Why then, do
advertisers keep pitching, spinning, manipulating and ever so
slightly deceiving their customers with this "ad speak?"
Well, mostly because it worked like magic all the way through the
90's. But it's also due to a lack of respect for the
intelligence of the consumer. It's a
tell-em-what-they-want-to-hear mentality. The "spin"
comes in many different shades but it's still a spin.
Regardless, the "superficial ad speak" has worked less
and less with each passing season and now it doesn't seem to
work at all. What's more, the advertising community has no clue
how to reverse the trend.
Everybody's
guessing because we do not train our people on the principles of
effective advertising and because we are consistently ignoring new
truths when it comes to dealing with an ever-changing and
ever-evolving marketplace. Believe me, I spent 15 years working
right smack in the middle of the local advertising community and
there is pretty much zero time spent training anyone involved in the
process. And if there is any training going on, it's not
enough. This is because effective advertising is not a
paint-by-numbers approach. Last I checked, there are idiot's
guides for almost every topic of business, but not a one for
advertising. The next time an advertising rep tells you how to
advertise in a certain way, ask them "Why." The value
and competency of that advice will lie in their answer.
Creative branding is
not about the next catchy jingle, colorful logo or perfectly
constructed positioning statement. Powerful creative is organic by
nature - it's ever evolving. When asked by a new client
what we would do to improve their brand, I told them that it's
not about a specific formula. It is a process that takes shape based
on what makes people respond to advertising. Following the
principles of effective advertising and keeping in constant touch
with the mind-set of the marketplace is what gives you a chance.
It's about understanding why people are numb to advertising,
discovering what can be done to engage them, and then engaging them
with the truth. No lies, no twists, but maybe a few camera tricks.
Today's consumer turns a blind eye to what they can see coming
from a mile away.
In the end, advertising
is not about having all of the right answers - it's more
about having the right questions. What works, what doesn't,
and why. Then you must not continue to do things in the same way and
expect a different result.
For example - 22
years ago, as written in David Ogilvy's best selling book on
advertising - Ogilvy on Advertising:
"Price-off deals
and other hypodermics find favor with sales managers, their effect is
ephemeral, and they can be habit forming. Said Bev Murphy, who
invented Nielsen's technique for measuring consumer purchases
and later became president of Campbell soup Company: Sales are a
function of product value and advertising. Promotions cannot produce
more than a temporary kink in the sales curve."
The majority of
advertisers today are still making the same mistake and therefore
rendering their advertising efforts fruitless. It's as if
we're still living in the 60's. The definition of
insanity: Doing the same thing year after year and expecting a
different result.
Stop the insanity, stop
the guesswork, and start producing results. If you want predictable
results, keep advertising your business in a predictable way. If you
want unprecedented results, then you'll have to start doing
things in an unprecedented way.
Keep climbing,
