the throne."
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As someone who has been on the hiring end, this is truly a brilliant screening tool. I’ve hired more than a few HTML code monkeys who provided great portfolios, only to discover that their contribution must have been to act as ballast for the project they claimed to have participated. When assigned similar tasks, the work turned in by these young men in NO WAY demonstrated the expertise they claimed to possess. I offer my standing ovation to Google, EA Canada and Navngo.com
Not only did they create inventive ways to advertise AND at the same time screen applicants… Google also earned some media buzz along the way. (Mathworld to the rescue for those who need help deciphering the Google Billboard ad.)
Pronet Advertising has the following to say in a post entitled 3 ads that Guarantee Results.
What differentiates these ads from others is that the ad itself is an employment interview. If you can solve the advertisement you are automatically suited for the job. No need to apply, no need to dress up a resume or dress yourself up for an interview. Furthermore, these ads show that the companies (unlike what is the case for most people that interview potential employees) understand the people they want to employ and aren’t going to waste their time or yours; it also shows that the companies like to think outside the box and are willing to take risks.
Whether it’s employment ads or ads to motivate your customers to take action, tightly targeting your message is the key to advertising and marketing success.
Everybody loves a quiz
February 27, 2007
Remember when you were a kid in school…. you’d walk into your classroom and see a new person sitting at the teacher’s desk. By the time you were in high school, you knew that a substitute’s presence at the teacher’s desk meant a pop-quiz was just moments away.
While quizzes in K-12 were bad things, now that you’re in the real world, it’s time to ditch quiz anxiety because online, interactive quizzes are DA BOMB when it comes to web sites and marketing. Read more
Great Example of Generating Buzz….
December 29, 2006
For everyone who’s ever listed an item on an ebay auction then sat back and waited for the bids to roll in needs to take a lesson from Scott Bealle.
Scott was the recipient of a Acer Ferrari 1000 laptop so he could review Windows new operating system, Vista. So, in a gesture of generosity, Scott is now auctioning off the laptop and donating the proceeds to one of his favorite charities, EFF.
In addition to promoting his auction via his blog, whether he’s conscious of it or not, he’s set himself up for success by using the time honored “why” to help his auction.
While the Acer Ferrari 1000 laptop retails for less than $2000, within 24 hours Scott’s laptop is commanding a high bid of over $3000.
Seems when people saw WHY he was auctioning the laptop, they decided to step up and support the cause.
Great job Scott!
Advertising that works: The VW Jetta Ads
December 26, 2006
According to USA Today, the “safe happens” VW ad campaign has had a positive effect on Jetta sales.
While marketing analysts express doubt as to the effectiveness of the ads, the numbers speak volumes on the effectiveness of the ad. According to Volkswagen, requests for brochures were up 37% at call centers and 56% on the Web after the campaign began, compared with the first 15 days of March, and Internet requests for dealer price quotes are up 58%.
The fact that the commercials are still airing is a testimony to their success.
The key to their success: the commercials illustrate graphically the safety of the Jetta, one of the main reasons people cite as their reason for choosing the Jetta.
Our family owns a Jetta which we purchased before the ads started running. We purchased the Jetta because of it’s safety and it’s low car insurance rates. With two teen age drivers, both those features are important to us.
Right now though, it’s hard to tell if the success in the ads lies in the controversy they seemed to have generated or whether their message is really that powerful.
Autoblog points out that the FCC may exert their influence on the ads. Seems the ads contain some strong language, which happens during the course of an accident.
So which is it? Well, if it were just controversy, then the traffic to the site wouldn’t look like this.
If you take a look at Alexa’s measurement of traffic to the www.vw.com website, you’ll see that traffic to the site definitely ebbs and flows.
So while the controversy didn’t hurt way back in April of 2006, it appears that the substance of the commercials are the real fuel for this marketing engine.
KFC Advertises To Extraterrestrials
November 15, 2006
I’ve filed this under “Great Advertising Ideas” but actually, this is anything but “Great Advertising.”
