Re: CPA vs. CPM the issue?

From: Robert Baugh <robert_at_littleredgate.com>
Date: Fri 27 Jul 2001 11:17:00 -0500

IVAN WELTMAN <ivan_at_tudogs.com> WROTE:

>In some ways the banner may be compared to
>the billboard. An image and a headline, that conventional
>wisdom says should be no more than seven words. Yet the
>billboard can be an integral part of a branding campaign,
>as can the banner, particularly if used to reinforce a
>positioning.

TO WHICH ROB FRANKEL <rob_at_robfrankel.com> WROTE:

>Nope. That's advertising again. Branding is branding.
>Awareness is a function of advertising that brand, as
>does public relations. Outdoor media is a 100%
>awareness media. It popularizes brands, but doesn't
>create the brand or its culture. All that is well well
>in advance, which also helps decide which media is
>appropriate for raising the brand's awareness.

I'm not a marketer myself, but as a lawyer, I think
I'm recognising an argument based on different
definitions. Is the problem that some see branding
as deciding on a name, image and values for a product
or service, and then advertising or marketing is
communicating the brand to customers?

The difficulty is that, when I act as an IP lawyer,
clients regularly used "branding" to cover communicating
a brand's values to the public. And fair enough in my
(lay) view. IP lawyers originally saw a trade mark as a
"badge of origin", saying that a product came from
company A. But in the face of commercial reality, we
now see them as brands - with an additional
"communication function" of the qualities consumers
can expect when they buy that product. So if someone
even advertises that name, or a similar one, in
connection with unsavoury product, we'll protect the
value of the original brand by an injunction.

Aren't customer expectations derived from advertising
(in the broadest sense, billboards, product reviews,
etc) and their experience (if any) of the product?
Both can affect their view of the brand. Advertising
not only invokes reactions of "I've heard they're
good quality", but "They're good quality." I've never
driven a Ferrari (sadly) but I know what they drive
like, what they handle like, what the engine pitch is,
all from advertising and reviews. Seeing them on
the street reinforces the visuals. And all of that is
the Ferrari brand - I know they're expensive, rare,
fast, loud, high-pitched, nimble at speed, temeramental
and taught. I'd bet on it.

Experience will hopefully meet expectations, so if I
ever do drive one, I'll have a better idea.

Robert Baugh
Founder and CEO
Little Red Gate
PO Box 219
Balaclava VIC 3183
Melbourne, Australia

P - 61 3 9505 9061
F - 61 3 9505 9063
E - robert_at_littleredgate.com



Received on Fri Jul 27 2001 - 11:17:00 CDT