UTalk Marketing Forums / UTalk Marketing Forums / Help & Advice / ADVERTISING

Need help with our branding

ria — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 10:14:09 GMT

Anyone have any recommendations of any Ad/Branding agencies for small businesses who really need help with their branding and advertising. To be more specific its for a health and beauty brand. We just need some direction, ideas and a brand strategy to really push the brand out there. Big agencies don't respond but there's got to be some smaller ones out there who would take on the challenge? Any ideas?

what it takes to be a planner?

izaguirre — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:57:28 GMT

hello there:

I am nearly done with a MA in Marketing Communications, and starting to think of the career I'd like to develop.

These last days i have been reading about account planners...and I think i love it.

Has anyone any comments on that...I would love to find out what is the best way of stepping in an agency for that position, is there any experience compulsory, what help, what doesn't, how does life treat a planner...

thanks so much

Social networking advertising

lowmanj — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:49:42 GMT

I work for StudyVox.co.uk, the new social networking site that uses some of its advertising revenue to give back to its members! In this case, back to Students in the form of tuition fees/student loans.

Question:

Do you think companies would advertise in a different light if they saw their money going on to help someone at the end?

We are in the process of rolling out our advertising for the coming months and thought Id get some peoples thoughts?

Have a look at www.studyvox.co.uk if interested or think you could offer anything.

Christmas Ice Rinks

Cascade Ice — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:53:51 GMT

I work for Cascade Ice, the company who erects temporary outdoor Ice rinks over Christmas. Has anyone got any good ideas and contacts for advertisers/sponsorship ?:)

To bill or not to bill - that is the question

tolt — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:20:26 GMT

OK - this is going to sound really dumb - but what do the rest of you do if a client gets you to start a job and then changes strategy midway? Would you bill them for the work to date or just take it on the chin. I've one client that is forever doing this and I'm not sure what the norm is?

I snogged my boss - what do I do?

Jenny — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:23:53 GMT

Last week at my Christmas party I had a drunken snog with my boss - who I have fancied for ages. But now everyone at work knows and I am at the centre of all gossip. Has anyone been in this situation, and what did they do?

Capital campaign

ChRiS — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:56:43 GMT

What do people really think of the capital campaign? I personally don't think it's as good as it's hyped up to be. I mean, did anyone actually make sense of their out door ad (HERE)? It took me ages to make out the KOOKS. And why have they chosen the kooks anyway?

Check it Out Guyz...!!

Asad — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:39:04 GMT

http://easyearn-dataentry.blogspot.com/

Check it Out Guyz...!!

agency for launching a new brand

harry_the_man — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:49:26 GMT

Hi Everyone,

First post here so please be gentle! ;)

I'm trying to help a friend launch a new brand in the financial sector. Obviously he's looking to get a decent response from the advert as well as getting the brand out there. We're initially looking to do TV advertising.

Do you guys think it's best to use a seperate creative agency and a media buying agency, so one creates the advert and another puts it on the best channels to get the response.

He's looking to spend about £20k on the advert with a budget of £30k per month for the adverts.

How many creative agencies should we get to pitch some ideas? Also any suggestions as to the best creative agencies?

That'll do to start with. :P

Cheers.

Can you help improve this radio ad script?

winsoar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:13:32 GMT

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Request for new and interesting agency

CM — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:47:52 GMT

I'm looking for a new agency. Who are good at the moment?

Production order obtainment.

job4cwsouthworth — Mon, 26 May 2008 04:11:28 GMT

Seeking suggestions on who/what to target for b2b services, offering tv and radio ad production and post-production. (audio, video, music, SFX, et cetera.)

Story: Jumped into the management and b2b side of ad production by creating my own business. :crazy: While quite able to produce high quality ads at the drop of a hat...currently we lack the contacts to keep workflow, and thus production going fullscale. (New venture so its upward from here, but HOW to build? B2B is not self advertizing like the corner grocer, need to make the effort to contact potential clients.)

Internet advertizing is all well and good, but I feel that legwork and industry events are a better core builder.

Any ideas who to target and or what events? (Primarily US based business.)

Thanks in advance!

best words

numbstreet — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:05:58 GMT

best words to convince a person abt my new firm of financial investements

A Blueprint for Success!

darren — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:14:16 GMT

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How To Write Better Ad Copy

jfstraw — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:22:28 GMT

Nearly 30 years ago, I was a guest panelist at a seminar about “Writing for Profit.” -- All day long,the speakers had told the attendees all about how to submit their written works to editors and publishers ... what to expect in a publisher’s contract ... how to prepare a writer’s proposal ... primarily focusing on how to “sell” what the attendees had written.

At the end of the seminar, a panel of five “successful writers” ... including me ... was introduced, with a list of each writer’s works and their individual accomplishments given.

