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Effective Advertising Workshops Newsletter
Volume III Issue 11
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Dear Reader,
Evidently, the Yellow Page people don't like negative publicity. For the third time this year, we have heard complaints about the bad things we are saying about the Yellow Page industry during our workshops.
In all three cases, we have replied to the complainant, and corrected the misunderstanding. We present the case, both pro and con, and let you decide. From day one, we have never told any business to "drop" an advertising vehicle just for the sake of dropping it.
If it works for you...good. If your newspaper or Yellow Page ad, or radio commercial or billboard, or direct mail piece is helping you add new customers, generate income, and sell product or services, great! If it's not doing these things, why are you wasting money?
Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.
Here is what we say...
AT&T will stop delivering directories to homes wherever they can. Home delivery is costing them money. In most states, they need permission from the state's Public Service Commission to do this. They have received that permission in Kansas and Ohio, and have stopped delivering to homes. If you want a directory delivered, you have to request it. Approximately 3% request home delivery.
Yellow pages are no longer the first choice as a directory...the internet is. In fact the Yellow Pages have slipped to 3rd, as far as directory usage goes. The Yellow Page industry owns many dot com products and is trying to convert thousands of businesses to utilize their internet sites. Many times the two products are tied together...you can't have one without buying the other.
Yellow Pages cannot Brand Your Business! AT&T says: " Yellow pages are not designed to CREATE brand preference, but to direct customers to specific brands of choice". The advertiser must BRAND their business with electronic media, not print. After you are branded, the print media can help direct people to your company. A classic: Stanley Steemer. The company is branded...if you want or need your carpets cleaned, all you need is the location or phone number of the nearest dealer. Yellow page ads for Stanley Steemer are simply listings - address and phone number. Radio and television ads, usually 10 seconds long, state the phone number over and over, and show a picture of the famous yellow van.
If you can brand your business, you don't need any ads in the yellow pages. Try to find ads in the yellow pages for McDonalds, or All State, or Penney's, or Sears, or Loew's and Home Depot, or WalMart, or Midas, or Firestone, or Best Buy.
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| Endorsements |
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During our workshops, we are asked over and over again about the creative process. The making of a good ad...what's entailed? Who should do it? What's the secret? Trust our television station partners to handle this part of it. The creative department is very good at what they do and they have had tons of experience.
As far as "who should do it?" is a great question. We highly recommend that the one who owns the business knows it better than anyone and should tell the story. You, as the owner can be believable and probably won't come across as a professional pitchman. You can be passionate and your professional announcing shortcomings can help to make you seem more real (see Wendy's and Dave Thomas).
As far as using a celebrity, we came across the attached the article below in a Research Brief from the Center for Media Research _
Endorsements Are a Mixed Bag
According to the findings of a new Adweek Media/ Harris Poll, looking at celebrities and their persuasiveness, 21% of Americans say they find athletes to be most persuasive when they endorse a product, followed by 18% who say television or movie stars are most persuasive, 14% who say singers or musicians and 10% who say former political figures are most persuasive. On the other hand, speaking of celebrities ranking in the category of least persuasive, 23% of the survey respondents say television or movie stars are least persuasive, while 14% say business leaders are least persuasive. 13% of Americans say when athletes endorse a product they find them least persuasive and 11% say singers or musicians are least persuasive.
When it comes to helping sell, 37% of U.S. adults find business leaders to be the most persuasive when they endorse a product in an ad. On the other side of the situation, 39% of Americans say they find former political figures to be least persuasive when they endorse a product in an advertisement.
The poll also found that the age of respondents played a factor in how persuasive they found different types of product hawkers. Almost half of those ages 55+ (46%) say business leaders are most persuasive, compared with only 28% of those who are 18-34 years old.
Certain celebrities are seen as more persuasive from the eyes of different age groups. Almost half of those aged 55 and older say business leaders are the most persuasive compared to only 28% of those who are 18-34 years old. One quarter of those aged 18-34 say television or movie stars are most persuasive while only 15% of those aged 55 and older feel the same way.
