Every year I try to look back at the marketing landscape and devise a list of New Year’s Resolutions. With the arrival of 2015 I once again put flying fingers to computer to compile my Top 5.
Number One
No more client directed copywriting.
Over the past few years as the ad business became more and more competitive clients seemed to have started to really push their agencies’ around. You can blatantly see it in the copywriting. As a Senior Creative Director I can spot client directed copy from a mile away. It’s always flat, uninspired and speaks not about the personality of a brand but rather about what the brand does. It has no place in modern advertising and should be left to corporate white papers and bad handout brochures.
Number Two
Stop Talking For Yourself.
Nothing says, “I just couldn’t think of anything”, more succinctly than TV and radio commercials where the owner, manager, sales manager or invento
r does his or her own commercials. In the early days of TV it was kind of entertaining, nowadays it’s just plain unprofessional and irritating.
Number Three
Call centers need to be banned.
“Hi it’s Steve, I’m calling from Acme construction with a special offer”. These unwanted calls are now coming at you from Bangladesh, India and who knows where. They usually come at dinnertime or when you are in the middle of hanging wallpaper or taking the dog for a walk. You never want them, they keep calling and it drives everyone nuts. Who in their right mind told the folks at Acme this idea would help their business?
Number Four
Outdoor advertisers need to drive by their ads.
Outdoor advertising is one of the best vehicles for notoriety around. It’s targeted, effective and relatively inexpensive. The problem is few advertisers seem to know how to effectively use billboards. Here’s a tip, next time you create a billboard, drive by it at 30 plus miles an hour and see if you can read and comprehend the darn thing. Pass this simple test and you will be on your way to using this media properly.
Number Five
No more New Year’s Resolutions…
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