The Innocent Bystanders blog (where their tag line is “Anyone can Blog ~ Commenting is Hard”) shows the image to the left.
Ah, now Extraterrestrial Beings can view two of man kind’s greatest accomplishments as they approach our planet: The Great Wall of China and KFC.
The stunt is part of a “rebranding” campaign which was launched the the 87,500 square foot image of the Colonel created in the Nevada desert.
“If there are extraterrestrials in outer space, KFC wants to become their restaurant of choice,†KFC President Gregg Dedrick said in a statement.
Micheal’s response to the stunt is priceless:
See, Gregg, I don’t think you thought this over very well. Everyone knows that aliens do not eat chicken. They eat PEOPLE you dumbass!!!
I am appalled. Corporate irresponsibility has reached a new low when a company will risk the security of our entire planet for a publicity stunt.
GREAT JOB MICHEAL!!! Touché !!!!
So what is the purpose of the “rebranding” for KFC? Advertising to aliens?
The question that gets asked at my house (by not only me, but my teen aged children) all the time is this: “Does this make me want to try/buy the product?”
In the case of Apple Computer, the answer is “YES!”
In the case of KFC’s ads for aliens, the answer is “NO!”
- Does this image bring up thoughts of tasty home cooked meals?
- Does it make me want to hop in the car and go grab a bucket of chicken?
Strange, but the Colonel’s image prominently displayed against a backdrop of a desolate dirt farm doesn’t stir my appetite one bit. It doesn’t make me think of Sunday afternoon dinners at Grandma’s when I was a child, eating her home made fried chicken. Heck, it doesn’t even remind me of the days from my child hood when, after a Sunday afternoon spent “enjoying” our family’s boat, my mother would insist that my father pick up KFC so she didn’t have to cook after her day of “fun.”
Here’s a bit of advice KFC: Everyone knows your offerings aren’t considered “heart healthy” but neither are MOST of the fast food offerings available today. Instead, try appealing to the time pressed consumer who would like to serve his/her family a meal like Grandma used to make. It works. It’s worked time and time again for my clients. It can for you too.
Is KFC getting free publicity? Yes, but so is Britney Spears, for all the good it’s doing her as well. Britney is getting plenty of coverage thanks to her recent divorce filing from K-Fed (or Fed-Ex as he’s been dubbed by the tabloids) and his threat to release a sex tape made during their marriage. Free publicity sometimes isn’t worth what you paid for it.
Look for another “rebranding” effort for KFC in the near future when they fire this ad agency and move on to the next.
Entertainer or natural born liar?
November 4, 2006
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a huge feud between Micheal J Fox and Rush Limbaugh. In a nutshell, MJ Fox is an entertainer and as such he engaged in some “dramatics” to make a sale. The sale he was making was in support of a candidate for congress. Micheal J Fox put on a show to woo voters and Rush Limbaugh called him on it.
(If you want to read a great synopsis of the story, The Random Abyss has done a great job of summarizing the whole melee into a nice, neat little package.)
While the Fox vs Limbaugh feud has focused a bright light upon the subject, the marketing profession has walked the fine line between “entertainment” and out right “sales” for decades.
Seth Godin wrote the book, All Marketers are Liars
In his book, Godin contends that “there is almost no connection between what is actually there and what we believe.” According to Godin, customers today are motivated by not by objective needs, but rather they are solely motivated by irrational wants. He contends that building a marketing campaign based upon presenting factual information about a product is a losing strategy.
Yes, boys and girls…. according to Godin, telling the truth won’t get you anywhere with your marketing. Actually, that’s not true. Godin just touts that in order to convey your marketing message, you MUST wrap it in an entertaining story.
And he’s right… just droning on about your product’s benefits won’t get you anywhere in today’s YouTube/MySpace socially networked world. Then again, droning on and on about your product’s benefits never DID get you anywhere. Your message ALWAYS had to be wrapped in an entertaining package.
