Eicoff Blog
Eicoff Brings "Can Do" to Chicago's City Farm
By: Tara Anbudaiyan
Great commercial. What was it for?
By: Ken Houdek
Being in the DRTV media industry gives me a unique perspective when people start discussing commercials they enjoyed seeing on television.
Many times they say how funny or clever a commercial was. And I always ask, "what was the product being advertised?"
Nine out of ten times I get blank, thinking stares. Then they’ll say, " I don’t remember, but I think it was for some company…”
That just kills me. It hurts every bone in my body.
Some client paid good money for that commercial. They paid good money for the media placement. And the outcome is they entertained viewers. And that was about it.
Cue the age-old debate: how much steak and how much sizzle? The “sizzlers” argue entertainment sells; you feel good about the product, you’re more likely to buy. The “steakers” believe information is king. Tell ‘em, tell ‘em and tell ‘em again.
Can’t we all just get along?
Obviously, advertising clutter is the norm and eyeballs are being assaulted and fought over at every turn. So yes, you have to cut through and engage. Big time.
But you can never forget the importance of effective, efficient communication.
It comes down to finding the balance between entertaining and selling. At the end of the day, viewers need to know what the product is, the benefits they offer, and what they can do to buy it – call, go online, go to the store, etc. If your commercial isn’t making these key points clear to your target, why run it at all?
Ken Houdek is a SVP/Associate Media Director at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America’s largest DRTV agencies.
TV: Searching for Higher Definition
By: Jim Madsen
Perhaps the biggest and most confusing word in today’s media landscape is "TV." As the industry continues to evolve, the term TV becomes more fractured into separate species – broadcast, cable, connected, streaming, social, etc.
Yet news and blog writers, myself included, continue to use TV as the catchall for everything related to the industry. But (there had to be a “but”), this oversimplification is generating a collective confusion in our headlines:
"Is TV Dead?" – AOL ad on the cover Adweek
“The Problem With Web Videos Is That TV Is Really Big Still” – The Wall Street Journal
“TV Is Dead. Now What?” – Politico
“TV, Not Digital, Propels Madison Avenue Spending” – MediaPost
Mixed signals anyone? Here's the reality. TV is now the ultimate cord-cutter and no longer bound by platform, time or place. So writers, for the sake of your readers (and mine), let's embrace a truer definition: TV is now the content itself – The Good Wife, Game of Thrones, Monday Night Football, Dancing with the Stars, The Price is Right – the programs and broadcasts we watch live, record, download, stream, or buy on DVD (have I forgotten any?)
In summary, what we watch is the content itself – our favorite TV shows. When and where we watch it is on TV sets, laptops, smartphones and tablets. How our content is delivered is through broadcast TV, cable TV, and streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV.
As long as there's a steady stream of new, quality content and people to watch it, the avenues to consume it will continue to expand, evolve and be newsworthy. And you can be sure advertisers will be invited to the party (hey, these shows don't pay for themselves). And as we write about it, let’s make sure we give our readers the clearest picture possible.
Jim Madsen is a Copywriter at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America's largest DRTV agencies.
Eicoff Runs in JP Morgan Corporate Challenge
Last week Team Eicoff participated in Chicago's JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. The evening was a sold-out crowd of 25,192 entrants from 594 companies. The event benefited Get In Chicago, which provides mentoring, cognitive/behavioral therapy and parent leadership services to at-risk youth and their families in Chicago.
Thanks to the Eicoff Volunteer Corp for organizing our team. And a special thanks to Maura Foley, analyst and team t-shirt design contest winner. Gorgeous weather, a great cause and immediate measurable results made it a picture perfect evening for Team Eicoff.
Those Missing 3 Minutes
By: Mike Powell
This just in from e-marketer: 4:28
The amount of time in hours and minutes that U.S. adults are expected to spend watching TV each day in 2014. That figure is down 3 minutes from 2013, but is still more time than is spent with any other single medium.
Things that take three minutes:
- Thorough brushing and flossing
- Finding the dang keys
- Trying to remember that dang password
- Watching the pot boil
- On hold
- Updating mobile apps
- Drop off dry cleaning
- Toenail grooming
- View cat video from your mom
- Scan daily coupon email
- Read Eicoff blog post
For advertisers who rely on television concerned over the much-ballyhooed demise of television: looks like we're good for 2014.
Mike Powell is the SVP/Executive Creative Director at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America’s largest DRTV agencies.
3 Ways to a Good Idea
By: Tim Burke
In any form of advertising, including DRTV, a great piece of work always begins with a great idea. That’s why at Eicoff the beginning phase of a project is so important. It’s at this time that the foundation of our TV commercial and its core message will be built.
This early stage is also really fun to watch. Creative teams fight the fight to find those really big ideas. Sometimes their first thought rules the day. Sometimes they struggle mightily. And other times, the ideas just won’t stop coming.
That’s why it’s not only interesting, but vital in our occupational field to think, “How can we put ourselves in the best place to find ideas?” So in today’s blog, I’ll review 3 different thoughts that can help you, me and anyone else generate good ideas.
1. GIVE YOUR MIND A REST.
Yes, that’s right. It’s common for people to have big ideas pop into their heads while doing brain-dead things, like taking a shower, going for a stroll or laying in bed. And, there’s a scientific reason for this. When your brain relaxes, it can begin to daydream, open up and let all of those wonderful thoughts come together. If your brain is roaming, instead of focusing, it’s actually super active and thus a ripe condition for an “a-ha” moment. If you’re in search of an idea, feel free to take a walk, go for swim, stare at the ceiling, linger in the shower, get a massage or doodle away.
2. PUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON A COLLISION COURSE.
In his book, Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson details out in great length how many historically significant innovations were spawned by several ideas coming together. From the first coffee houses of England to modern innovation labs, when people and their ideas mingle, big things can happen. As a creative person, you’re much better off exposing yourself to the world around you, sharing with others and looking for things that may create a spark. That’s why it’s important for us not to work in a vacuum. So go ahead, have lunch with your mad scientist friend, explore a museum, learn a new skill, read a totally different style of writing, flip through a magazine, listen to the Blues or click on today’s funniest Youtube video. It’s okay. You are on a collision course to a good idea.
3. BE AN IDEA HORDER.
Filmmaker Kirby Ferguson has a terrific four-part series called Everything Is A Remix in which he explores how many brilliant creators and artists weren’t as “original” as we all may think. He shows how in Star Wars George Lucas borrowed everything from the opening titles to the severing of a limb from earlier movies. He also demonstrates how legends like Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan clearly copied and adapted the music of others. In advertising you obviously don’t want to look like another brand, but if you can take an existing idea, visual look or writing style and remix it into something totally fresh, go for it. As Kirby points out, just look at Hollywood where 74 of the 100 best selling films in the last decade are sequels, re-makes and adaptations of books, comics or video games. When writing for a funny character in your TV commercial, think about how your favorite comedian, or your hilarious Uncle Pete, might speak. When looking for a cool visual, look at other cool visuals. Hoard as many ideas as you can. The larger the collection of ideas you have, the better you’ll be able to adapt, transform and create something wonderful.
Whether you make television commercials for a living or not, coming up with big ideas is a valuable skill. And while certain brains are simply better at it, the reality is that the proper environment and your method of working can make a huge difference. And of course, if all else is fails, I suggest pouring yourself 2 pints of Guinness. One to drink. And one to stare into until an idea surfaces.
Tim Burke is a Group Creative Director at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America's largest DRTV agencies.
Eicoff Volunteer Corp Packages Over 5 Tons of Food
Last week, the Eicoff Volunteer Corp paid another visit to the Greater Chicago Food Depository – a nonprofit impacting lives by providing food for the hungry and offering programs to address the root causes of hunger.
The team of 40 donned their aprons, gloves and hairnets, and packaged over 8,000 pounds of pears and 4,000 pounds of apples – exceeding the Food Depository’s goals for the day.
Thanks to everyone who came out!
A Winter For the Record Books
By: Tara Anbudaiyan
I know, I know – enough about our endless winter. But as Q1 comes to a close, it is important to recognize the unique winter events of 2014 and how they may, or may not, have impacted your TV advertising campaigns.
The Polar Vortex(es) (yes, plural) closed schools, businesses…even our Federal government. This forced many people inside and in front of their screens. According to Nielsen, Americans spent almost 30 minutes longer surfing entertainment websites in January compared to the monthly average. There was an uptick in daytime television viewers as well with daytime soap operas experiencing record ratings during these wintery weeks.
Blizzards and deep freezes weren’t the only surprises this winter. Despite a lackluster game, SuperBowl XLVIII ranked as the most-watched U.S. TV telecast of all time. Then there were the first all-live Winter Games in Sochi which dominated NBCUniversal’s TV ratings across day parts on, despite lower viewership than past Winter Olympics.
While no one can predict events like these, advertisers with DRTV in their mix can monitor data on a weekly, even daily basis. This gives them the agility to adjust their media buy on the fly to take advantage of shifts in viewership.
So, as you develop your media plan for the rest of the year, consider including tactics that can help you weather the storm when the unexpected happens. Because it does.
Tara Anbudaiyan is VP, Account Services at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America's largest DRTV agencies.
DRTV? Step Up To the Podium, Please.
By: Audrey Neems and Rob Schmidt
Now that the Winter Olympics are well over and we’ve all returned to our regularly scheduled TV watching, it’s time to reflect on those mighty games.
How superhuman those athletes were! How dedicated! How composed and brave – not only before and during their death-defying performances, but as they awaited the scores that would determine their standings, value and medal-worthiness.
Obviously, we’re not athletes (well maybe some of us are), but we’re DRTV people. And while our limbs are never at risk, we know the importance of good scores. The judging starts the day a commercial goes on the air. Analytics kick in. Numbers are tallied. If we make the numbers, we’re successful. If not, we’re off the air. No gold, silver or bronze.
Our counterparts in the brand world may bask in the glow of their McDonald’s, BMW or AT&T spot running countless times over the Olympics, but did they score? Did they win? Can they head for the podium and know with certainty that they succeeded in a measurable way? Maybe, maybe not. That’s where DRTV has the advantage.
Competing for the minds and wallets of consumers takes skill, strategy and accuracy. With the data we receive each day, we’re able to shave off costs per lead and sale, the way a bobsled team shaves off hundredths of a second. The time we save by optimizing our DRTV campaigns can add millions of dollars to our clients’ bottom line.
Though it’s not an Olympic challenge, sometimes it takes courage to introduce DRTV to your marketing mix. But the results could give you the edge you need to beat the competition. And that’s worth its weight in gold.
Audrey Neems is a Creative Director and Rob Schmidt is a Management Supervisor at A. Eicoff & Co., one of North America's largest DRTV agencies.
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