digital creative 2
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the DMA’s Creative Certification Course
Part Two
Great Print: Evaluate Creative for Mail, Space Ads and More
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013 ; 8:30am - 12:00pm
Presented by Alan Rosenspan • Nancy Harhut • Carol Worthington-Levy
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Want to reach any of us?
Alan Rosenspan: [email protected]
Nancy Harhut: [email protected]
Carol [email protected]
You’ll also find us in LinkedIn!
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In this session, we’ll…• Reveal key elements of great copywriting that can
jumpstart your success for all print, mail and even digital advertising.
• Share the drivers of both effective direct mail and print advertising
• Show you how to create more effective advertising and concepts that will get attention and sell your products and services
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But before we do that – did anyone do the homework?
• Share your Big Idea: tell us what product or service you need to promote, and then how you could promote it using a Big Idea.
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How to evaluate print creative… and how to make YOURS more
successful.
We’ll lead off with ‘our best efforts’ – some challenges we faced, and bested!
On to session 2…
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Carol Worthington-Levy sharesa challenging print effort/campaign
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Case History
Silverleaf:When branding simply
isn’t enough.
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Silverleaf is a luxury development by DMB Realty
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Silverleaf’s branding agency built a story of refinement and peace for the affluent
Their target market was well-defined:• The penta-millionaire who wants a home for living and
entertaining• A C-level business person or celebrity• They demand the highest-end shopping and dining• They crave privacy and security• They love both a luxurious and a casual lifestyle
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It’s a world unto itself!
Silverleaf even has…• Its own school, inside the property gates• an air strip for Silverleaf homeowners and their
guests• A world-class golf course designed by one of the
great course designers of this generation
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• 12 x 16
• Heavy coated papers
for interior pages —
doubled up!
• Embossed
• Extra ink layers
• Special papers
• Cost per brochure
about $10 apiece
Collateral they developed — and intended to use in direct marketing
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• TIP: Crop with
care! When
connecting to any
audience, never
crop photos to cut
the eyes off
• Reader gravity:
people look at a
spread ‘right page
first’ – and hardly
look at left side
Collateral looks sumptuous and rich, but detached
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• Often brand agencies
get so deep into the
concept of the brand
that they forget that
people ‘from the
outside’ are seeing it
Beautiful black and white images of cacti, almost abstract
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Their plan…
• To take this piece and mail it to prospects
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The branding agency didn’t understand the need for effective direct marketing
• Client then asked them to do a postcard but it failed.
• They were so tied to their brand elements and story that they couldn’t develop an effort that was warm and inviting, rather than all about exclusivity.
• They didn’t know how to build affordable mail that still said ‘luxury’ — limited production experience
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• In the long run — as much as we all love beauty
and luxury — they have to sell the properties!
• Mail can be very effective to the affluent
audience — even if it’s not ultra-expensive
• ROI is an essential component to any
successful marketing program — and mail
continues to pull the best ROI of any media in a
prospecting environment
Is it weak or bad to compromise “brand standards” to build responsive efforts?
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• Used serif fonts, and no white type on black or gray
– only black type on light backgrounds
• Used more interesting, but less expensive paper
• Used more color photography, less BW
• Changed the copy, to be friendlier and less aloof
• Tried a number of different offers, including tickets to
weekend cultural events at Silverleaf, golf with a
Silverleaf representative at the Silverleaf golf course,
and more
What did we change to make their efforts more effective?
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• Flat white envelopes often
don’t get the attention that
a textured or color envelope
does
• Ready-made envelopes are
almost impossible to find in
anything interesting. We
manufactured it in Classic
Columns paper.
