Simplicity In Messaging – Part 1

by Alan Belniak on January 19, 2012 · 3 comments

in Marketing, media

I pass by this billboard every day on the way to work:

 

Coan Cash For Clunkers billboard

 

And every time I see it, I shake my head.  What a missed opportunity.  (For the record, I’m not picking on Coan.  I’ve never used their products or services.  I’m pointing out this advertising faux pas).  Here’s what I mean by the missed opportunity.

 

The speed limit on this road and the billboard size is such that you might get to view the entire media for a few seconds, tops.  So, in that time – and I recognize it’s a challenge – you’ve really got to get across your message or call to action.  In this instance, Coan tells me that they want to be associated with happy women, who smile, and wear green.

 

Again – what a missed opportunity.

 

Why not use the space differently?  Here’s a suggestion: try a bit of cognitive disonnace.  Or a before/after.  Get me to understand what the ‘cash for clunker furnaces’ means to me, as a homeowner, coming from you, a heating specialist.  Maybe a picture of what a run-down, or ideal trade-in furnace looks like.  Maybe it’s a super-old piece of junk that we all know could be traded in.  Or, they could use a picture of one that’s ‘jut old enough’.  That might make me think “gee, mine looks like that – heck, it even looks worse!  I wonder if i could trade in my furnace.”  And then juxtapose that next to a new furnace, one that Coan can sell, install, and service.

Now you’ve given me a reason to think about your company, and a reason to call.

This makes the most use of the space and the limited time I have to see it.

 

Tomorrow, I’ll share an example of Simplicity in Messaging, done the right way.

 

If you like what you’re reading here, consider subscribing to the RSS feed or signing up via e-mail (upper right corner) to be alerted when more new posts are added.

Scridb filter

Tagged as: , ,

  • Matt Hawk

    I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s example. Consideration of the message/audience is paramount in advertising isn’t it? There must be 10-20 billboards I pass each day. Many/most are not effective in sharing their message, let alone identifying the advertiser. Their effectiveness comes into play over time as you drive by them day in day out, but by then it is white noise. This particular example would certainly benefit from sharing the message differently or choosing a different location prone to slower/stopped traffic.

  • Pingback: Simplicity in Messaging – Part 2 — Subjectively Speaking

  • Anonymous

    You see this a lot with celebrity endorsement advertising. It’s almost like the sponsor is so happy to have the celebrity on board  that they forget about delivering a message. Billboards are a highly specialized form of advertising, and one of the few conventional ad media that is actually growing, yet you see almost no discussion of them in the trades or at conferences. Think of it: When was the last time you attended a conference that had a session on effective outdoor advertising? 

Previous post:

Next post: