Notes from enough time spent in advertising
A place where account people can stay in touch with serious reality.
On great advertising and bad products
“There is a great deal of advertising that is much better than the product. When that happens, all that good advertising will do is put you out of business faster.” Jerry Della Femina Founder of Della Femina, Travisano & Partners
A client worth remembering…
For the past forty years I have had the privilege of participating in putting together some great advertising. It was possible because I was working with some amazing talents. But no matter how good the creative or the media buy, you can’t produce great advertising...
I know a guy…
If you’re only focused on marketing decision makers and not the whole community, a lot of new business will just pass by you in the night.
Why we go to the show.
The Buffalo Ad Club recently held its annual Awards Show. The whole thing seemed to have come off really well. Tod Martin and his group did a great job…and I’m acutely aware of the burden and enormous effort it takes to put on one of these things. I’m also a witness...
DON’T GO LOOKING FOR MERMAIDS IF YOU CAN’T SWIM
If you're really good at doing collateral, brochures, logo-art and banners, but don't have an actual media department, don't tell perspective clients that you can do an integrated media plan. If you're really good at radio and TV broadcast production, don't tell them...
The well delivered interview.
Hitting the trifecta.
Provided by Lisa Strock
WHAT I’VE LEARNED…SO FAR
Ad Agency / Client Notes
On teaching…
How hard can it be?
Account managers really do need to write creative briefs.
Twenty minutes writing a brief can save twenty hours in production.
Get Ugly Early
Prep and staying out of trouble.
CHEAP RESEARCH
Probably shouldn’t have done that.
New Bike
How long is a piece of string?
Six–pound fish on a two-pound line
Going after new business.
Share of Voice vs. Share of Market
Managing expectations and sometimes you have to tell them you can’t get there from here.
Advice from the CEO on getting hired:
From Jim Hettich, CEO
What happened to all the bad clients?
I was offered my first job in advertising apparently because of my experience as a senior officer with a large insurance company and a subsequent stint as VP with a national management consulting group. I looked good on paper. The ad agency that hired me...
Going Local…
To a small or mid-sized advertiser, using a local agency has a particular advantage. In many communities, the larger local agencies are part of the fabric of a local business community. A local shop can do a lot more than just produce and place communications. It...
Is there a question?
Wrong questions show how bad you are.
Sometimes you eat the bear–sometimes the bear eats you.
How far should you go with spending on a trade show?
Ad agencies’ paradox
Two Beggers
Two beggars sat on the ground in Mexico City, both with a tin-cup in front of them, hoping for a few pesos from the passers-by. What happened next?
Why didn’t they like the creative?
Twenty markers for judging an ad.
On Getting a Printer
There are printers that print and there are printers that can make a difference.
Quotes…
From those that have been there.