Silverleaf direct mail: OE has texture tointrigue the fingertips
http://www.neenahpaper.com/FinePaper/CLASSICCOLUMNSPapers
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• Also printed on
Classic Columns to
match envelope
Letter is written with respectful but is warm and friendly
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• The black and white
photos are only kept
as secondary accents
• Brand group kept
thinking we were
selling lifestyle – but
in the long run we’re
selling property
Brochure: used color to show the beauty of the property
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• Brand had indicated a vertical format — not
conducive to selling wide open spaces
Brochure: horizontal format plays up the countryside and golf course
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• Highly personalized
• Envelope provides privacy when they return it
• This is a good place to highlight an offer
Reply card and reply envelope
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• We don’t love the balance
of BW/Color, or the
reversed type… but they
had already assigned it to
the brand group
Website and landing page
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Results:• DMB Realty has nearly sold out of their $1million+ homesites during one of the worst economic slumps of the century (note, homes mandated to be 5 to 7 million to build!)• They have gone on to develop semi custom and other housing units on the property — such as $1 million townhomes — which also have been selling extremely well. Regarded as a huge success!
Questions?
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Nancy Harhut sharesa challenging print effort/campaign
(the 2012 Creative Slamdown World’s Greatest Creative Award Winner!)
Creative Challenge: Sell life insurance to dentists
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Product:Life insurance from ADA Insurance Plans of Great-West Life
Target:ADA dentists with coverage
Goal:Sell more life insurance to them
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• Don’t want to think about it
• Assume they’re “all set”
• Limited, frequently- mailed audience
Audience Barriers
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• Parity product category
• Less expensive options available
• Must remain an ADA member - $$$
Product Barriers
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• No agents – only sold direct
• No one-stop shopping
• Daunting application
Process Barriers
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• “Slide in under the radar” package
• Smart use of personalization
• Strong DR techniques
• Strategic use of the Magnetic Middle
The Solution?
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• “Slide in under the radar” package
• Smart use of personalization
• Strong DR techniques
• Strategic use of the Magnetic Middle
459% LIFT OVER THE CONTROL
Did it work?
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Alan Rosenspan sharesa challenging print effort/campaign
(the 2012 Creative Slamdown World’s Greatest Creative Award Winner!)
Affinity Marketing
Credit cards created for members of organizations, unions, universities, sports teams and other shared interest groups
This program was for VPI Pet Insurance owners
Largest pet insurance company in U.S.; recommended by 9 out of 10 veterinarians
Credit card trends Credit card ownership is declining 29% report they do not own
Credit card usage is still strong 500+ million VISA cards in force in the U.S.
Average American has 13 credit obligations Including store cards, loans, etc.
What usually works Leveraging the existing relationship – the
emotional value of the affinity
Affinity marketing adds credibility
Affinity members are much more likely to open targeted direct mail, and are more receptive
There’s a reason you are receiving this…
Tactics
Direct marketing has to walk a balance between leveraging the affinity and showing all the benefits of the card
…but we’re talking about people’s pets!
Wonderful visual opportunities
The Existing Control
Is that the best they could do?
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4-7 Different Approaches
“Credit-Card Centric”
“You’ve Proven Yourself”
“Another VPI Benefit”
“Focus on Rewards”
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“Emotional Approach”
What did they pick?
It should be about 10:00 …
Want to take a 10 minute break?
Nancy Harhut:The Psychology Behind Copywriting that
Sells
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Decision-making Shortcuts
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Human Behavior Triggers
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Principle of Reciprocity
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Availability Bias
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Social Proof
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Magnetic Middle
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Principle of Scarcity
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Storytelling
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Visual Tricks
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• An important driver to the web — because you NEED more than SEO
• Can provide more qualified leads when you’re prospecting
• Gives you a way to test markets for possible mailing in the future
Concepts in action:Space advertising
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• Designers, in particular, like to create bold visual statements in space ads
• But - If the customer has to think for more than a moment, the message won’t get through… no matter how flashy you are
• In a matter of seconds, you can lose them… or you can reel them in!
Space advertising is more challenging than most realize
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7 handy points for keepingyour space advertising creative on track
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Point 1:The best visuals are the things
your customer ismost interested in.
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Don’t bother showing prospects something that impresses you and your peers.
You’re not the customer.
Find out what your customer loves.(Don’t assume you know – research!)
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Does this make you want to buy a big screen TV?
Question: What would inspire YOU to buy one?
