Blog
Are You Practicing the Art of Filling Holes?
Well, it’s that time of year again … when we’re blessed with countless potholes left behind on our roads by winter’s many freezes and thaws. Playing “dodge-the-pothole” can make driving a real adventure. Soon the road crews will be out with their trucks and shovels, dutifully filling those tire and suspension-killing craters with steaming asphalt.
I’m convinced their task is not unlike how some companies approach their advertising efforts. At least, that’s how it so often looks. On their “to do” list is an ad schedule, probably a few brochures, a monthly calendar of direct mailers, maybe even a Web site design their sales department has been begging for. Those are the “holes” they have to fill. Important holes, yes … still holes none-the-less.
But what happens when that road crew fills a pothole? People drive right over it and never notice it. They keep on their merry way with their eyes open, watching for the road signs, traffic signals and looming landmarks which tell them they’re near their destination. Those filled potholes are now totally invisible in the rear view mirror.
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Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it looks like work.” Those words ring true to me when I see some of the work that looks like yet another advertising “hole” has been filled. An ad that’s crowded with more copy than anyone would ever read. A brochure with lame photographs that fill every millimeter of white space. A web site with a huge “don’t forget who brought you this boring message” logo put on every page. They’ve totally missed the opportunity to build a bridge to their audience.
Why? Because it takes work to actually build something. Thinking, planning and understanding how their brand really resonates with their audience. It’s work that’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
Take the opportunities you have to build something your audience can see from a distance. Something that steers them in the right direction and tells them they’re closer to their destination. Something they remember later. Your brand.
In the meantime, look out for those nasty potholes!
Henry Russell Bruce is a full-service advertising agency and Internet marketing firm that focuses on branding, developing and executing marketing roadmaps, and growing companies.
Do Brands Matter Anymore?
There’s an old joke, “What’s the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?” Answer? “With the porcupine the pricks are on the outside.” I think it’s very funny and, quite often, not far from the truth. Not withstanding what you think of people who drive BMWs, in this auto-obsessed country, nothing says as much about us as the brand of car we wrap around ourselves.
The last time I looked, all cars have four wheels, an engine and a steering wheel. But it’s the external image of the individual brands or models that often drives our purchasing decision. It’s essentially a positioning statement of who we are and our value propositions. So what do some car brands say about us?
Chevrolet: “I’m an American, dammit, and I refuse to send my money overseas for a good car.”
Accord: “Who cares if a gazillion people own one too? I’ll never be stuck in the repair shop.”
Mercedes: “Hey everyone, it’s wonderful in here. Sorry you can’t be here with me. Ha, just kidding!”
Prius: “See me? I paid more for this so I could save the planet for the rest of you.”
Hummer: “Screw the planet and the rest of you. I deserve to get where I want in the biggest hunk of metal I can afford.”
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Okay, those are just my impressions, but the point is, brands do matter, even as our global economy continually puts more and more low priced commodities out there for us to choose from. In fact, your brand matters more today than ever before. Are you taking care of it? Or does it need a good wash and wax, perhaps some dents straightened … and hey, is that duct tape holding your old logo and positioning line together? Brand image will always affect the market’s interest, the price you can charge and the number of customers who will come back for another purchase.
What do I drive? Um … a BMW. Yeah, some people would probably say that joke was written with people like me in mind.
Henry Russell Bruce is a strategic marketing and Internet marketing firm that uses research, brand-building, advertising, media buying and planning, design, public relations, Web design and strategies to help clients grow market share, generate new business, create brand loyalty and measure marketing results to build and support its clients' brands. HRB, founded in 1973, has offices in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa. For more information, contact HRB.
Is your brand the most boring one at the party?
Unless you spend all day, every day, staring at your computer screen, you probably get out to social events on occasion. For serious Web programming dudes that may mean having to rent a personality, but hey, it’s only for a few hours, right?
So, you’re at the party, your personal brand is polished (i.e., you’re wearing your best threads) and you’re ready to engage the crowd. You scan the room, find the drinks, then the hors d’houvres table. Sweet! Hot nacho cheese dip! You fill your plate, turn around and … uh oh! It’s Rick. He’s seen you and he’s heading your way. You brace yourself because you know you’re about ready to be subjected to his blathering … about himself, his work, his vacation, his investments, his son’s baseball tournament, whatever. 15 tedious minutes later, you’re certain his picture must be under “narcissist” in the dictionary.
