Determining Media Mix

From: jeremy swinfen green <swinfen_at_easynet.co.uk>
Date: Tue 14 Dec 1999 12:23:29 +0000

BRIAN SHEPHERD WROTE:
> While I'm not an agency expert, I will tell you my
> opinion from a "customer" standpoint. All I've seen
> since October is "dot com" this and "dot com" that.
> Frankly, while I'm sure they have their own unique
> benefits, I can't honestly tell you the value of any of
> them. There are way too many! ... To me, you have to
> be extremely creative and strategic with the "timing"
> of your advertising. In my mind, right now is the
> absolute WORST time for a new company to start building
> their brand.


Brian Shepherd may not be "an agency expert" but he
identifies some really important points.

The US and to a lesser extent Europe is seeing a vast
amount of dot com advertising which creates what media
people call "clutter" - i.e. your advertising gets
lost in the general noise. There are two basic ways of
cutting through clutter. The first is having a message
(or creative treatment) that stands out from the rest
- and the wacky advertising employed by a lot of dot
coms is an attempt (not always a very good attempt!) to
do just that. The second (and perhaps easier way) is to
use media in a way that breaks through the clutter by
communicating the message in an innovative way, or that
avoids clutter altogether.

A way of breaking through clutter might be to surprise
people by using dozens of small ads dotted around
classified pages rather than buying a single large
advertisement. A way of avoiding clutter altogether
might be to hire a barrage balloon with your message -
not many of those in any one place. (I am not saying
that either of these ideas are good ones, just
examples!)

Brian makes the valid point "Why would you spend all
this money to be lost with other companies?" The
solution he mentions is timing as a way of avoiding
clutter. This is certainly one good strategy - although
it would of course depend on the flexibility you have
to delay the branding that is crucial to any e commerce
business. If you cannot afford to delay, then you will
need to look for innovative media solutions: with a bit
of imagination it can be done!

Jeremy Swinfen Green
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jeremy Swinfen Green
Group Digital Media Director
Carat International; 43-49 Parker Street, London WC2B 5PS, England
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Euro2000? If you love soccer, then visit www.fansfriend.com from 12 December




Received on Tue Dec 14 1999 - 06:23:29 CST