Branding Ad Vice

More Posts More Often

You may have noticed that I haven't posted very often in the last month or so.  I’ve begun posting most of my thoughts at a new website from The Wizard of Ads® Partners.  I encourage you to check out American Small Business (americansmallbusiness.com).   I look forward to your comments and if you like what I write give me a thumbs up.  In the meantime I'll still post here from time to time as well.

A Look Into The Crystal Ball

It’s dangerous to try to predict what any specific technology will look like even 5 years in the future.  It’s safer to look at trends.  My many friends in radio have spent a great deal of time in the past few years worrying about the impact “satellite radio,” and the more recently launching HD Radio will have on the size of their listening audience.  I don’t believe the future challenge lies with either of these technologies. 
A recent article in USA Today offers a glimpse into the future.  The combination of internet access in automobiles and WI-Max (wide area wireless internet access) or something even more advanced will put a whole new world of listening experience in the hands of drivers.

There are over ten thousand on-line radio stations available right now from sites like Live 365 and a nifty program called Pandora allows you to custom build your own radio station.  While no one station may ever attract have a large audience, if each station only claims a few listeners in each market there’ll be a lot few listeners listening to “traditional radio” in the future.  And that’ll make it much more difficult for advertisers to reach a large audience easily.

I don’t consider myself an early adopter by any means.  But I spend most of my time listening to WCPE out of Raleigh Durham, NC (a “traditional” radio station with a large Internet presence).  I could listen to a classical station out of Milwaukee or Chicago, but I like WCPE and I listen everyday online.  What’s neat is that no matter where I go I can listen to the station as long as I have Internet access.

I’m also a huge fan of Old Time Radio (go figure) not a huge market for radio shows produced 50+ years ago.  I’ve got 3 stations bookmarked in ITunes.  Who knows how many people will tune to old shows in their car when wireless Internet becomes available? “The Shadow Knows.”

Before You Try To Slip One By Your Prospects

Exaggeration Doesn’t Pay

I was eating breakfast minding my own business the other morning when an ad came on the radio that asked how I would like to read 1,000 times faster.  Hmm, that’s enough to put down the shredded wheat for a moment. 

The ad went on to ask what it would be right to read 10 books in the time it takes to read one.  Math wasn’t my favorite subject back in school, but reading 10 times faster is much different than 1,000.  The ad goes on to say that you can increase your reading speed by 1,000% - that’s not the same as reading 1,000 times faster.  Maybe they didn’t make the claim of reading 1,000 times faster.

It took me three times to actually realize that the first line does say “1,000 times faster not 1,000% faster.”  Inaccuracies in advertising drive me crazy.  A pre-produced television ad for jewelers shows pictures of Monument Valley.  The voice over states that “the rocks were carved by glaciers and must be 10,000 feet tall.”   No they were carved by erosion and are only 1,000 feet tall.  If they can’t get that right, how accurate are they about the jewelry?

Perhaps a normal person wouldn’t notice, but why risk they lie when the truth is just as interesting and more believable? 

Jihad Car Sale - My Two Cents

I’ve written more than my share of car dealer ads over the past 3 decades.  Most of them (until I learned to just say no) were little more than factory incentive drivel that would do little or nothing to drive a consumer into a particular dealership.  I think most ads for new car dealers miss the boat.  But that’s another post.

From time to time I’d become so crazed about saying the same old thing that I’d write something outrageously stupid jut to maintain my sanity.  I’m not sure if that’s what happened at Dennis Mitsubishi last week but they’ve sure gotten a lot of publicity for an ad that hasn’t run.

If you haven’t caught the story yet, Google “Jihad Car Sale” and you’ll find over 1.5 million references to the commercial.  Here’s one of the original stories (read).

In the commercial, Keith Dennis of Dennis Mitsubishi talks about "launching a jihad on the automotive market."

Sales representatives "will be wearing burkas all weekend long," the ad says. One of the vehicles on sale "can comfortably seat up to 12 jihadists in the back."

"Our prices are lower than the evildoers’ every day. Just ask the pope!"  The ad says. "Friday is fatwa Friday, with free rubber swords for the kiddies."

The ad is allegedly scheduled to run September 28th but a little voice in the back of my head says the whole episode was designed as a publicity stunt.  Somehow word of the ad was leaked to the media.  Hmm.  And tens of thousands of people (including me) have commented for or against something they’ve only heard about from a second or third hand source.  Here we have a non-event creating a firestorm in less than a week – Interesting.

The stunt has given Keith Dennis more publicity than any advertising he’s ever paid for – maybe all of his advertising combined.  I’m just guessing, but traffic at Dennis Mitsubishi will be higher than normal this weekend. That would seem to be the goal wouldn’t it?

Dazed And Confused

Thoughts on a few things I read or heard during my summer travels around America. 

Back to school furniture sale (I wonder if the Betty Ford Clinic has a program for “Sale” Addiction?)

Lowest prices in the world!  Save 15% (I wonder if they’ve factored in the currency exchange rate?)

… for all of your group meeting needs, business or leisure.  (I expected more from American Airlines).

#1 For All Your Garage Needs (I need my garage cleaned out.)