What’s my point? It’s that so many brands behave just like that. Like the person you’d least likely want to see and be stuck with at a party. Their communication is all about themselves. Copious details about their latest models or services and all the new features. Why they’re so much better than their competitors. Or all the awards they’ve won. All that’s missing is the sound of a chest being pounded.
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Why not try this? Be that other person at the party. You know, the one everyone is attracted to … because they’re personable, engaging, intelligent, have a sense of humor and actually show an interest in you. Meaning, they listen. A unique and very attractive quality. Instead of a self-absorbed monologue, they engage in mutually rewarding dialog. As a result, their “brand” is the one that gets invited to more “parties” and whose calls are taken or emails are read.
Imagine your brand being the one people care to be with and hear from. It could be a long lasting relationship.
I’d better end this. My personality rental time is nearly expired.
Henry Russell Bruce is a strategic marketing and Internet marketing firm that uses research, brand-building, advertising, media buying and planning, design, public relations, Web design and strategies to help clients grow market share, generate new business, create brand loyalty and measure marketing results to build and support its clients' brands. HRB, founded in 1973, has offices in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa. For more information, contact HRB.
Your Brand Alarm is Ringing
Isn’t it wonderful? How all of your prospects and clients rolled out of their beds this morning, rubbed the sleep from their eyes and immediately thought to themselves, “Gosh, I sure hope I’ll see an advertising message from fill in your brand name here .” Wow, that makes your job so much easier, knowing every one of them is totally psyched to hear from you.
Okay, so that didn’t happen, nor will it ever. But surprisingly, some companies really do act like that implausible event occurs in their marketplace every morning. They believe that whatever message they put out, in whatever medium, no matter how trite, complex, boring or forgettable it might be, viewers and readers will be attracted to their brand like geeks to a Star Trek convention. Bless their pointy ears, but no way. Sorry, Spock.
What does attract viewers and readers are messages from brands they know and respect. Brands that provide them with an expectation of being rewarded … with valuable information, by being entertained or by something that will make their job or life better. It starts by using words and images they haven’t read or seen hundreds of times before. By not force feeding them more details than they can possibly consume. By engaging them in unique and uncomplicated ways that say “we respect your time, your intelligence and what you care about.”
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Respect your audiences and they’ll respect you. Then, though they’ll never leap out of bed in the morning hoping to hear from you, they’ll be more attentive and responsive when they do. And ultimately, more likely to buy from you.
Now, because I respect your time and intelligence, I’ll stop here. In the meantime, “Live long and prosper.”
Henry Russell Bruce
Henry Russell Bruce is a strategic marketing and Internet marketing firm that uses research, brand-building, advertising, media buying and planning, design, public relations, Web design and strategies to help clients grow market share, generate new business, create brand loyalty and measure marketing results to build and support its clients' brands. HRB, founded in 1973, has offices in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa. For more information, contact HRB.
Finding “Who Cares?”
Welcome to this, my first blog. Though I doubt it will be quite as exciting or memorable as my first kiss with Susie Wicklund at Trout Lake Camp (a “one and done,” I never saw her again) hopefully it will be a longer, more interesting relationship. And not turn into a “blah-g!
As an agency creative director, I’m by nature more visual and less wordy. Lucky you. After 30 years in the advertising and branding business, I do think I have a few insights worth sharing but I’ll keep them brief so you can get back to your “LOST” episode updates quickly. (Then maybe you can help me figure out who John Locke really is and what his purpose on the island might be.)
One thing I am sure of is that today’s crescendo of marketing messaging and their sources is immense … and will only get bigger. Meaning the struggle for audience attention will only get harder. So how will smart marketers be seen and heard? Not necessarily by being the most artistically pleasing, cleverest or the loudest. That’s relatively easy to do. The hard part, and not coincidentally the most important part, is finding that “thing” prospects and customers really, really care about, then are willing to invest their valuable time to learn more about.
Today, effective advertising isn’t as much about finding the “hook” as it is about finding the “who cares?” (hook heirs?)
The kind of thing that would’ve made me yearn to stay in touch with Susie Wicklund. Wherever she may be.
Steve Erickson
Partner/Executive Creative Director
HRB
Henry Russell Bruce is a strategic marketing and Internet marketing firm that uses research, brand-building, advertising, media buying and planning, design, public relations, Web design and strategies to help clients grow market share, generate new business, create brand loyalty and measure marketing results to build and support its clients' brands. HRB, founded in 1973, has offices in Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa. For more information, contact HRB.