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Maybe this?
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Lands’ End promisesmore than
just warmth…
They use photography that really says ‘soft’ and use a phrase that tells us that it’s exquisite without saying that.
And we want this sweater.
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For a traveler looking for beauty and solitude…
1. Negative statements quash interest.2. The great outdoors shouldn’t look gray and barren3. Monochromatic ads/subdued color is more likely to be ignoredPS – who would struggle to read this ad? Hint: Comprehension of a written message is reduced to only 10% when the type is reversed-out sans serif type
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What if that same traveler sees this ad?
Why does this ad have more appeal?• Eye-catching presentation• The fire and tent look inviting
BUT… Some of their effort is wastedHow many of you see the big idea they wanted to get across?
Subtlety is often wasted in space advertising
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Point 2:Your customers are looking
for answers to their problems.
The more clever, convoluted or arty you make it,
the less they’ll ‘get it’
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Which Vacuum ad draws in more customers?
This one… or….
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… or this one?
• Mr. Oreck is a personification of their BRAND• What makes this guy so appealing?• Why would someone read all this copy?• What’s in it for the reader?
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A big idea can be very
straightforward• What does someone
with pain crave?• What kind of life do they
wish they had?• Did this ad deliver on
what their customer is hoping for?
• The little diagram helps draw in the customer with some ‘proof’
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Does this pun draw you to the hotel?
• Do we care who she is?• Does this guarantee
you’ll love the hotel?• Do you love being
disappointed in a hotel once you get there? Not.
• Ad does not alleviate any sense of risk.
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On the other hand…
• Hotels profit from family vacations (multiple rooms, meals, amenities etc.
• This appeals to the craving of a working couple for a fun vacation in a kid-friendly environment
• It also appeals to the fantasy that they can enjoy their kids - capture a fun moment – before it’s too late!
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Dell tells us some good news
• … PLUS you feel like they’re just like you –
• “THANK GOODNESS• It only looks expensive.”
• You like Dell a little more because of this ad.
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B2B/B2C: Lands’ End promises good news
The promise to a road warrior that they’ll always look their best, with little to no effort
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B2B: A promise of more sales… in less spaceThis company makes “Beer Salt” – which is popular with the Latino beer enthusiasts.
With this product next to the cash register, a 7-ll can triple their beer sales. (The display is so small, it fits there easily!)
No need to educate them about beer salt – just show them the profits!
This B2B ad goes in food industry pubs
Offer!
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Point 3:Take them by surprise…
intrigue them!
But again, make sure it’s interesting to the reader
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Suspension of disbelief and
generating fantasy• Their target market:• Someone who wants to
be admired.• Does this eliminate too
many people? • Would someone who
doesn’t want to be admired be happy with this ring?
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Cheeky copy pushes all the right buttons!Key words: genuine, passionate, discovered, supplies will not last forever, nowhere else on earth (rare), don’t miss your chance, we don’t play by the rules of [expensive] jewelry stores, endangered, 100% guaranteed, simple, full refund
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Does this make you curious?
Insurance advertising is rarely surprising or engaging
But with a headline like this, you can’t help but be drawn in to find out what Liberty Mutual has to say
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How to get someone to consider a vacation in freezing cold Churchill, Canada
The more specific you are to your audience, the less you have to tell them, and the more interested they’ll be in your adNote – no explanation of what a Tundra Buggy is. None needed. Let’s go see the Polar Bears!
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Humor can be risky but …
The target audience is someone who would use Adobe Photoshop to make changes in photos
This un-subtle approach immediately shows the benefit and fun of Photoshop
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B2B:If you’re a media buyer, this kooky
scenario would stop you in your tracks
This ad’s point: Anyone — even a bride heading down the aisle — won’t be able to resist looking at your advertising on the ROVI TV schedule!
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Point 4:“The Prospect as Hero”
Use an ad to show the reader how they, too, can be the hero
in their workplace or home
… if they follow your advice!
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Want to be a hero, like Sam?
• Who wouldn’t like to save their company or client $23,000 in postage?
