Too Big to Fail?

Late last evening I was flipping through the pages of the Sunday Des Moines Register inserts.  Yes Virginia, even on Christmas there are newspaper ads telling us we can save hundreds more on the stuff we already bought.  Anyway...

I came on this ad sheet for televisions and stuff.  (If you click on the image it gets larger.) As you can see, there is deal after deal after deal.  Seems it had been separated from the main body of the flier.  That...happens. 

So, I'm interested... "Where might one BUY one of these?"

I look but, no mention of the company name or what "Big Box" you might buy them from.  Nothing...  No logo, no footer.  Nada...

Then, I see it...located on the bottom of a placement piece...the word "American".  But, I had to...scan, look, search.

Your tip is to make it clear where somebody can buy your product or service.  Sure, you may not have the big budget these guys do for multiple newspaper fliers...but you can be smarter then them and make sure you make it easy for the consumer to find you.  That goes for all forms of advertising...all.

Thanks for coming by the "Day After"...hope your holidays are going well.  For those of you celebrating Chanukah, today is Day Six.  And for those of you celebrating Kwanzaa it is Day One.  If you wish to connect: @InsightADV or our advertising agency Facebook Page is right here.

 

Time - The Friend of Creativity

We love our work because it's creative and exciting and no two days are the same.  Often folks want us to build a great campaign but don't give us the time needed to be as creative as we could be.  It's the reality faced by nearly every advertising agency on the planet.

And it's hard to explain how this works against our clients... Until now.  Here is a great video piece that shows the correlation between time and creativity.

 

Big ups to KreativMagazin out of Hungary for the work.  Helps you "get it" huh?  If you want to leave a comment, feel free. And if you would like to connect on Twitter it's @InsightADV or here is our ad agency Facebook Page.  - Michael

 

 

 

 

Package Design - Team Effort

Over the years we've created dozens of package designs for various  products.  Pictured here is something we named SpotGone! a natural product that eliminates pet spots from lawns.  We did this design three years ago.  

Recently we've started work on five new designs for our client NatraTurf.  I'd love to show you all of them...but some things need to be quiet so they can roll out the products to the lawn and garden industry this fall.

But, we'll give you a peek and an early design...and a little "back story".

When we enter into a design phase it doesn't start out the way we like it...or the way the client likes it.  We create package design based on what the consumer likes.  And, that's the tough part.  It's all based on hours of research into "who" is motivated by a particular niche.  In this case it's organic/natural lawn and garden products...a multi-billion dollar industry.  Our research into buying habits and interviews with consumers helped us create what you see here.  Colorful, simple and, yes, geared toward a female consumer who trend high in the organic/natural market.

Once we get into the consumer mindset it's off to writing and design.  Here an entire team and the client become involved in the creative.  But, at the end of the day...it's all consumer focused.  Not based on guessing...but on knowledge.  And, that's the key.

What motivates your buying decisions?  What packaging really catches your eye?  As always, we're interested in what you've got to say.

Thanks for coming by.  If you want to connect on Facebook...here's that link. Or on Twitter it's @MichaelLibbie (personal and business) or @InsightADV (business baby...all business).

  

One More Time...

One more time as in... "Lemme see that one more time."  If you've ever  had an ad go out and after it's in print realize that it is missing something or the ad is totally wrong or it's the wrong version...you understand that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.  Who says we don't have stress in our craft?

Perfect Example

Last week we were about to submit a print ad to a national magazine for our client.  The piece had been looked at by six different people (three client folks and three of us) and the client's marketing manager had issued his final approval.  It came back to me.  Yep, I'm the guy who sends the final...final.  Somebody has to take the heat.  That's when I noticed the ad was missing the company logo.  Seriously...that "One more time" moment...caught it. 

It's Not Just Mid-Size Companies

Even the "big guns" mess it up.  Here is an ad from our friends at Martha Stewart and Everyday Food. (go ahead and click on it to enlarge)  Georgie was flipping through a magazine and the this was the inside front cover (not a cheap placement).  The entire piece talks about a new iPhone App that readers can install but notice that you've got to put down the magazine, go to the computer and type in the App location.

Wouldn't it have been better to place a QR Code on the page so that the person reading simply picks up his or her iPhone and goes "right now" to the App?  I'll bet their conversion rate would have been better.

It's always easier to have "rear-view vision" but...I'll bet the folks that created the ad for Martha charge a whole bunch more than us.  "Lemme see that again...".  Check and then double...triple check not only the content...the the "why" and make it easy on your customers to connect.

 

 

If you would like to leave a comment here...feel free.  Or we can connect on Twitter @InsightADV or our Facebook Page Thingy where we post daily tips and ideas from our world of advertising and marketing.  Thanks for coming by. - Michael

So, You Want to Use...Stock Photos?

We do lots of design for our clients.  One of our constant concerns is  using stock photos.  While we, and many others in the advertising world, use stock photos...that's just the problem:  You never know WHO ELSE is using your favorite photo for their ad...or their packaging.  So, what is the danger?  (Go ahead and click on the photos to enlarge.)

Let Me Show You Two Examples

Here's something from...today.  (Photo upper right) What you are looking at are TWO mailing pieces for two DIFFERENT heating and cooling companies...in the same town.  Both have used the same image in their ad...and the really funny thing was both of them arrived in the mail on the same day.  Has you doing a double take huh?  Thanks to Aaron for calling this to our attention.

It's Not Just The "Little Guys"

Small businesses are not the only ones who can get caught in this issue.  We ALMOST did five years ago when designing some dog food bags.  We went to the client with all sorts of different "looks".  One of them was...this (L).  We liked the dog and had they pulled the trigger on this look we would have shot our own photos.  And, it's a good thing.  Here's why:  Head into your local Aldi store and check their dog treats and dog food.   Yep, same image...stock photo for a major retail center across the US.

What's The Fix?

Do original photography.  Sure it is more expensive but we get exactly what we're looking for and the image is...ours.  You never know who is poking around in some stock photography; it could be your competition.

Sometimes you can get away with using stock images...but you (and we) just need to be careful.  Best advice, again, original photos.  You'll thank me for it.

 

 

Thanks for coming by.  If you wish, leave us a comment here or on Twitter it's @InsightADV or head to our Facebook Page Thingy.  Have a fantastic day.