Expensive isn’t always succesful

It is usually, but…

You’ve spent a large amount of money on agencies in order to get an epic ad, bought commercial space on TV/radio/print with highest ratings. It looks like it was directed by Peter Jackson, has the famous Abbey road studios sound… In the end, it seems like you haven’t had any ad. Why? You had no clear message! We will focus on radio ads, but a lot of stuff can be used in TV/online ads.

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100m sprint world record

Set up a goal! 100m sprints have only one goal. Just imagine what it would look like if Ussain Bolt had two goals in 9.58 seconds? That would be impossible. Your ad is 100m sprint. It is the sprint with very expensive seconds, the race with great competitors, but also, it is the race for the trust and customers’ emotions. When you connect with customers’ emotions, the payoff is huge!

Let’s analyze (radio) ad for one big hypermarket chain:

I am sure that you have heard or seen something like this:

Sunflower oil “Sunny day”, liter $1.99. Pork, no bones, kg $2.99. Persil proClean laundry detergent, 6kg $19.99. Fresh watermelons, kg $0.59. Only this weekend in Kaufingmarts hypermarkets.

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Number of messages that you don’t remember

You can hear and watch a lot of ads that sound like this one in Eastern European region. And how many messages are there?

  • Sunflower oil, “Sunny day”, Pork, Persil, Watermelons…a lot of numbers…I’ve already forgot what was written few lines ago, and what do you think, how much of attention would I pay to that ad if I was driving…

Imagine that we have heard another similar ad in same commercial break. Imagine if we heard even two more similar ads. And in the end, imagine that we have heard that ad on station that has the highest ratings among young population (18-25). Kids just don’t care about groceries.

Well, if you ask me, the money spent on that ad is wasted. But, let’s not be the two old guys from the Muppet show, and try to imagine that the station, which broadcasted the ad, has core listeners that buy the groceries (25-45). We can assume that I am from that target group, and that I needed some pork. I have forgot how much it is, I forgot where and when is the discount….and if in another ad I had heard about lamb in another store…complete mess. Where will I buy the meat? I will buy it in the nearest hypermarket or in the butcher’s store where I buy for many years.

As for me, it could be much simpler and more direct:

Kaufingmarts hypermarket is offering most delicious, fresh and probably the cheapest pork in the town. Only this weekend.

Clear message.

Of course, this can be much more creative, more emotional than this even for such thing as pork, but we must have clear message in any way.

And in next commercial break (and broadcasting price remains the same, and we have more mentions, less boring breaks), we can tell the same message, but for watermelons or laundry detergent…

Don’t bomb your listeners with million facts and messages!

Max, our local client

It is very possible that you have thought by now (I have, I admit): Ok, you are speaking about big clients, and what when we come to small clients?

I prefer small clients. Their budget of $100 is much more than $500 from hypermarket chain that we have discussed. Why I prefer to deal with them? Because, the person who decides about marketing activities is very possible to be the owner, CEO, marketing director, key account…all in one person. Unfortunately, he/she is not so sure how their campaign should look like, and what do they want. We have to explain to them what is radio, how it works…and that good ad really works!

We must educate those clients. They would like to mention all of this in 20 seconds: name of the company, the product, the price, the discount, the address, the phone number, and most likely, the owner’s biochemical blood test results.

Well, it won’t work. It could work only 3 times: the first, the last and never again. And you will lose the client forever. Radio industry will lose that client.

You must educate potential clients that simplicity is very important and that listeners are simple beings. Do not complicate.

Max wants an ad.

Let’s assume that some Max from Germany is men’s ties designer. He sells cheap ties. His message is: cheap ties. We cannot broadcast the picture, and we don’t need to. We have the internet, and Max has his very own website and social network accounts. Our station has the same. I hope so. Online presence today is a must. And if Google doesn’t recognize you, you are, very possibly, dead. No you are not. You are an idiot. Google recognizes you even if you are dead. Why do I speak about Google and online presence, read in another article.

So, Max must say that he has cheap ties.

His men’s ties will be recognizable among listeners after first broadcast. And be sure that the first time when needed, they will google: “max men’s ties”, not “men’s ties (local city)”.

And Max will sell! Everybody wins!

When I say Max, what do you think?
Some would say: A free drink!
Well, I think about the link:
menstiesmax dot com
Unique men’s ties “Max”
You’ll spend only few bucks.
Ad for Max

Do not make ads that suck! Do not allow your producer to create stupid ad. Always use your brain!

Don’t communicate that you are the cheapest if you are not 100% sure. Information is traveling faster than light today, and lie is even faster. Do not lie. You will be busted.
An ad must entertain and engage listeners. The usage of advanced mind techniques in radio can be very useful. The little green dragon works! It is powerful weapon!
Tell the message!

This should be in first place. You must be sure what do you want from and ad. Do you want your company to be heard of? Do you want people to hear about your product? Do you want them to come to your local store? Set only one goal.

People are not robots. People are emotional beings. Show that you care about your company/product. Make them feel good. Make them care.

A good ad will be talkabout. Make an ad which will become a talkabout. And place it in the right place. Be wise when choosing a station/location for your ad. It is better to place it at a station with 1000 daily listeners, where 800 of them are your target, than placing it at a station with 100.000 daily listeners and non of them are your target.

If you have some questions od comments, leave them below. Thank you for the time spent here.