Re: Why online advertising sucks

From: Geri Konstantin <geri_at_virtualadv.com>
Date: Wed 04 Apr 2001 10:55:46 -0600

JOHN GASKILL <gm_at_info-central-usa.com> WROTE:

> Are brochures advertising? POP sales literature?
> Flyers? Matchbooks? Free samples?

You have really gotten down to a slightly difficult
semantics argument. Brochures are collateral materials -
promotional materials, not exactly advertising. I am not
familiar with the term "Point of Purchase sales
literature" Shelf talkers are signage - is signage
advertising? In the general sense, advertising means
ads, radio, TV. If you classify everything as advertising,
you really dilute the meaning of advertising. E.G. You
could wear a name tag. Is that advertising? It should
not be put in that category.

> It seems to me that the definition of advertising online
> should be the same the definition as advertising offline.

Again, can the definition of online advertising, not to
be confused with advertising online, be the same as
advertising offline? I say no. Online ads are a media -
like radio, TV, print ads. Advertising should encompass
online ads, but not advertising online - which could
include product websites. That should be put in the
promotional category.

> I suspect that somewhere in the marketing budget
> for P&G there is a line item for "internet advertising"
> where the cost of these virtual stores is allocated.
> I also suspect that the P&G folks monitor the sales
> effect of these virtual store units.

I suspect it would be listed as "website expense" or
"promotional expense" and not as "internet advertising".

> What is the definition of convince? Lots of web sites
> I have visited recently do a very good job of selling
> the items they offer.

What is the definition of "selling"? and I'll give you
the definition of"convince".

> Two particular sites worth looking are models of
> efficiency at convincing you to buy and test their
> product. Both are good examples of the merger of
> online media with good advertising technique and
> practice. Check them out:

> http://www.thechileman.com
> &
> http://www.ratzapper.com

Hmmm... They don't do anything for me. I don't have any
rats so I have nothing to test their traps on, and I don't
like chiles much, so why would I want to try them?
There's much more involved in "selling" & "convincing"
as you have to hit your target audience. Just having a
website does not mean you reach your target audience.

> The showcards a department store uses in-store are
> advertising tools no different than those Coca-Cola
> billboards sprinkled by the highway. Like Coke, store
> operators know that customers are more likely to
> make an in-store detour than make a return trip.

A showcard is an advertising tool, a billboard is an
advertising medium. And they are VERY different. Point
of Purchase is not the same as an advertising medium.
They have different purposes.

> Are the broadsides hung in a window facing the
> street not also advertising?

Good question. If they merely say "open" is that an ad?
I think not. If it says "sale" it is not. If it says
25% off list on every necklace in-stock today only,
it technically is.

> Why worry about changing the definition of
> advertising for online techniques when the
> language we share offers plenty of flexibility
> to explain the nuances?

The definition of advertising is critical for measuring
results and making targeted media buys. Changing
definitions, like has been seen in the recent
"branding" discussion can radically change the entire
industry. When definitions become too broad they lose
their meaning and thus their importance.

BRIAN SHEPHERD <bshepherd_at_lycos-inc.com> WROTE:

> Geri, with all due respect, I'm going to say you're wrong
> about your assumption of Coke's intentions. I believe
> billboards can be incredibly beneficial for advertising to
> 7 year olds who don't drive. I still remember as a kid
> riding in the back seat of my parent's car, driving back
> and forth up the east coast along Route 95, seeing signs
> for "South of the Border!" "Stuckies!" And that was 20
> years ago! I can't remember one ad I saw from Friends
> LAST NIGHT! When I was a kid, if I saw a sign for
> McDonald's, I'd ask my parents "when can we eat?". Remember
> that Coke is a huge brand, and youngsters are their main
> target. Yes, even seven year-olds. I will give a good
> example off a theme you presented in your next sentence.

Gee Brian - I wish I had parents like yours. Mine never
would have let me have something just because of a stupid
ad! Just go tell the marketing Director of Stuckies you
are targeting your next billboards to 7-year olds.
I bet you'll be laughed out of the room.

> And guess what? Kids get thirsty too. Kids are
> waiting while the car gets filled up with gas. "Mom, can I
> have a coke?" You've been in the business long enough to
> know that Coke's goal is to get it's brand in front of a
> person so that when that person wants to have a drink, they
> choose a Coke. Mostly, because it's there.

Man- I really wish my Mom was like yours. Mine would have
told me to shut up and have a glass of milk when we got home.
By the way did you work at McCann Erikson? My friends who
worked there on the Coke account never mentioned their
advertising strategy was to get the Coke brand in front
of a person - if that were true, how come Coke isn't runner
banner ads everywhere!!! Sorry - I respectfully disagree....

> Don't forget that "annoying" is
> subjective. I find Barney, the purple whatever he is
> annoying. But, my daughter LOVES him. I find Regis Philbin
> annoying, but my wife loves his show. You can't please
> everyone.

Glad we agree on some things! Barney and Regis are pure
annoyance!!!!

MICHAEL REZNIKOV <mreznikov_at_cara.com> WROTE:

> I have to disagree that P&G's websites are virtual
> stores. I believe a virtual store is a site where I can
> purchase the goods right there. If you go to www.olay.com,
> you will not find any way to purchase soap on that
> website. Instead, you will find a store locator where you
> can go and buy soap in a supermarket or drug store.

Hmmm..... on Olay.com you can get free samples. Obviously
they are not selling products direct at this juncture
because of retail store agreements. When I go into
Bloomingdales, I can get free samples of products. In
that regard there is a parallel between the 2. Maybe
storefront would have been a better word.
 
> What is more effective? information that is sought
> by the consumer, or information that is forced on the
> consumer? - advertising is not only for gaining awareness
> it is for informing the consumer - example when advertising
> used only for awareness the results are often..."what the
> hell was that? Who were they trying to target? What was that
> product?" A poorly targeted message is just that...a poorly
> targeted message...regardless of whether it is online or off.

I guess you mean advertising in general is not as effective
as a website. With regards to advertising being used for
awareness that results with one not knowing what the product
is, obviously it couldn't have been for awareness, as it
didn't convey the product. Bad ads are bad ads. And I agree
that doesn't matter where they run.

> The argument that you can not
> properly target an audience online is questionable,
> traditional media is anything but targeted - billboards,
> radio and T.V. are better for gaining awareness, but how
> can they be more targeted than a medium that tracks
> behaviour in real-time?

I did not say that you cannot properly target an audience
online. I said you do not have the info you have for
traditional media to target it properly at this point.
Traditional media is very targeted if you know what you
are doing. Additionally, tv commercials viewed via satellite
dish can be tracked in real time.

Geri Konstantin
Stunz | Konstantin
Advertising | Website Development | Search Engines
Boca Raton, FL
Geri_at_StunzKonstantin.com



Received on Wed Apr 04 2001 - 11:55:46 CDT