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Use Your Imagination

Use Your Imagination

What is the quickest and easiest way to prevent a successful advertising campaign from ever getting off the ground? Don't take things so seriously. Marketing is not a complex endeavor. Neither the making of ads nor their comprehension should necessitate a background in the hard sciences.

And under no circumstances may an advertisement be scrapped because it is too figurative. If, on the other hand, you think your advertisements are being too literal, scrap them and start over.

Do you think VWs are faulty, worthless automobiles? Of course not, but wouldn't you read an ad with the headline "Lemon"? You're intrigued enough to go through to the article, where you learn that the car in the advertisement was never driven and that, because VW cares so much, the company eliminates all lemons. What a squandered opportunity it would have been if the Volkswagen team had taken the headline at face value.

Take this into consideration. What compels consumers to watch an advertisement or commercial? Most people watch them because they're fun and educational. No amount of money spent advertising is worthwhile if the ads provide only dry facts and no thrills.


To be clear, this does not mean that ads should be made solely for the sake of amusement. A superb advertisement, once again, serves to do both of these things. The humorous element needs to stem from some interesting facet of your product or brand. That is to say, the product or service itself should take center stage. However, finding that sweet spot can be challenging despite its apparent simplicity. That's why marketing can be so entertaining.

Consider how much detail your target audience truly requires. What sort of narrative do you think they'd enjoy? These are the kinds of questions that need to be addressed and answered early on so that when an advertisement or campaign is given, you can evaluate it in light of your previously established criteria.

A successful campaign will connect with the intended demographic and strike up a conversation with them on a one-on-one basis. That's great for business and will boost your standing. An effective advertising strategy will do much more. It will generate interest from people who are not part of your intended audience.

There was only ever one airing of Apple Computer's "1984" commercial. The commercial was featured on every major news program and was written about in every major newspaper for weeks and months, making it one of the most talked-about commercials ever. Also, Apple spent little more than the price of one television on all of this.

Even though it didn't show the product or explain any details about it, Apple's Super Bowl commercial helped make the company a household name and created unbelievable demand for the new Macintosh computer.

The Mini Cooper by BMW was one of the first cars offered to American consumers without any preexisting television commercials. Blasphemy! To get around cities, they instead mounted Minis on the tops of SUVs and drove about in them. Tongue-in-cheek billboards, engaging print ads, and effective guerrilla marketing were all products of their hands. First and foremost, they built up a list of people who couldn't wait to get a Mini.

Businesses with an expansive mindset tend to flourish. It reinforces itself and becomes a vicious cycle. You'll miss out on opportunities for regional, national, and international growth if you limit your perspective to the local level. Even if you aren't quite there yet, your advertising strategy should reflect the path your company will take.

I dare you to dream bigger and to inspire your organization to do the same.

The third of a series of twelve steps was presented here. Put yourself, your team, and your ad agency to the test by completely revamping your advertising strategy. Reach out to the author for a free recap copy if you need to catch up. And always keep in mind that the first step in a revolution is often the hardest.

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