Tuesday, July 10, 2012
A whole lot about nothing
In a Seinfeld episode Kramer finds a Merv Griffin Show set in a dumpster. He sets the pieces up in his apartment creating and hosting his own make belief show.
Soon the show becomes stale and he has "to retool".
"Rabbit Ears" is a retool. Introducing "85 words".
My life is all about 85 words, the length of a radio ad which is what I sell for a living.
Advertising observations will continue but like Seinfeld, 85 words is a whole lot about nothing!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Facebook is a social medium not an advertising site
The next time you log on to your facebook site, look at the ads on the right hand side.
"What ads you say?"
Right. But just for fun have a look. Those ads are supposed to be matched to your profile. They are targeting you. In my case, last time I looked, only 1 of the 4 ads listed applied to me as I had been searching online for glasses. The other 3 not even close.
So before you jump all in with your advertising on social media sites and forego your traditional media, remember, Facebook is a social medium not an advertising site.
Tony Mariani
"What ads you say?"
Right. But just for fun have a look. Those ads are supposed to be matched to your profile. They are targeting you. In my case, last time I looked, only 1 of the 4 ads listed applied to me as I had been searching online for glasses. The other 3 not even close.
So before you jump all in with your advertising on social media sites and forego your traditional media, remember, Facebook is a social medium not an advertising site.
Tony Mariani
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Is Facebook really worth 100 Billion?
The Ad Contrarian is Bob Hoffman, ceo of Hoffman/Lewis advertising in San Francisco and St. Louis. Bob is former ceo of MOJO USA and ex-president and creative director of Allen & Dorward. Bob has created advertising for McDonald's, Toyota, Shell, Nestle, Blue Cross, Chevrolet, Pepsico, Bank of America, Seagrams, and more companies than he cares to remember. Bob is author of the books, The Ad Contrarian, and 101 Contrarian Ideas About Advertising. I would think Bob knows his way around media.
He also writes The Ad Contrarian blog and has latest piece is whether or not Facebook. If you are thinking of shifting money from traditional advertising to Facebook read his take on Farcebook.
Farcebook
Tony Mariani
He also writes The Ad Contrarian blog and has latest piece is whether or not Facebook. If you are thinking of shifting money from traditional advertising to Facebook read his take on Farcebook.
Farcebook
Tony Mariani
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Have you seen any good QR code uses
QR codes are becoming the new black.
In browsing through a Saturday edition of the Winnipeg Free Press there were 10 ads that contained qr codes.
Using my blackberry messenger scanner I clicked on all 10. First off, I had success scanning only half of them. I couldn't get the others to produce a result even with using a different scanner called I-nigma.
Here is some food for thought for three of those qr codes:
1. For the Ballet featuring the next show, shoot a short video with the the principal dancer or say artistic director discussing the show.
2. To the car dealer, how about a video of happy car buyers or how about a click on the qr code take me to a page and win an oil change with a 40 point inspection all for just leaving my contact information.
3. For the educational facility looking for students, have the qr code take me to a video of the school and what you offer. Or how about a video of students and why they choose your institution to attend.
I have yet to see an ad with a qr code that has done anything more than send me to the main website. I have seen a qr code on a bus board and thought, "what was the marketing manager thinking". But I digress.
Leave the shiny new digital marketing tool off your ad if your website address is in the ad.
Tony Mariani
In browsing through a Saturday edition of the Winnipeg Free Press there were 10 ads that contained qr codes.
Using my blackberry messenger scanner I clicked on all 10. First off, I had success scanning only half of them. I couldn't get the others to produce a result even with using a different scanner called I-nigma.
Here is some food for thought for three of those qr codes:
1. For the Ballet featuring the next show, shoot a short video with the the principal dancer or say artistic director discussing the show.
2. To the car dealer, how about a video of happy car buyers or how about a click on the qr code take me to a page and win an oil change with a 40 point inspection all for just leaving my contact information.
3. For the educational facility looking for students, have the qr code take me to a video of the school and what you offer. Or how about a video of students and why they choose your institution to attend.
I have yet to see an ad with a qr code that has done anything more than send me to the main website. I have seen a qr code on a bus board and thought, "what was the marketing manager thinking". But I digress.
Leave the shiny new digital marketing tool off your ad if your website address is in the ad.
Tony Mariani
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
You pay enough money and any SEO guru can get you ranked at the top of Bing, Google or Yahoo.
It's a big waste of money when I get there an your website sucks and it doesn't move me along the selling process.
Spend the money on building a great website that will convert visitors to buyers. Don't put the cart before the horse.
Tony Mariani
It's a big waste of money when I get there an your website sucks and it doesn't move me along the selling process.
Spend the money on building a great website that will convert visitors to buyers. Don't put the cart before the horse.
Tony Mariani
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The art of schleping
Winners.ca is a fashion store known for carrying name brands at discount prices.
Their current radio ads are for Christmas shopping and use of the word, "schlep".
Now schlep is a Yiddish word and used as a noun means, awkward and stupid person. It can also mean simple, simpleton and a person lacking intelligence or common sense. For example, "My brother in law is such a schlep!"
Schlep can also mean a a tedious or difficult journey. "Driving from Winnipeg to Florida is such a schlep".
Schlep as a verb means to pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance. For example, "Oh Vey the thought of schlepping your parents to Florida!
The word doesn't work in this ad nor did it make the ad funny.
As for the schlep who came up with the idea, it's a Christmas shopping ad!
Tony Mariani
Their current radio ads are for Christmas shopping and use of the word, "schlep".
Now schlep is a Yiddish word and used as a noun means, awkward and stupid person. It can also mean simple, simpleton and a person lacking intelligence or common sense. For example, "My brother in law is such a schlep!"
Schlep can also mean a a tedious or difficult journey. "Driving from Winnipeg to Florida is such a schlep".
Schlep as a verb means to pull along heavily, like a heavy load against a resistance. For example, "Oh Vey the thought of schlepping your parents to Florida!
The word doesn't work in this ad nor did it make the ad funny.
As for the schlep who came up with the idea, it's a Christmas shopping ad!
Tony Mariani
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