• What would their boss say?
• Would their client be happy?
• When we get our prospect thinking in those terms, we have their attention
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Dad will love it – and love you more!
This tiny space ad sells ice cream for father’s day
Another ‘prospect as hero’ approach
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B2B: Copy and image
show ourprospect as
a hero
Visual tells the story: ‘The new Anritsu Site Master lasts all day without recharging... Just like you.’
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Point 5:Take a service or other ‘hard to explain’ product
from obscure to something your prospect can relate to –
and hear the phone ringwith new business!
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Product that’s hard to define?
Tell the story simplyWhen telling about a software system that enables someone to see dozens of other systems simultaneously, it’s easy to find examples…JugglersLion tamersBut why go there?Show them the benefit.
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Another story – and an ad that worked
• This guy used B&B Electronics wireless components and consulting to reconnect communications between two buildings without digging out the parking lot
• Hats off to Otis Maxwell who wrote that this wireless system ‘saved his asphalt.’
• We all love a good story, with a hero at the end
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A story of how we almost lost our way…
• Xtime is the developer of a highly comprehensive customer service system for auto dealerships
• Unlike other services that have some customer service pieces, Xtime has it all in one convenient package
• Xtime enables customer histories at their fingertips. No more ‘robocalls’ to frustrate customers. No more wasted money on mailers for service they don’t need. No more question of whether the parts are in. No more customers wondering when their service will be done.
• Xtime handles it all and more.
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How could we tell operations managers that this unique service is
exactly the solution they’ve beenlooking for?
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Brainstorm.“Xtime is like…”
Xtime is like a finely tuned pit crew in Nascar… where each worker is expert in what they do, fast and true. They help you to win the competition for more customers
When you have Xtime, it’s like you have hired the world’s best customer relationship manager, on call 24/7 Xtime’s multi-pronged
system of service is like your own service bay, where you have experts for each need, all working together
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A concept was chosen and we forged ahead• The pit crew concept
was chosen…• Because it was
colorful and seemed like a winning idea
• But this was not really the most intelligent solution.
• How do you stop a moving train?
• Sometimes you just have to step out of the way…
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But then, just in time, someone spoke up…
We put on the brakes and decided that the ad really could wait another month or two so it would be the right communication
We went to work again…
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We got ourselves a winner: inspired by walking around a car dealership!
• This final ad is inspired by the life of the fixed operations manager
• Everyone wants him to solve all of their problems
• He is seeking a way to reduce the post-it notes on his computer monitor and make everyone happy
• This ad has been running for months now – it is doing its job well
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Point 6:Size may not matter as much as you think
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Small space ads can pack a punch
• A $70 piece of jewelry with natural chakra stones strung on black jeweler’s cord.• A shoestring budget• Choose the market who is likely to buy it — affluent, open-minded individuals. Aim directly and fire.• Small ads: 2.25 x 4.125 in. A 6-ad set in New Yorker, run every other monthSold out in 6 months. Profit was in six figures.Website? It was there but most customers just bought directly from this adNote – even in tiny ad, there’s an offerSee the website with the cool magnifying glass function at http://chakranecklace.com/
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Small space ads can pack a punch
• Mini ad for the Mini Cooper• They ‘toot their horn’ for
winning a Consumers Digest Best Buy Sporty Car award
• While horn-tooting is generally not good, in this case Mini buyers are interested in this particular award
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High contrast is essential
• Which ad designs do best in this small space environment?
• Keep it simple, even black and white• The worst performers: photos of art, lots
of color, reversed out type
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How a few small space ads can dominate a spread
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Two 1/3 page ads and two 1/8 page ads
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Exploring new print media?
• Put your toe in the water with ads in a ‘marketplace’ or ‘directory’ in that publication• Watch to see who runs again and again – they are the ones for whom the ad space is working• Which ads attract our attention first?
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Point 7:An offer is part of
every successful effort –even space advertising
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This ad is almost ALL offer
Rumored to be the most successful space ad Intuit ever ran for Quickbooks
How do they know?
It has an offer.
