You’ve burrowed into your favorite spot at the local coffee shop. You’re alone but not particularly interested in company, so you pick up a nearby paper and begin to browse. You spend a few minutes skimming an article, but eventually, you’re drawn to an ad.
The subject of intense debate among industry geniuses - just what about that ad lures you? The clever headline. The image, edgy and smart. Informative body copy. Or perhaps a familiar logo.
Hate to break it to faithfuls of any one camp, but I’ve found the draw has a lot more to do with the individual than the ad. In fact, I’m considering launching a new division in our agency – Ad Reading. We’ll determine your personality type based solely on your ad preferences.
Headlines – You’re the take charge types. You don’t waste time on details because you’ve got vision. You’re natural leaders, more than a little ambitious, and attracted to positions of management and business development. You’re absolutely essential in every organization, the key player. Without you, nothing would get done. You’re also a little bossy. No offense.
Illustrations – You’re what’s known as “a personality,” “colorful,” and “charismatic.” You’re a lot of fun at a party and a valuable asset at business meetings. Everyone else is off the hook because you provide good conversation, lots of laughs, and small talk that somehow manages to feel natural. People tend to like you immediately, and you’re able to put a face on the headliners’ vision. The only drawback, you struggle when someone else wants a share of your spotlight.
Body Copy – More the academic type, you’re thorough and good with details. You develop a plan to implement the vision, and you make sure everyone follows procedure. Although you’re well spoken, you don’t seek the spotlight, so you can be a bit reserved, a bit quiet at times. But because you care about being understood, when you are moved to speak, you can go on, and on, and on.
Logos – You’re a person people trust, someone others come to when they have a problem. That’s because you’re a good listener and incredibly loyal. You make sure everyone is taken care of, and you’re great behind the scenes. Although you have opinions, you don’t share them casually. In fact, you often let others take credit for things you’ve done, and when you become frustrated, you often refuse to do anything to rectify it. You’re what we call harborer.
Impressed? I offer free consultations all the time.
Jaci Russo – Sr. Partner
The Russo Group
Putting your Creative Campaign out to Pasture.
Remember your favorite childhood pet, that beautiful Golden Retriever named Lucky?
What a good friend and companion.
And remember when you came home from school one afternoon and your parents told you that they took Lucky to old-man Vernon's farm. They said it was a wonderful place for a dog like Lucky. A place with wide open fields and pastures; a place where he could chase rabbits and take nice long naps under an old oak tree. They said it was for the best, and somehow it all made sense.
Well, I'm here to tell you that your ad campaign is probably ready for Old Man Vernon's farm. Just how old is your current campaign? One, almost two years running? That's nearly 47-years-old in marketing years.
I'm not talking about a reinventing your brand, your brand identity, or your company's positioning statement or tag line. If carefully crafted and executed by a professional creative team, those have a shelf life and can almost be carved in stone.
What I am talking about is a reassessment of your advertising and marketing initiatives. Examining the current marketplace – more specifically your marketplace, determining where the void is, and changing the market's conversation. The topic of conversation will be your product or service. And the void will be filled with the same.
You can skimp on your marketing budget if you'd like, leave your clients and customer base to gnaw on those old print ads like ol' Lucky chewing on a bone, but that will come with a higher price. Flat sales, flat leads, or an even flatter company "wallet." And that's a hole you don't want to dig yourself out of.
I know it can be a hard thing to do, saying goodbye to that good friend and companion, "the old ad campaign." So I'll leave you with this: Like a new puppy, a new ad campaign will generate excitement, run constantly for the first few months, be friendly to all, but most importantly – be devoted to one.
So rest in peace, Lucky. I'll always remember you, but now I know, it was for the best.
Gary LoBue Jr / Art Director / The Russo Group
What a good friend and companion.
And remember when you came home from school one afternoon and your parents told you that they took Lucky to old-man Vernon's farm. They said it was a wonderful place for a dog like Lucky. A place with wide open fields and pastures; a place where he could chase rabbits and take nice long naps under an old oak tree. They said it was for the best, and somehow it all made sense.
Well, I'm here to tell you that your ad campaign is probably ready for Old Man Vernon's farm. Just how old is your current campaign? One, almost two years running? That's nearly 47-years-old in marketing years.
I'm not talking about a reinventing your brand, your brand identity, or your company's positioning statement or tag line. If carefully crafted and executed by a professional creative team, those have a shelf life and can almost be carved in stone.
What I am talking about is a reassessment of your advertising and marketing initiatives. Examining the current marketplace – more specifically your marketplace, determining where the void is, and changing the market's conversation. The topic of conversation will be your product or service. And the void will be filled with the same.
You can skimp on your marketing budget if you'd like, leave your clients and customer base to gnaw on those old print ads like ol' Lucky chewing on a bone, but that will come with a higher price. Flat sales, flat leads, or an even flatter company "wallet." And that's a hole you don't want to dig yourself out of.
I know it can be a hard thing to do, saying goodbye to that good friend and companion, "the old ad campaign." So I'll leave you with this: Like a new puppy, a new ad campaign will generate excitement, run constantly for the first few months, be friendly to all, but most importantly – be devoted to one.
So rest in peace, Lucky. I'll always remember you, but now I know, it was for the best.
Gary LoBue Jr / Art Director / The Russo Group
Top 10 Pick Up Lines of a Media Sales Rep
We all hate empty promises sugarcoated by pseudo-sincere one-liners. Unfortunately, in the world of media, you get bombarded with them daily.
Maybe you’ve met a media sales rep specially-trained in how best to woo a new interest. The problem – most say all the wrong things and never make good on their promises.
Avoid the unwanted courtship altogether by hiring a Media Buyer to do it for you. A Media Buyer bargains with station reps on your behalf. She, or he also vows never to say the following:
1. Like Neilson, your ratings are through the roof!
2. Fax me over that contract, and, baby, I’m all yours.
3. If you were words on a page – you’d be FINE PRINT.
4. Is that a bulls-eye you’ve got on? Because you’re just the target I’m looking for.
5. When you’re ready, I have endless avails.
6. My reach is like Visa. It’s everywhere you want to be.
7. Unlike film, I’m all about overexposure.
8. Quarter page? Baby, you deserve full coverage!
9. Black and white is boring. You’d look hot in color.
10. I may not be in the NFL, but my blitzes are All-Star!
Katherine Linyard, Media Buyer
The Russo Group
Maybe you’ve met a media sales rep specially-trained in how best to woo a new interest. The problem – most say all the wrong things and never make good on their promises.
Avoid the unwanted courtship altogether by hiring a Media Buyer to do it for you. A Media Buyer bargains with station reps on your behalf. She, or he also vows never to say the following:
1. Like Neilson, your ratings are through the roof!
2. Fax me over that contract, and, baby, I’m all yours.
3. If you were words on a page – you’d be FINE PRINT.
4. Is that a bulls-eye you’ve got on? Because you’re just the target I’m looking for.
5. When you’re ready, I have endless avails.
6. My reach is like Visa. It’s everywhere you want to be.
7. Unlike film, I’m all about overexposure.
8. Quarter page? Baby, you deserve full coverage!
9. Black and white is boring. You’d look hot in color.
10. I may not be in the NFL, but my blitzes are All-Star!
Katherine Linyard, Media Buyer
The Russo Group
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