advertising

Don’t fall for the word of mouth myth

word of mouth moving along

I’ll bump into business owners at networking functions who insist they have no need to advertise or market, because their business will grow completely by “word of mouth.” At that moment, I know their businesses won’t be around for long. Sure, there are those outliers that became hugely successful just by existing. That’s not going … Read more

Seven tricks for more effective outdoor billboards

outdoor billboards need ads

Long after the last Burma-Shave sign came down, outdoor billboards continue to provide an excellent opportunity to connect with people on the go. Remembering seven simple realties of outdoor advertising can make your outdoor boards far more effective, so your investment in them provides a higher return. 1. Choose the right place. Location is one … Read more

THE BEST ADVERTISING TEXTBOOK OF ALL TIME

I’ve read a lot of great books about advertising and marketing, but none even comes close to one I read as a teen. It still occupies a prominent place on my bookshelf.
It’s a 1972 text called “Madvertising (or Up Madison Ave.),” and it was created by the same geniuses who guided Mad Magazine through its glory years. Many of those writers and artists had cut their teeth in the advertising industry, and they used the book to skewer the many tricks and techniques major advertisers employ.

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ADVERTISERS OFTEN DON’T LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD

I’ve noticed a growing, disturbing tendency in advertising. The creative teams who develop concepts for commercials insert terms and references that make perfect sense to them, but are most likely meaningless among the viewers they are trying to reach.

A recent example is a truck commercial that makes reference to “donut eaters in focus groups.” Anyone who has worked in advertising or marketing understood that right away, particularly if they have ever sat on the other side of the one-way glass and watched focus group participants drone on about advertising while gnawing on free food. The creative team displayed its disgust and frustration, and the clients approved it, because they’ve been there, too. I smiled when I heard it.

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