When I was working with a regional advertising agency, one of our agency’s client’s name was strikingly similar to the great white whale in Herman Melville’s classic “Moby Dick.” As a result, we created a series of commercials where Captain Ahab would come searching for his mamalian nemsis only to discover he had wandered into a tire store. The series won several Addies and created real name recognition for the formerly unknown company.
Year later, an insurance company executive was staying awake at night, worrying that some other industry players would discover the incredibly profitable niche they had developed. He decided that by developing name recognition, he could establish his company’s claim to the niche. The company hired The Kaplan Thaler Group to develop a name awareness campaign and the Aflac duck launched the company into the spotlight of public recognition.
Entertainment has always been the name of the marketing game. The problems come when the public feels used and abused at the end of the campaign, as they did when the Lonely Girl 15 debaucle came to light or when the discovered that Walmart was spoon feeding bloggers. We don’t hate marketing and advertising…. we hate being lied to.
That’s the key in the Micheal J Fox vs Rush Limbaugh feud. Had Aflac tried to tell us the duck really did talk, instead of giving credit to Gilbert Gottfried, we might not love the duck as much either. However, Aflac admits they’re entertaining us and telling us a story…. so we don’t brand them as liars and thieves.
Working with the wrong niches- the nudist and the ballerina
October 14, 2006
GREAT story about defining your niche over at the No More Cubes blog.
What can I say when it’s been said so well.
GREAT STORY! GREAT ILLUSTRATION!
Beyond Boring… Making Video Work for You
September 23, 2006
The latest “marketing made easy” ploy is now video. “How to promote your business via video” seminars and work shops are popping up all over.
I hate to be a party pooper, but video in an of itself is not the answer. Like any media, video can sizzle or it can flop and can be even more boring and ineffective than just regular marketing efforts. However, when video is done plus from a place of knowing what your target audience wants, well then you can create REAL marketing magic.
Take this video for example. Not only is one is going to complain about watching this video ad, which will surely become a legend in the viral video marketing archives. Web surfers and myspace users will be distributing this video to their friends and family because it’s truly a fascinating piece of footage. Oh, and it’s an advertisement to boot.
Milwaukee’s Best gets what video is about. Like the Beer Cannon Montage? You can read all about how the beer cannon was built, with lots of swarthly references to how Milwaukee’s Best is a real “man’s” beer. While you’re there, you can play games, even submit your own “launch request.” Still bored? See if you can “Act Like a Man” in Grins and Needles.
They get it. They really get it. Great job guys (from someone you’re not even targeting).
The fun antics that occur when you DON’T target your market.
September 19, 2006
The other morning, I was watching “Arthur” on PBS with my 12-year-old son. Yes, he’s too old for Arthur but the television pickings are slim at 6:00 a.m. which is when his internal clock is set to awaken him and I am grateful that he doesn’t choose the Wiggles or something even more annoying.
So, the plot of that day’s show is Arthur decides to earn money by starting a pet sitting business. Hilarity ensues as Arthur finds himself caring for a menagerie of beasts.  Since Arthur has taken in frogs and snakes and cats and dogs, he finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to care for a variety of different pets with wildly divergent needs and he spends most of his time trying to keep the dogs from chasing the cats and the frogs from becoming dinner for the snakes.
As I’m watching, I find myself saying to my 12-year-old, “If Arthur just limited himself to a single type of pet, he wouldn’t be having the problems he’s having. If he would define his target audience to a single pet, his business would be more successful and he could provide better service to his clients.†(Yeah, that’s what it’s like to watch cartoons with me at my house.)
My 12-year-old ignores my comment and pours himself a bowl of cereal.
The thing about watching PBS is there are no commercials during children’s programming so to fill the time, they run a short filler piece with adorable preschool or school aged children to fill the time slot. During this morning’s segment, the adorable school aged children were obviously videotaped as they performed their class assignment of creating a commercial for a fictional pet store, which tied into the Arthur story plot. The first group’s commercial consisted of the adorable children jumping in place while holding the sign they created with their pet store’s name. The second group spoke in unison as they held their sign. They threatened in unison, “You’d better come to Pet Palace . . . or else!†and they ended with pointing an accusing finger at the camera.
