March 30, 2009
When you see advertising on television such as Mel Lastman desperately screaming at viewers that it’s good to buy Canadian made furniture, or any kind of advertising that makes you immediately flip to another station or, in my case throw the nearest pillow at the TV set, you have to ask why are so many companies still choosing to produce advertising that talks, even yells at people instead of engaging them. I think it comes down to education. These advertisers simply haven’t been introduced to the strategic process that allows for insights that lead to a solid brief, that leads to brilliant advertising.
And, it is this process and the level of brilliance available at good creative shops that makes clients win big and grab big chunks of market share. I suppose it is a little like someone who doesn’t know what makes a good story, or a good joke. Or someone who looks at an abstract painting by Pollack or de Kooning and sees something “anyone can do”. Until they try it. These are classically trained artists. They are remarkably talented drawers and painters who chose abstract. At the Dali Museum in St, Petersburg Florida it’s worth seeing Dali’s work from the start of his career, essentially interpreting the great genres such as cubism and impressionism, and then finding his stride and unique expression.
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February 25, 2009
Check out "Building Loyalty in Business Markets" from Harvard Business Review (www.hbr.org ). It is a 2005 article but I like this article because it reminds us that the key to engaging business target audiences is to have what I term "brand relevance", that is, each business or target cluster needs to see what's in it for themselves that will make a big difference in their lives or for their business.
Does this apply to consumer marketing? I think it provides good guidance at the very least because people are also "clustering" and what matters to each cluster can vary, so marketers need to have a sense of brand relevance for each customer cluster.
One thing I don't think changes is having an overarching Big Idea. I still think breakthrough, engaging brand advertising is the result of doing the up front strategic work required to understand each target audience and the competitive environment, and, as a result, create a brand brief that has the insights necessary to create a Big Idea that is engaging and relevant. It can then be tailored to each cluster.
Ideas still rule.
Brian Torsney
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February 18, 2009
Backroom ball-breakers, advertising spin and the demise of democracy
By Brian Torsney
When my parents came to Canada more than 50 years ago it was with their sights fixed on endless opportunity and their backs turned to economic hopelessness in Ireland and growing political turmoil in Northern Ireland. To new Canadians, the Liberal party appeared to be the most tolerant and inclusive, so it may not be surprising that my father, an Irish-Catholic architect who was apparently turned down at firms simply for being a “Mick,” embraced it almost religiously. Growing up, parties at our house were attended by judges and politicians, Cardinals and priests, and conversations bubbled over with debates on the major issues of the day. It was the glory time of Pearson and Trudeau, a time when liberalism meant Canada occupied a place on the world stage that was Western and neutral; where we wore blue helmets and got between enemies rather than joining one side or another.
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