The first few questions from the audience were nothing more than a rehash of some of the information provided during the day. Then, a young man stood-up in the back and said ...

“All day long, you’ve been telling us how to sell our written works - but - how do youlearn how to write to begin with?”

After the other panelists finished recommending english composition classes; espousing the merits of good grammar and syntax; and advising him to “just keep writing, you’ll get better,” it was my turn.

My answer was ... as usual ... short and to the point ...

“Read!”

Then, I had to explain what I meant.

If you want to be a Science Fiction writer, read every science fiction short story and novel you can find. Immerse yourself in the type of writing you want to do. Spend 80% of your time reading and 20% of your time writing “sequels” to the stories you have read.

Today, the young man who asked the question is a highly-paid writer ... with a host of articles and books to his credit. -- Last time I spoke to him, he thanked me again for my simple advice.

With that said, I am now going to answer those of you who have persisted in asking me ...

How To Write Better Ad-Copy

Right now, you’re probably thinking, “Now he’s gonna tell us to read all the books we can find on copywriting.”

Wrong, paperback-breathe! -- The first thing I’m gonna tell you is -- after you’ve read all those copywriting books for general knowledge; like learning english composition, grammar and syntax -- throw away those books and ...

Read The Ads!

That’s right. -- If you are going to write an ad to sell your “fancy-dancy fishhooks,” gather together every ad you can find that offers fishhooks, fishing lures, fishing poles, or, even, fishing boats. -- Read them ... reread them ... and read them some more. -- Don’t even try to do any writing. Just read the ads!

Again, you’re probably thinking, “That’s old hat. Everybody tells us to keep a swipe-file of ads offering products similar to our own, then use those ads to write our own ads.”

Wrong, again, copycat-litter-breathe! -- If you only use your swipe-file to makeup copycat ads, you will be committing ...

The Biggest Mistake Made By Beginning Ad-Copywriters!

Unfortunately, most beginning ad-copywriters take a successful ad ... offering a product similar to their own ... and simply change a few words in the headline, rewrite and rearrange the paragraphs, maybe put in an extra “bonus” of some kind, and try to use it to sell their product.

Think about it! -- That would be like copying “Moby Dick” by changing the whale to a great-white buffalo ... moving the action from the ocean to the great plains ... and making Captain Ahab a Buffalo Hunter with a missing arm. (Don’t laugh. It’s been done ... starring Charles Bronson, if memory serves.) -- No matter how well done, it would still only be an imperfect imitation.

In the business opportunity field, one of the most successful ads of all time was Joe Karbo’s “Lazy Man’s Way To Riches” ad. -- Can you imagine how many times that ad has been adapted, rearranged and enhanced to sell someone else’s opportunity information? -- Some of the adaptations may have had some success but, just a few weeks before he died, Joe Karbo himself lamented to me that none of his copycat-ads; copycatting his own ad, had ever been successful.

Do the same thing I told the young would-be writer to do to learn to write, spend 80% of your time “reading” ads offering products similar to your own. Then ...

Spend 20% of your time writing “sequels” to those ads.

The dictionary says a “sequel” is “A literary work complete in itself but continuing the narrative of an earlier work.”

Where most of the ads that just copycatted Joe Karbo’s “Lazy Man’s Way To Riches” ad were failures, or only had limited success, over the years I have written no less than five “sequel” ads that produced significant revenue for me. (One of them is the ad for my “How To STRIKE IT RICH” book.) -- I never tried to ‘copy’ Joe’s ad, just continue his narrative to a different conclusion ... my product.

Use your swipe-file the same way. -- Read and reread those ads until you have a complete story of the similar products being sold. Set those ads aside and don’t even think about looking at them while you write your own ad. -- Don’t try to ‘copy’ the ads you’ve read ...

Write a “sequel.”
Let your ad-copy continue from where the other ads ended.

If you aren’t happy with your first results, do it all over again ... read the ads again ... set them aside again ... write your “sequel” again. -- Keep looking for more and more ads offering similar products to add to your story line ... immerse yourself in those kinds of ads ... to the point of drowning in ad copy. Then, lay those ads aside and write your “sequel” ads.

As your “sequels” get better and better, your income will get bigger and bigger.

Now, I’m gonna tell you ...

The Greatest Unwritten Secret to Successful Ad-Copywriting!

Although I have read literally thousands of books, booklets, reports and articles about ad-copywriting, I don’t recall ever reading the "secret" I am about to tell you.

When you write your “sequel” ads ...

Use The Words In Your Ad To
Attract The Kind Of Customers You Want To Keep

The best way to explain what I mean is by illustration. -- Here are two different headlines for an “opportunity” ad ...

Earn $10,000 Per Month

Get $10,000 Per Month

It may appear, at first reading, that both headlines offer the same type of opportunity - but - read them closely.

The first headline begins with the word “Earn.” -- To the reader, that means some “job” or “work” must be performed in order to “earn” the $10,000 promised.

