Should ads sell or entertain?
Well...first of all, ads have to sell. If they
don't sell, then they are pretty much worthless.
I'm not one of those people who buys in to all
this brand awareness crap. It doesn't matter
how many people recognize your brand if they
don't buy it.
If your ad doesn't give people reasons to buy
your product, then it stinks in my book.
Last night I was watching some tube, and almost
every commercial I saw wouldn't get a five on a
ten scale from me. Not one gave a reason the
viewer, (customer), should buy their product.
Just what is it that the heads of these large
companies are thinking? Other than about how
much compensation they should get for doing
a lousy job.
Take Home Depot as an example. 'Old Thrifty' Bob
Nardelli walked away with 210 millions dollars for running
that company into the dumper. 'OT' was famous for
cutting employees, employee benefits, and customer
service, but when it came to his benefits he was all for
maximizing.
I guess it never occurred to him that the company was
built on good employees, with good benefits, who provided
good customer service. That couldn't possibly work, could it?
Customer service was the reason people bought from
Home Depot. Today it's non-existent. Most stores never
have enough employees on to run a slow sales day.
Home Depot is running a lot of ads these days, on the
tube, and in print. But the ads will not make up for eight
years of bad management. The ads won't sell because
people know Home Depot can't deliver.
Back to my opening premise. If you're aren't selling,
you aren't doing your job. The big advertising agencies
that these big companies use aren't doing their job.
They have their heads in the sand. They think everything
is entertainment, and that everyone must be entertained
all the time. Nothing could be further from the truth.
People love to be sold. Ask any good salesman. People
buy every day when you give them a reason why they should.
They get excited, they get emotional, they reach for their
credit card. They can't wait to have whatever it is they were
just sold on.
And then there's that other thing. The tell their friends, and
business associates, and usually anybody standing around.
Then these folks want in, they have to keep up.
You can't get that with brand awareness, or imagery.
The best salesman I know says it best, 'If my mouth is open,
I'm selling.'
From the big saddle,
Jim Whelan
P.S. Good selling is entertainment, but entertainment is not good selling. There's a difference, and we understand it at The James R Whelan Agency. Call the Cowboys at 206 407 3124.
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