What can Main Street business owners learn from this?  First, look at others who have gone before you.  Macy’s, which has sales on top of sales it seems, tried to get out of the frequent sales game when it merged with the May Company in 2005.  What did they learn?  People stopped coming. It was a shock to the system. So, they brought the sales back.  Not that history repeats itself every time, but there may be something instructive there.

Second, these things take time.  The bigger the change, the longer it takes. JCP used to run over 500 sales a year. Now, they’re down to 3 pricing levels. That’s going to take some getting used to by the consumer.  Unfortunately, JCP is on Wall Street’s clock which doesn’t like to wait around for success.

Finally,  we’re in an era of clarity over creativity in advertising.  No shuck and jive, no sleight of hand, what works now is honest, straight ahead advertising we can trust. (Thus, the frequency of consumer-created content).  JCP did an admittedly poor job of explaining to the consumer what they were doing when it came to pricing.  The pricing didn’t seem better; it seemed more expensive because it wasn’t on sale.

There’s an old adage in the car business: It’s not the deal you got; it’s the deal you think you got.  JCP would do well to keep that in mind as they revamp the revamp.

The post A Penny’s Worth first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

There’s a pride in American resilience that resonates through the ad. A sense that even though the economy has knocked nearly everyone senseless, it’ll take more than that to defeat Detroit. They’re up off the mat, and ready to compete.
This ad seems to have done more than just make a statement for domestic autos. I believe it may have touched a cultural nerve. There might be a sense among those who watched this spot (and 111 million people watched the game) that like Chrysler, like Detroit, they’ve had enough. They’re fighting to get back on their feet, they know they can rebuild their lives, and they’re going to do it. No blaming circumstances, no wallowing in pity…time to get this thing turned around.
That’s the inspiration I took from this spot. If any city in America has the opportunity to point a finger at others for their own misery, you could argue that Detroit gets the award. But with this ad, they resolutely turned it down. No thanks. They have work to do. And it makes me want them to win. We almost always cheer for the underdog and Detroit has been a classic example.
Did the ad work? After all, one of its goals was to drive interest in what Chrysler is selling. Traffic searching the Chrysler brand on Edmunds.com was up 267% in the hours following the airing of the ad, with searches for the Chrysler 200 up 1619%, all according to the Detroit Free Press.
Chrysler still has a lot of work to do, but this was a great big step in getting prospective buyers to look at their brand again. Congratulations to Wiedan+Kennedy of Portland, Oregon and to Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne for making a gutsy ad that I believe captured the right message at the right time.
Now, if I could just get a t-shirt that says “Exported from Boston”…

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The post Great Seth Godin Segment first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

That’s why so many advertisers now use broadcast media strictly as a direct response outlet, measuring it’s success on a daily basis. It seems the data they receive (number of calls, number of orders, cost per call, etc) is their only measurement to determine the campaign’s value.  If they don’t get enough calls today, something’s wrong. For some businesses, this model works just fine.  For many others, it can be a business killer.

In my experience, better response to a call-to-action ad happens when someone is selling a well know, well regarded brand.  Make me a deal on something I know and like, and I’ll give it some consideration. Ask me to buy something I’m not familiar with and I’ll likely defer. That is, until I get to know why I need it and why the product can help me.  Does advertising do that even though people don’t call and order the product? Sure. But it’s still difficult to measure, so it’s value isn’t nearly as high in the immediate results expectation world. Pity.

This is how great brands and long lasting profits are built. And it seems to me that many companies are missing the long term home run trying for today’s base hit.

The post Numbers Game first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

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Be good at advertising and you’ll be great at selling.

The post Sell what people Buy first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

Good ideas don’t fail if they’re not acted upon.

The post Fearless first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

When we write copy, we very often overlook the power of the senses. I believe this is something we need consider more carefully. If you’re writing an ad for a restaurant, shouldn’tyou include the sizzling sound of something on the grill, or an evocative aroma that transports the viewer or listener to a particular place? You could even use a smell memory in an ad for a shoe store. Who doesn’t have a memory of the smell of new sneakers fresh out of the box? Of the smell of new leather being slipped onto your foot?

Our memories are everywhere and can be powerfully triggered by our senses. Don’t overlook this important part of your creative process. You’ll be surprised on you can create ads that resonate deeply with your client’s customers.

The post Using Sense Makes Sense first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.

There’s something about these events that touch me. It might be the element of surpriseand pleasure that others enjoy when these groups perform. I appreciate the work that thesepeople have put in ahead of time to make the event look completely spontaneous. (The leadmember of the Des Moines Flash Mob says her back yard has no grass now due to all thedance rehearsals before the event.)

It’s not unlike a sales presentation. Ideally, you rehearse your presentation to have it appearnatural and spontaneous when you are with the client. Only you know the work you’ve putin to make it appear natural. And if you’re well rehearsed, the presentation is usually a hit.Maybe that’s why Flash Mobs make me so happy.

The post Why do “Flash Mobs” Make me happy? first appeared on Burke Media Marketing.