At my firm we’re pretty transparent about finding the right solutions for clients, even when it’s not in our best financial interest to recommend, say, social marketing over a print ad campaign. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bristled in meetings when the president of our company says, “ads aren’t working now.”
But then I started thinking, when’s the last time an ad sold me something? I’m not talking about a retail sale ad or a buy-one, get-one special at the mall, but an ad that sold me on a particular brand, maybe offered me news and actually created a desire within me to buy a product.
The best answer I could come up with was a famous Timberland Boot ad decades ago. The headline read something like “In Ten Years, You Might Have To Replace The Laces.” Didn’t know what Timberland was at the time, but I bought a pair. True to spirit of the ad, I’m currently on just my second pair today.
Granted I’ m a jaded writer bent on judging the conceptual and strategic merit of all advertising. Still, off the top of my head, it’s tough for me to think of a lot of ads that changed my way of thinking, that actually persuaded me to make a purchase. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Doritos “Crystal Ball” spot during the Superbowl. I still buy Tostitos though.
The good news for guys like me is that I believe advertising has reinforced purchasing decisions I’ve made countless times. Times when I was standing by the gum display at a checkout counter. Times when I exited the Interstate wondering which hotel parking lot to pull into. Why? Because those brands were top of mind.
Or maybe I had seen ads that reinforced a preference or desire I already had. For instance, I’ve wanted a Jeep Wrangler my entire life. Not because their ads were cool necessarily, but because I’ve always liked jeeps. The two-door never made sense for me though. Then I saw the “new species” campaign announcing the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-door.
Mine is blue.
So would I have bought the car had I never seen the ads? I don’t know. I think ads work because they generally confirm our desires rather than create them. But I don’t think ads can sell you something you don’t want or can’t afford in a bad economy.
What say you? I’d like to hear from you. Does advertising work? When’s the last time an ad sold you something?
excellent post Rodney, and deserves further discussion.
I believe the truth is that aside from retail, most advertising does not influence the purchasing decision. It is, however, one of the most crucial steps in the sales cycle and marketers ignore it at their own risk. The actual decision-making, or purchasing decision, takes place further down the sales cycle.
Advertising is necessary to create an emotional attachment to the company, product or service. PR can’t do it. Brochures can’t do it. Direct mail can’t do it.No matter what the purchasing decision to be made, it will be made based on an emotional conection.
There is ample research that shows that people who like your advertising are more than twice as likely to buy from you. And, there is ample research that shows people do not buy based on features or benefits, but on emotional reactions. So why don’t more advertisers spend the time, money and talent to make their advertising likable?
I can think of several instances when I have made brand decisions based on the emotional connection I have with the company based mostly because of their brand. I can also think of several instances where I have refused to buy or even entertain a sales call because of their lack of advertising.
Remember the old McGraw Hill ad with the CEO stating “I don’t know you. I don’t know your company. I don’t know what your company stands for or what you can do for. Now, what was it you wanted to see me about?”
Doug,
You and I think alike. Thanks for helping me past my mid-life career crisis.
RR
Apple’s marketing and advertising is a great example of creating the emotional attachment or even just developing street-cred with their audience. While their price of entry is higher than say their PC counterparts… when my wife and I were ready to buy her a new computer recently, she wouldn’t have anything to do with a PC. Of course, you might say that their ads did “sell” her… it just took a while for her to act, base on her needs and ability to purchase.
On a counter note, I know more than one man who ran out and started buying Axe products immediately after seeing the ads with the nerds making out with hot chicks in elevators. Maybe it was an action made in tribute to a great ad, but in any case they were sold on the product by the ad itself.
You know, when I wrote this I figured I would begin remembering a lot more persuasive advertising. Apple is at the top of that list.
Rodney – I was just talking about this over coffee with a CD I’ve known for years. My take is that the role of ads hasn’t changed all that much in the scheme of a comprehensive marketing plan but since we now see 10 ads for every 2, it takes more points of contact that it once did.
You sure you recall the old sales rule: if you can only make 5 calls and it takes 6 to make a sale, don’t bother making any. Well … The idea that “ads aren’t working” isn’t entirely true in my opinion. It’s just that marketers aren’t willing to be patient or don’t have the resources to make 6 calls.
I love the Timberline example because that great ad got a pair in your hands; it delivered awareness in a compelling way. Today, that ad would be just as affective but it might have to run 3 times longer and be integrated with various other points of contact before you finally held a pair in your hands.
The Doritos spot – while entertaining – did nothing to get a bag in your hands. It’s not that ads no longer work, it’s that great ads are few and far between. btw – I love the E*Trade ads because they are entertaining, they’ve run them all year without getting old, and send the right message. If you were going to start day trading, where would you go?
Thanks Bruce. All nice points–you’re dead right about E-Trade.
[…]I have always believed that brands are built in the minds of the consumers and we as marketers are responsibly for shaping those perceptions through the act of branding. With proper positioning, there is no better place than advertising to tell this story. With a distinct message, to a relevance audience, with frequency and consistency, advertising will always be a major ingredient in a comprehensive marketing strategy. […]
Jami… just make sure you have someone proof read for you.
Rodney-
Great point! I have always loved to art of making ads. I can recall many many famous ads in both print and TV Media. The Fedex fast talker, Mean Joe Greene and the Viceroy Cigerette ads where the folks had black eyes and the caption was, “Viceroy Smokers would rather fight than switch”. I liked those ads cause they entertained, were memorable etc for some reason. I think ads that truly “educate” or “challenge me to compare” are ones that drive me to buy. Laugh if you want but I thought about buying a Hundai because of thier ads about the 1o year warranty. I also was educated and bought the cell phone industry phase, “add a line for 9.99. Ive been selling for 22 years, I dont like to “be sold” I like to be “helped” or “educated” to buy.