Despite the findings from this poll about the relative persuasiveness of various types of celebrities, an earlier study of LinkedIn users by AdWeekMedia said that nearly 8 in 10 respondents said the presence of a celebrity in an ad doesn't sway them one way or the other. Only 8% said the presence of a celebrity spokesperson made them more likely to buy a product, compared with a significant 12% who actually said it made them less likely to buy a product. Go figure! _ A Research Brief from the Center For Media Research
This can be applied to local celebrities as well. Before hiring a local "star", ask other businesses what their experience had been with the celebrity. Have the ads sold product or services? Has the business seen new faces? Are phone calls, website unique visitors, or inquiries on the rise? Remember, the only thing that counts in the advertising arena is Results.
We show you ways to help your brand...there are things that can hurt your brand.
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8 Guaranteed Ways to Kill Your Brand |
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Throughout the recession, many marketers have relied on so-called "recession - survival" lessons to drive their strategies. Unfortunately, these aren't always lessons as much as they are myths. We thought we would help dispel some of them and share a few tips to spur positive momentum.
Myth #1 - Follow the Leader
Growing and innovating by mimicking industry leaders is a bad practice in a blossoming economy, and even more dangerous in a recession. Recessions (like all moments of crisis) are great opportunities for challengers to gain a leadership position if they rethink their category and offer a clear market alternative. FedEx managed to upset the unchallenged leadership of rival UPS when in 1977, it benefitted from a strike at UPS and the bankruptcy of REA Express.
Myth #2 - Better safe than sorry
When recessions hit, many companies' first reaction is to focus on the short term by cutting long- term cost such as innovation and brand building. History demonstrates that this is a big mistake. In the 1974-75 recession, Ford cut marketing by 14%. Chevrolet increased spending, particularly for its fuel-saving economy models. Chevrolet's market share rose by two percentage points while Ford lost share. It took years to regain its previous position.
Myth #3 - Recessions are bad times to introduce new brands
Consumers have emerging needs during recessions that new brands can address. During a six- year recession in the 19th century, the Denver area was growing as rail lines opened to the west. The U.S. desperately needed a drink. A 26-year-old Prussian immigrant named Adolph Coors opened what he called the Golden Brewery there. It eventually became one of the largest brewers in the world.
Myth #4 - National brands are dead
Private labels have been gaining ground. National brands are not doing a great job of defending their perceived value whenever they stop innovating or confuse consumers with unclear or overlapping offerings. To hold customers now, national brands need to give consumers new reasons to continue to engage with them.
Myth #5 - Value = price
Value is not just about a price tag. It is about perceived value for money. Investing in innovation, new formats and sizes will do a better job of proving perceived value than playing a pricing war.
Apple has managed to sustain the success of the "I" story through frequent product introductions, short product life cycles and quick pricing shifts. So don't force your consumers to trade down for a commoditized offering. Give them a reason to trade up to their perceived value at the same price.
Myth # 6 - More SKUs = more market share (SKU - stock keeping unit)
Launching new SKUs to buy shelf space or "give more choices to consumers" will never buy you market share. Retailers are in the process of fundamentally rethinking their supply strategies by relying on smaller number of brands (and SKUs) and a higher degree of customization to cater to fickle consumers. So unless you own your distribution channel, forget about SKU proliferation and work on portfolio rationalization. This will help your innovation to shine and your retailers and consumers will probably say "thank you".
Myth # 7 - Consumers are marketers
Many marketers still believe that consumers will tell them what they really want. Unfortunately, no matter how many hours you spend behind a two way mirror, consumers can react to the next big thing, but they will not create it for you. When entire consumer mindsets are being redefined (from "greed" to "good", and from "me" to "we), what marketers should do is analyze what drives macros societal shifts, identify if and how they are likely to impact their consumers' attitudes and leverage current technology to address them.
Myth # 8 - The answers lie in research
Building an effective research plan is a matter of finding the proper balance between upfront and downstream research. Too much of the former can confuse strategic direction, and too much of the latter can delay action. As marketers become increasingly risk-averse, the balance often tips from the former to the latter. This is counterproductive, creating paralysis. Remember that answers don't always lie in research, and definite not in one kind of research...ERIC ZEITOUN Eric is President of the New York office of the global brand and design consultancy Dragon Rouge. Eric has spent over fifteen years focusing on international marketing and brand strategies.
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Thanks Boston, Lincoln, and Tulsa for your warm reception and comments about our workshop. We'll see you in Baton Rouge in December and start off the new year in West Palm Beach. If you would like to attend one of our workshops, please contact us and we will find one for you to attend.
Good Advertising!
Sincerely,
Larry Kirby
Effective Advertising Workshops
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