Everything Matters - Even The Little Things

As Hawaii implements the insurance exchange as part of the Affordable Care Act, the state is running advertising telling people that they can call for assistance in signing up.

Good idea.

The ad that they created features a service representative ... named "Doodie."  Now, I'm sure Doodie is a very nice and competent service representative.  But her name ... ???   The affordable care act is having a very tough time being taken seriously, and featuring a service representative with an unusual name probably doesn't add gravitas to the message.  I'm sure they had choices in selecting a featured service counselor.  They should have thought of the little things - and how they can affect communication - when doing the casting.   

Environment Matters in Advertising

I was watching the Food Network the other night and was surprised (stunned, really) when a Taco Bell commercial came on. 

The incredible thing about the fracturing of media is that the content can now be very narrowly programmed.  So, all of the content on the Food Network is about food .... and aimed at foodies.  In that programming environment, the advertiser can feel assured that the audience will be receptive to messages about kitchen equipment, ingredients, travel, high end restaurants and other topics that foodies may be interested in. 

So, I was very surprised to see Taco Bell in this environment.  Don't get me wrong.  I used to do the local advertising for Taco Bell in Hawaii ... and it is a fine product for the right target group.  The logical target group for Taco Bell is heavy users of fast food.  These people (mostly younger men) want to fill up ... for not very much money.  They're not necessarily thinking about quality. 

I think that, in the past, Taco Bell has had a reasonably good position aimed at these guys (yes, they're
mostly guys).  "Think Outside the Bun" told these users who go to fast food operations multiple times a week that Taco Bell is a great break from a burger routine.  But Taco Bell, despite its many benefits, isn't necessarily going to be a strong competitor when it comes to quality food and foodie interests.

So, in crude terms, the Taco Bell advertising on the Food Network delivered eyeballs for the client.  But probably not their hearts and minds (or stomachs).

Clever? Or Too Clever??

There is something to be said for witty advertising ... as long as the wittiness doesn't get in the way of communication.  The challenge for advertisers is to develop advertising where cleverness enhances rather than diminishes communications. 

Here's an ad that's probably on the borderline between good and awful communications.

This is an ad for the Ford Explorer which ran in a travel magazine:  National Geographic Traveler. 

The creative team that was given the assignment was obviously aware that this would be seen in a travel environment. 

The headline they created "Trinidad OR Tobago?" is based on the notion that readers of National Geographic Traveler know about the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  So, they decided to be clever and write an ad that had a play on the name of the islands.  This can be effective sometimes because it causes the reader to stop and think ("isn't it supposed to be Trinidad AND Tobago?")

But, what does all this have to do with the Ford Explorer?

The connection is made in the relatively small-font copy:  "Best-in-class highway fuel efficiency and 7-passenger seating.  And is better."   It's a stretch that many people will really get the connection.

One measure of effective advertising is whether the casual reader or viewer can "get" the message if they are just scanning the media.  In this case, the message works (kinda) if one takes the time to read the copy.  If you are just glancing at the magazine, you may not even know that this is an ad for the Explorer.  The name is buried in even smaller type below the copy block. 

Good advertising?  I'll let the reader decide.  But whoever reviewed and approved this ad should ask hard questions about its effectiveness. 

What WERE They Thinking??

There are "creative" advertising people who believe that their title is a license to be weird.  In fact, there are a number of these people who think that unless their advertising ideas push the boundaries of good taste or good communication that they're not being "creative."  Many times in my advertising career, I've had to pull creatives back from work that was just plain bizarre - but which they described as creative.

If you need an example of what I'm talking about, take a look at this (believe it or not) real ad for Velveeta.  This is an ad that was developed by "creatives."  What's incredible is that ostensibly rational people reviewed this approved it ... and spent good money to place it in the media.

 The headline of the ad is truly bizarre.  What does it mean to "smite" Velveeta Cheesy Skillets?  The dictionary definitions I found say it means:
1. To hit hard, esp. with the hand.
2. To kill by smiting.
3. To impress powerfully. 

Nope.  The definition of smite doesn't make sense of the headline.

You probably can't read the line under the picture of the packages, but it reads:  "Just add ground beef or chicken, apprentice."

Apprentice?  Maybe they are trying for a pirate theme?  Maybe the creative team was on drugs. 

I bet that this ad is in some creative's portfolio.  I hope that he or she never gets hired if this is an example of their work.

There was an old saying at Benton & Bowles advertising that still rings true today.  "It's not creative unless it sells."  I suspect this ad isn't doing any selling. 

Fat Finger Foibles

A recent news story reported that advertising revenue related to hand held devices have tripled in the past year.  In a separate story, it was noted that many digital users are inadvertently clicking on online ads on their digital devices because a) the screens are small and b) their fingers are big. 

I play a solitaire game on my smartphone that has banner ads right next to the touch point to deal a new card and I have (more than a few times) inadvertently clicked onto a banner ad.  Of course, each time I do, the advertiser is being billed for a click through.

I wonder how much money is being wasted by advertisers who think they're getting a live prospect ... but instead have found someone with fat fingers?

Signs of the Times

I was recently at a meeting at Kauai Community College and encountered a sign that said "Marketing and

Sales Servery."  Now I know what marketing and sales are.  I think I'm a pretty educated person, but I have no idea what a "servery" is.  When I got home I looked it up and it's something like a pass through window or a service counter.  So, why didn't they say that?

Signs are soooo important and we often forget that others don't have the foggiest idea about our jargon.  This is the "curse of knowledge."  We know what we mean and we assume others do too.

On the campus of Kapiolani Community College there are lots of examples of the curse of knowledge.  Just walking around I've seen signs for "TREO."  TREO is an advising program, but the sign doesn't explain itself.  Even more confusing, we have named a lot of programs with Hawaiian names - which is good because we want to be culturally sensitive.  But, we have to translate and explain them in order to make them intelligible for the uninitiated.  We have a program called Kahikoluamea which is a remedial learning program.  But to find out about remedial learning on our website, you have to search for Kahikoluamea.  We have a transfer program called Kaieie.  There's a sign on the Kaieie  office with deadlines and registration requirements - without ever telling the reader what Kaieie is.

We all need to get outside of our skin to escape the curse of knowledge.