KEN BANKS’BLOG AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2024
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REPEAT AFTER ME: BRANDING STRATEGY COMES FIRST!
There have been many big media events to far this year. The Olympics, Golf opens, Independence Day celebrations, political conventions heave all expanded coverage lately and in the process have increased the amount of advertising messages to help pay for the outlandish productions costs. Yet, marketers from all channels have bellied-up to the table to get their messages out to their target customers despite the skyrocketing media costs. This trend goes beyond traditional media, especially television, to online streaming, podcasts, social media, and more. This is nothing news, marketers have always looked for media buys that provide more bang for the buck and have accepted the over-the-top cost per spot/page/message that now exist. The biggest change is the the players in the game, scrambling to get more attention for their product or service.
This year’s Olympics are a prime example. No question the coverage and production the 2024 Summer Games was the best ever and well worth the time we all spent watching the events—sports and otherwise. There were the expected heavy schedules from soft drinks, beers, banks/investment firms, as well as several others excluding most retailers. While the creativity competed favorably with those normally limited to the Super Bowl, the frequency of some messages seems to have exploded especially with prescription drugs, online betting, and (locally) personal injury attorneys. Yes, as soon as I heard the singing of O-O-O, I knew it was for Ozempic, even though I’m not diabetic nor needing drastic weight loss. The frequency of the big pharma ads is overwhelming. While most are targeting the mature age group (which I admit I’ve been in for some time now), I am constantly amazed at the repetition and frequency. Often, seeing the same commercial in the same break. This is particularly prevalent in local market advertising.. Enough already!
When I was active in the advertising business, both as a client and agency, the standard goal in broadcast was 300 rating points per schedule. In other words, we wanted to reach 100% of our target with our message at least 3 times. Enough to gain awareness and recognition, but conservative enough to maintain a profitable cost as a percent of sales. I believe that the trend to repetition, to repetition, to repetition is not only redundant but often turns off the target customer that marketers are trying to reach. Another mistake with this trend is to use a limited or even just one spot for the schedule. So repetition gives way to boredom to rejection of the message. The prescription drug advertisers are further limited in detailing the side effects (“even death”) and using acronyms WMD, BPH, etc ,etc , Not every patient knows what these ailments are even if they have one. The rest of us don’t have any idea what the symptoms are that we should be aware of. More explanation and less repetition is necessary. A heavy media campaign should have at least three creative executions to the targeted message. Spend some more budget on creativity and less on media.
Another example, as I have mentioned in earlier articles, is the boom in legal advertising, especially personal injury attorneys. They all use their names (some we can’t pronounce), they all promise no charge unless we win (then watch out!), and many of the partner/spokespersons have has much credibility as a used car salesmen. The key is to have a sound brand strategy. Then creatively have a message that relates to the target customer, and then live up to that brand everyday.
Ken
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