Someone Wants To Put You In New Box

Well, they're at it again. There are now 7 more categories of consumers that you are supposed to identify with. According to this article in AdAge http://adage.com/article?article_id=119415, there are 7 new models of consumers.
Well, maybe I'm just not spending enough money these days but I can't seem to find one that even comes close to fitting me. How about you? Be honest. Do you aspire to be Al Gore or Johnny Knoxville? Gwen Stephani or Rachel Ray? After reading Harry Potter this weekend, if I can't be J.K. Rowling, I wouldn't mind being Neville Longbottom. There must be some brands out there who want to reach people who grow brave and strong, heroic yet humble.
As an advertising copywriter, market research can be my best friend. But lets not get carried away with it. Can you imagine the day when a client says, "I really like the concept but why don't we use the same type face as the Gore campaign?"

Big Ideas. Low Budgets.

One of the challenges regional advertisers face is knowing when and how to use TV. Targeted cable buys make it easier for clients to afford broadcast advertising. But producing the spots is a whole other matter. While a local sporting goods store may run a spot on the local buys of MTV or ESPN, it still is being aired and compared to the national spots running around it. If you're advertising a local restaurant, how can you create a spot that competes against the Olive Garden spot running right after it. (Let's assume, of course, that when it comes to the quality of the food, there is no contest!)
It is a difficult dilemma. I was lucky enough to have a camera store client with an attic full of home movies. One of their spots won a $10,000 cash prize as the best retail advertising of the year from the Photo Marketing Association of America. http://www.jbaroncreative.com/photo.htm
And I'm proud to point out that my ex-partners at Rattle Advertising have done a great job creating a funny and smart campaign for Kittery Trading Post, a famous outdoor store just over the Maine border. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id00cClREn8
If you're thinking of advertising on local TV to build your business, don't just think about the media buy. Think about a production budget, too. No one, except maybe a fixtures salesman, is all that interested in seeing another local cable company produced walk around your store or another owner pledging their commitment to service. On TV, you are up against the big boys with the big budgets. When you can't outspend them, out think them.
Find a way to make people smile and they'll find a way to visit your store.

Welcome to the new wwworld

As progressive and techno-savvy a middle-aged guy like me tries to be, I must say, this has been a pretty exciting day. My web site is now up and open to the world. How the site came to be is part of this new wwworld.

It was designed by Margarida Girao (www.margaridagirao.com.) in Portugal. I found her on one of the better web portfolio sites. We emailed back and forth about what we like. And once we negotiated the price and figured how to pay in Euros, it was easy.

Despite differences in language and the silly emails they caused, it went very smoothly. Like any good designer, she was able to offer suggestions that helped me clarify how to convey my brand of advertising. It was a micro example of what our macro world has become. Talent is only as far away as your mouse (or should I say iPhone or Blackberry).

I don't know if the world is flat as the futurists say. But I do know its easier to contact more people, learn more things, and find more intriguing talents than ever before. For me, this past month has been a living example of how it makes advertising and communication more exciting. Heck, not just advertising...life.