Out of the Crisis.Org

[Louis Altazan]

Hi Bud,

You make a very good point. I have seen very entertaining ads I remember, but cannot remember the products. I think what you are saying is humor is best left to experts. Done well, I find humor can be quite effective. Two examples that come to mind are the California raisins and the Budweiser frogs. I think this affirms what you say, these are done by some of the “best of the best” professionals. Thanks Bud, another great topic.

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Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA

[Bud]

People were already very familiar with California raisons and Budweiser long before those ads ran. Most people probably had already purchased them before.

Now, would an unknown, local repair shop have a good effect using humor in their ads? Does it at least 'seem' right?

Before anybody answers, consider the image mechanics and repair shops enjoy in the public's view.

[Bud]

Doggonit. I copied the spelling of raisons from your post, and now it doesn't look right.

[Louis Altazan]

[Bud]

Funny!!!

[Fred W]

Isn't the add the first step in a marketing profile? And a funny add will do its job of attracting a veiwer. Then be funneled in to the next step, mabe a website or voicemail number to gain the information you want the customer to be looking for

[Fred W]

Hey Bud,

I disagree. Shopping is shopping whether a clown or a lawyer (wait there not that far apart) but if the funny clown add got your attention, mission accomplished. If it was a winner it was so funny you showed a friend.


To your second response, serious industries use humor to sell their products all the time; Hispanic bees peddling allergy medication, lemon cartoons for lawyers, low budget local contractors doing their own commercials, ect.


Ads only have a shelf life of 3 seconds or so. Therefore have to be designed to tap an unconscious feeling. Prospects are emotional lemmings as far as we are concerned until we can flash a “light” with humor, information or any other format to guide them to our establishment with further marketing. The use of demographics should help in choosing the ad format to suit your needs.

Finally, if a prospect needs tires they have to get them from somewhere regardless if they had a bad experience before in the industry. That situation should be easy if they had a bad experience as we cannot change their past, only give the best service we can to keep them a client. But, that’s at the end of the marketing trail this thread is focused on the beginning and why your so unhappy:)

[Bud]

[Fred W]

“Most shops do need help with their advertising, but I wouldn't say that is the beginning of the sales road. It is more of an endless process, not a one way street.”



Yes it is a one way street to our coffers. Advertising is only the first tool on the front lines of a marketing plan. Surly you don’t expect to put an ad on a billboard and run to the bank to watch you account grow. Your billboard must tie to a mailer than to a follow up mailer maybe a website to further educate the prospect. Than after 5 or 6 times getting hit might buy something to finally be called a customer, but hes still just a customer now they need more marketing; a follow up call, a thank you, service reminders. Now the customer is nearing the end of your one way street to become a client, now stop their car make them park and stay a while now you will see the results of the first ad.

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Not really. Many ads that make you laugh don't even make you remember the product, let alone any compelling reasons to buy it. Just last night my wife and daughter were talking about a line of cereal ads. It is a running joke, the cereal crunches so loudly the person can't even hear himself getting fired, or getting a promotion.

Funny right? (If you don’t know you weren’t their target)

So I asked them to name the cereal. They couldn't. I asked them to state any reason to buy it, other than it crunches loudly. They could not.


They don’t need to yet but they will. However, that is a great example of a humorous ad that worked “prospects” were talking about it.


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Ads only have a shelf life of 3 seconds or so. Therefore have to be designed to tap an unconscious feeling. Prospects are emotional lemmings as far as we are concerned until we can flash a “light” with humor, information or any other format to guide them to our establishment with further marketing. The use of demographics should help in choosing the ad format to suit your needs.

“That sounds somewhat insulting to prospects. Not a good thing.”


Sure it is, there are over 300,000,000 people in this country I don’t want to fix ALL of their cars only a few. When you insult your clients that is what hurts the bottom line.

[Louis Altazan]

Many, many years ago, Rhonda was the most popular and sought after girl in our school. She seemed to always have far more suitors than time for them. While she was attractive, so were many other less popular girls.

Being a bit more brash than some, I once asked Rhonda what her secret was. She told me it was being aggravating. She determined being on a boy’s mind was what was important. She said, whether they’re enthralled or aggravated by you, you’re still on their mind. It seemed to work for her. That was forty years ago, I’m not sure the same approach still works as well.

My point is, different things might work for different shops and at different times. There are also things that are more likely to produce good results in more cases, and this may be a less risky route. I think there will also, always be exceptions.

_________________
Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA

[Bud]

I'm not really impressed by what most shops say about their advertising 'results.' They all brag about their advertising, though, even when it has zero success. It is one of those things...

The principle will stand though. Humor is such a difficult tool to use, even for those who specialize in advertising, it would be wise for novices to avoid it.

Now, if they ever do write an ad that pulls 40% the first time out, that's really something.

[Dave]

[Bud]

You are right, Dave. Humor is extremely powerful, but extremely diifficult to use in advertising. You can put humor in the ads easily enough, but it usually won't keep the ad from being a dud. It might entertain, but it won't sell product.

So the principle was discovered by research, because tons of money was spent on the research. Avoid humor, and play it safe.

This forum is to dispel myths. Myths abound about advertising.