That, my friends, provides a glimpse into how small children view current television advertising.  As I’ve watched television in the days that follow, I am saddened to say that I can see from whence they drew their inspiration for their commercials.
Children are great imitators. They imitate adults as they prepare for their future, when they join the adult world. These children didn’t see commercials as a way to communicate but just joyless fluff. Their attempts at creating their own commercials told the tale. They didn’t say, “Come see us! We’ve got the cutest puppies in town!â€Â  They didn’t say, “If you want your pet to live forever, buy our pets! They never die!â€Â They didn’t cajole, they didn’t coax, they didn’t persuade their audience or try to charm them. Instead they bounced and bullied their way through their commercial attempts. Not that I expected great advertising from what appeared to be third graders, but I really was surprised by the “buy here or else†slogan.
Take a look at your advertising. Is it cajoling? Is it persuasive? Is it alluring? Or are you just bouncing and bullying your way through 30 or 60 seconds of air time?
How strongly are your customers bonded to your business?
September 14, 2006
Lewis Carbone in his post at Fast Company addresses the groundswell of emotion coming from the assimilation of Marshall Fields Department Stores in Chicago by Macy’s.
My .02 were:
“I think the strong emotional attachment you refer to is not so much a reaction to the name change, but rather the devoted customers recognize what the other comments here have referenced: it’s just not going to be Marshall Fields anymore. Keeping the name isn’t enough.
Marshall Fields was more than just a name on buildings, it was a culture all it’s own. Growing up in Indiana, even as a child I knew a trip to Marshall Fields was worth the drive to the Chicagoland area. Whether it was the flagship store or an anchor at a mall, MF had a unique culture which created a unique shopping experience. There isn’t any way to keep that identity intact and separate from other Macy holdings.
Customers know that when the Borg (in this case Macy) assimilate a store, the store will cease to maintain it’s own identity and will indeed become part of the collective, stripped of almost all of the factors that made it “unique”.
Sigh. ”
Sigh indeed. What I didn’t post there, but will here, is that I must admit I’m anxiously awaiting for the pendulum to swing back to community based stores.
But wait, the swing has begun. Wal-mart has begun “localizing” it’s stores. A store in Houston is being revamped and will appeal to Latino shoppers while a store in Chicago is undergoing it’s rennovation into a more “urban” experience.
My husband is a Wal-mart employee, and I can tell you what caused the pendulum to shift at Wally world: the outrageous success of a little store outside of Miami.
If you don’t know Wal-mart’s insides, then you don’t know that Wal-mart provides an excellent opportunity for “entrepreneurial minded” managers. Well, this store manager of this little store outside of Miami…. not a SuperCenter mind you but one of the “old style” Wal-marts. This store is a throwback from back in the days when Wal-mart didn’t sell absolutely EVERYTHING under the sun. Well, this store manager, who is hispanic, has created a culture in his store that refeclts his culture. The banners that hang above the aisles are in spanish. Most of the employees speak Spanish, some speak ONLY spanish. You get the drift. Anyhow, this store manager was honored at my husband’s DC (distribution center) this past December because of his store’s outstanding performance.
In a world where a Wal-mart Super Center on any given day January-September might take 2-4 semi-truck loads of goods to be offered for sale and a “division 1″ store might take 1 load, this store takes 5-7. During the Christmas season, this tiny little store will move up to 10 truckloads of goods A DAY through it’s doors.
This manager has “tapped into” the culture of the area. He’s made his store a hub, a meeting place, a place like the bar on the series “Cheers.” At this tiny Wal-mart, everybody knows your name.
Wal-mart didn’t get to be the biggest retailer in the world by not seeing the writing on the wall. Now, other Wal-marts are being “transformed” into a local hub, just as this tiny store outisde Miami has done so well.
So it is possible to be part of the collective and still have your own personality. However, I don’t see that happening with Macy’s until Wal-mart swallows them as they swallowed MF.