Compare that to the second headline which starts with the word “Get.” -- That leads the reader to believe that little, if any, “work” is involved in “getting” the $10,000.

Believe it or don’t ... the readers don’t even realize that they are making that subtle distinction. Their reaction to the headline is ingrained in their “subconscious.”

Using the word “Earn” you will attract the kind of customers who don’t have a subconscious aversion to work. -- Using the word “Get” you will attract more people who are looking for something for nothing ... by “getting” their share of the “free lunch” that might just exist.

Which brings me to an observation about ...

Ad-Copywriting Books

Over the past 20 years, I have watched an ever-increasing proliferation of books about ad-copywriting. Unfortunately, all too many of those books are just compiled from older, well-written books on the subject - but - with one BIG difference.

The compilers of those books believe that, in order to “sell” something, you have to “trick” the buyer into buying. So, they take legitimate advertising techniques and read into them an implied deception. In effect, the assorted fools who compile books corrupting viable advertising principals lend credence to the journalistic attitude that advertising, by its very nature, is evil.

Although I am adamantly opposed to book burning ... any book about ad-writing that espouses any use of misleading words, deceptive phrasing, fictitious or nebulous testimonials, meaningless hype, or the egregious use of meritless guarantees belongs in your backyard incinerator, not in your business library.

If you have to “trick” your customers into buying from you, neither you nor your product deserve anything other than my contempt.

Having spent over 50 years in business; doing business, J.F. (Jim) Straw now shares "Practical Instruction in the Arts & Sciences of Making Money" at the Business Lyceum. -- http://www.businesslyceum.com

Who is J.F. (Jim) Straw? -- http://www.businesslyceum.com/JFStraw.html

Different type of forum

bdicomputing — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:46:48 GMT

http://bdicomputing.myfastforum.org/

This is a new type of forum.
It is set up as a central storage for everything web wise.
Big collectiuon of web links and resoures.
You can post your own references here and browse everyone elses.
Desperately needs registered users to post new stuff.
Come and have a look
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Take what you want from dtp and web design to help, tips, and articles to movies to chat.
FREE GIFT FOR REGISTERING

advertising vodka. a thing of the past?

apollo — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:29:25 GMT

Much research today is suggesting that advertising is losing control of consumers, but how much does this apply to the vodka (or more generally alcohol) industry? Are there other more modern and creative ways of attracting todays drinkers?

What companies are marketing oriented or use the marketing concept?

rachel_100 — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:35:36 GMT

I have been studying advertising and marketing and university and I have been asked to look at companies which look at the consumers needs before their own. The only thing is when I try to think of companies in my head they all seem to come up with a product that we dont necessarily need so they persuade us into buying it. What companies do you think put the consumers needs first?

Junk food advertising ban?

Megs — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:15:52 GMT

Is it true that the government had decided to abandon plans to impose a ban on junk food TV advertising? There's been such a drama in all the press about this and they finally decide not to bother - what was the point?

Why are M&S trading results so low?

Aimee Lacy — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:01:51 GMT

M&S had their trading results recently and they were not good. It's hard to understand why seeing as their recent advertising campaigns have had such huge success. It just goes to show, even the best marketing doesn't always encourage consumers to part with their money.

But what should they do next?

Promotional Staff to Suit

Shaz — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:19:02 GMT

Promotional staff are personnel who are employed, usually on a part time or flexible basis, to represent a brand as part of a live marketing campaign; usually in the form of experiential marketing or field marketing. Promotional staff tend to be models, actors, or entertainers who find the outgoing and flexible lifestyle suitable to their other pursuits.

Some promotional staffing agencies do not appropriately match the lifestyle and interests of the promotional staff to the brand personality. This does not utilise the promotional staff to their full ability and leads to unsuccessful campaigns.

www.StaffWarehouse.biz pride themselves on always assigning relevant promotional staff to campaigns, in order to maximise success and impact.

“Imagine an experiential campaign for a nappy brand that is targeting mums with small babies, and glamorous young promotional staff have to try and relate to the nappy issues faced by mums,” says Shaz Smilansky marketing director of www.StaffWarehouse.biz , the staffing division of leading agency Blazinstar Experiential. “Inevitably you will not have a genuine connection between the brand ambassador and the consumer, this is an example of how bad promotional staffing can result in the consumer feeling that the brand, through the promotional staff, does not understand them or their needs.”

Match making
When promotional staff are effectively matched up with a brand the results will speak for themselves. It creates interactions that stimulate a genuine connection between brand ambassadors and consumers; the promotional staff resemble a personal recommendation from a trusted source. “This leads to word of mouth, and word of mouth leads to exponential growth in the reach of a campaign, which justifies the spend, generates brand advocacy and ultimately increases sales,” says Smilansky.

