Subconsciously Slaying The Naysayers
There was turkey, some new books, more turkey, and a few conversations spent defending the ethics and practices of marketing. Being home for Christmas gave me the chance to talk about advertising with people who don’t spend much time thinking about it - which is actually extremely refreshing. You see, as soon as you spend too much time inside the marketing space warp, you risk forgetting about the conventional perceptions most people have about what we do. It’s necessary to step back every once and a while and listen to the organic views they have on brands and their strategies.
However, I occasionally speak with people who have an overly aggressive viewpoint. It typically consists of marketers being evil, brainwashing, corporate devils that are out to destroy society. I call these people hippies. Regardless, they are consumers and we must pay attention to them. The first question I am typically asked is ‘Why are there so many bad ads out there?’ This is a valid question and one that has plagued the industry. There’s way too much crummy advertising. It’s undeniable.
Not every client can afford to hire a top-tier agency like BBDO or Taxi to create campaigns for their business. It’s hard to develop a clever concept, execute it perfectly, and have everyone love it. So, my defense goes something like this… You have to look beyond the cutesy jingles and cringe-worthy puns we see happening far too often. Advertising is all about positioning and presence. These two things happen on an almost subconscious level. For example, ask anyone to name off a couple adjectives describing Telus. Unless they’re a disgruntled customer, you’ll hear words like fun, silly, cute, and cool. Why would this reaction occur? Have you ever had a personal interaction with any Telus rep that could be described by one of these adjectives? The answer is probably no. It doesn’t matter though, because Telus has strategically positioned themselves this way by using effective branding and great TV spots that feature lemurs and festive hippos.
Apple is another great example. Many people say they are immune to advertising, yet they sure know how cool Macbooks are… Maintaining a strong media presence also works to improve the perceptions and trust of consumers. Effective media planning and solid frequency provides a sense of legitimacy to any product. It’s what separates brand names from cheap imitators. This is especially true for goods that the public doesn’t generally have a strong opinion towards – like pain-relievers, for example. By maintaining a prolonged and successful marketing presence, Tylenol and Aspirin have built rock-solid brand loyalty amongst consumers. I’m sure the no-name acetaminophen would work just as well and cost a dollar less, but I want the legitimacy of Tylenol. I’m willing to spend the extra money for an established product. I don’t think many people can recall a specific ad for Tylenol that was overly charming or memorable, but I’m sure they possess the same perception. Advertising is all about the intangibles. It’s built upon developing relationships – sometimes without the consumer even knowing – so that brands can eventually become successful.
So next time you run into one of these anti-advertising hooligans, let them think whatever they want. Chances are, they’ve already fallen victim to the genius of our work. And they don’t even know it.
By Brook Johnston @ marketingman.ca
