‘Course, it could read “Don’t Try to
Fire the W-R-O-N-G Ammunition” just as well. Sorta
like asking if a glass is half-full ... it depends on your
perspective. Anyway, load a gun with the wrong size cartridge
(bullet or load) and either it won’t shoot - or it’ll
blow up. Advertising with the wrong creative can do the
same thing. And, Lord knows, the whole wide everlovin’ world
is full of creative geniuses. Just ask somebody about ads
they’ve seen or heard (including yours!) And see
what they have to say.
Some of the best (as judged by the
ad industry) advertising that’s ever
been created hasn’t necessarily sold a whole lot of product. Somehow that
doesn’t surprise me. I had a dog once that could work a field in trials
better than any in the country - put that same dog in a real hunt and he wouldn’t
... couldn’t stand the sound of guns. Advertising is like that too, an
ad or commercial might look good before it hits the public but doesn’t
do anything but win awards (ad industry awards) afterwards. Take that one to
the bank and see what its worth.
One of the things we’ve been doing throughout
this tour of duty has been to constantly reiterate the basics of advertising,
stressing a lot of the things
that everyone knows - but somehow always seem to forget. One of the best ways
to figure out what your advertising needs to say and look like is to take a competitive
inventory: i.e., clip ads from newspapers and magazines; videotape tv and record
radio ads. Look at them.
Listen to them. Now separate them according to those
you really like, those you
think do a decent job, and those you wouldn’t want your name associated
with - like ninety-nine percent of auto dealer ads and commercials (it’s
amazing how horse-tradin’ hasn’t ever changed). Imagine how much
more fun it would be if cars had teeth!
I have tried to follow the order of battle
and come up with some really great examples of good, solid, advertising - but
it’s been a little like lookin’ for
a lemon tree in Virginia so Stonewall can think straight before a battle (Ed.
note: General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was known to suck on
lemons before, and during, battles during “The War”). Anyway, here
are a few examples:
Blue Cross & Blue Shield
They have several things on their side: everybody is concerned
with healthcare so they are going to get attention, whatever
they say; they use a lot of “white
space”; eye-catching visuals; readable type; short paragraphs; and they
sign-off with their logo in the right place. They have been able to stop me,
get me to read the headline and look at the visual and, sometimes, read a little
of the copy. I will admit thatsometimes the stuff is too cute and the copy is
a stretch for what the headline and visual seem to convey but overall
the ads follow the basics very well.
The Grocery Store
Who could miss these ads? Their newspaper ads have the
stopping power of a 12-pound Napoleon. You may not be
interested, but you will remember who they
are. The tv, again, has no relation to the newspaper but it is consistent.
A problem with doing this type of strategy week-after-week is that it gets
tougher and tougher to be effective without be sophomoric.
Dick Strauss Ford
Good radio and tv (newspaper is typically terrible). It
is good because it is refreshing to have a car dealer
who isn’t screaming about being “Number
1” or having the lowest prices (when everyone knows they aren’t
and don’t, and couldn’t care less if they did).
Marc Jeffries
Great small space newspaper ads. Clean, simple, consistent.
Good layout, headline, copy. Any more? Oh, a couple here
and there but none worth mentioning considering
that the bugle sounds once again and there’s the distinctive smell of
cordite in the air. It’s been fun, as usual, just remember to measure
your powder and make your bullets with the right mold. Aim straight and squeeze
the trigger. And for heaven’s sake keep your head down. ‘Til next
time.