For more information on promotional staff log on to www.staffwarehouse.biz :D

ad for subway 2008

izaguirre — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:47:35 GMT

will subway suffer in its campaign the fact that it is all a rip-off of the burger king's idea of "having it your way" from some years ago???

in the former, onions and tomatoes pursued customers that refused to have such ingredients in their meal when they got off the store. eventually they were rescued by the king, part of the identity for the company. witty and funny

in subway's running from now on, well, pretty much the same , but having lost part of the allure of the getaway. also, the customer and the staff seem to be flirting when in the store. it is bloody cheesy

How to beat the January blues?

Aimee Lacy — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:26:06 GMT

So we're all now back at work after the Christmas break :(

Can anyone give me some tips on how to beat the January blues?

New Guinness ad - £10 million well spent?

Editor — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:46:33 GMT

The new Guinness ad is the most expensive yet for the brand costing £10 million.

Money well spent? What do you think?

Who would you choose celeb backing from?

MelL — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:15:33 GMT

The 'Chuck Norris Approved' ad for Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee is brilliant!! I have a question for you all: If you were running for president, which celeb would you seek backing from?

Watch the ad here.

Gordon Brown and advertising

Smithy — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:49:40 GMT

Do you think Gordon Brown will maintain the government’s position as the UK’s third largest advertiser?

Can small agencies ever get good rates?

KattyS — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:27:11 GMT

Are small agencies as capable of getting good rates as the larger ones? In my experience, the answer is no but has anyone else had a different experience?

Can radio advertising work with other media?

Smithy — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:08:04 GMT

What do people think? Any wisdom to pass on?

Is the ASA a toothless watchdog?

David — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:20:26 GMT

In light of what's beeing happening with Ryaniar (every ad being banned), are the ASA acting a little too late? Every time they have banned a Ryanair ad, the campaign has already run and has already been seen by the public. So what's the point in these bans?

Accents and Advertising

Laureny — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:05:18 GMT

Does anyone know any adverts with accents in them?

I need to know loads for an assignment and i cant tell the difference between accents at all!

Please help and tell me any you know! :)

What's more important in advertising-functional or emotional benefits?

Alayna Lett — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:45:42 GMT

What are people's views on this?

Country of Origin in advertising

clairedevilliers — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:40:04 GMT

Does anyone think that the country of origin is an important variable for marketers and consumers?

Best Christmas ad of the year?

paulsmith — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:15:20 GMT

The work has been fantastic this year. However, my favourite christmas tv ad so far has to be the Boots ad, with all the women preparing themselves to look georgeous via the use of Boots product range. Great gifts for christmas!

What brands can you remember being advertised on TV this year?

karenalexandra — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:20:00 GMT

I have particularly liked the Sony Ads, with their creativity aspect in particular. Firstly the use of different rainbow coloured bouncy balls, then paint, and then bunnies. There are many further opportunities available. Quite similar to those 'Skittles' ads: 'skittles taste the rainbow' where there were different colour sweets, then smarties, and then a technique: well filmed, different colour bouncy balls.

In my local town: Sutton, Surrey High Street in St Nicholas Centre, children were offered the opportunity to form bunnies like in the Sony Bravia ads, but out of play-doh. That was brilliant to see. Really gets the children thinking 'Bravia'. As understood, children have a strengthening persuasion in the decision-making process in encouraging adults to buy products. Children become excited about Bravia, and then adults take an interest, and may actually make a final purchase decision to buy a Bravia TV.

Having read this, what ads and the brands can you remember seeing, or hearing about this year 2007?

Flashy agency website madness

Kat — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 09:30:59 GMT

Why is it that every creative ad agency have the most un user friendly websites? For example, if i just need the phone number or the new business director contact, it takes me 20 mins just to get through to the right page!!

Which are the worse contenders? I think Leo Burnett's site is one of the worst- i cant find anything on there!

Unlikely couples in advertising?

BillyB — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:22:57 GMT

I see Schweppes have chosen a series of unlikely couples to front their new Christmas Campaign.... Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair; and Jose Mourinho and his former boss Roman Abramovich.

Who else should the drinks brand use? Wills and Kate, Posh and Geri...

Impact of advertising

CM — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 17:20:34 GMT

What is the impact of advertising in computer games?

Should i dump the free sheets?

KattyS — Wed, 02 May 2007 17:45:35 GMT

I regularly advertise in the London free sheets but i am suspicious of their stated ABC's. What do others think? Should i dump them?

New Trident campaign' 'Splash'

AliGr — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:20:13 GMT

Has anyone seen the new Trident ad? The original character has been dropped and replaced with 2 Brittish white males. So Cadbury are playing it very safe then, they obviously dont want any more complaints!

Best ad of the last couple of weeks?

CM — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:45:21 GMT

Teletext 'Blah blah'- it's got to be. See it HERE. I love the soundtrack!