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Lead with the offer, blow the doors off
• Sweeps offers generate excitement
• Attention-grabbers • If media is well
targeted, you get many more names of interested prospects
• You get more ‘dead wood’ too — but it can pay off
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Offers create a reason to start a conversation
• The offer is a FREE solutions kit that is useful for anyone in this business
• The free consultation will get less response, but it still opens a door
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The offer in this ad -
Avoid discounting your product – instead add value as they have with this triple bonus
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Don’t hide your offer
• People miss offers that are hidden. • Use a banner. Use a burst. Do anything to make sure the offer is clear
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Tacky? Or effective?
• Beauty contest winner, or great ROI?
FREE Benchmark
Study$200 value
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To this market, here’s the ultimate offer
This ad sells Praise and Worship tapes in a continuity series, to active Christians
The offer is a tape that is not sold anywhere – it is only available through this offer
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Anyone here doing space ads?At lunch, we can do some quick critiques…
‘7 points for space advertising ’ quick reminder list
1. Relevant visuals2. Solve a problem for your prospect3. Surprise or intrigue them4. The Prospect as hero5. Take on a new way to explain a complex or abstract
product or service6. Size tests and trial runs7. Offer in the ad
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Questions?
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Time for Alan Rosenspan
5 Key drivers for your creative efforts
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Key Driver #1
IT MUST BEOFFER-CENTRIC
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Offer-Centric?• In most cases, it is more effective to sell the offer
– not the product
• The direct mail package and the print ad should be all about the offer
• “Wait, there’s more…”
No one will ever wait
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• None of these had an offer
Prior mail “controls”
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New ‘control’ by CWL TEAM
A DM package
Team was not able to talk them into an offer
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Next ‘control’ by CWL TEAM
A DM self-mailertested with and without an offer.
But the offer sucked.
It beat the DM because of the reduction in cost
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“Offers don’t work for us”Correction: Bad offers don’t work.
Or
Offers don’t work if the audience is wrong/
Mailing list is bad
How many here think a cheap electric BBQ fork (that had been out on the market for a few years) is a good offer?
NEXT slide: the offer that won (Thanks to Alan!)
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Key Driver #2
IT MUST BE ALL ABOUT BENEFITS
“The customer or prospect doesn’t give a damn about you, your company
or your product.
“All that matters is ‘What’s in it for me?’”— Bob Hacker
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Determine your main benefit
• Definition of feature and benefit• A feature is what your product is or does• A benefit is what it does for the user
• Advertisers sell features; people buy benefits
• All benefits are not created equal
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Why does anyone buy these products?
Product: Gasoline
Features: Poisonous, smelly,expensive.
Benefit: Travel!
Product: Washing Powder
Features: Powdery, granular, comes in a box, poisonous.
Benefit: Clean clothing(You’ll feel clean and fresh)
(How about the high price of a Porsche?)
You can turn almost anything
into a benefit
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How many features and benefits can you think of for
an ordinary #2 pencil?
The Incredible Pencil Test
Ranking your benefits
Is it unique?
Is it important to your market?
Is it believable?
Is it a personal benefit?
Key Driver #3
IT MUST ADD VALUE
If the only time I ever hear from your company is when you want to sell me something…
…then I’m not sure I want to hear from your company
• Add valuable information
• Add tips or advice
• Add something that helps them
• Add something they didn’t expect
• Add entertainment
Something that people just can’t wait to open
Turn your direct mail package into a fortune cookie…
Key Driver #4
IT MUST HAVE URGENCY
And in this uncertain economy…
People are deferring purchase decisions
Why do I need it has become:
Why do I need it now?
Create urgency now!
Tell people what will happen if they don’t respond
Give them a deadline…
Use urgent language
Consider a fast 50… but never honor it
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Psychology studies show…
People are more motivated by fear of loss
than by the prospect of gain
Key Driver #5
IT MUST BE TARGETED
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Copywriting and Concept Worksheet
Client or product __________________________________________ Product name/detail: _____________________________________________________ Write a vivid word-picture with the prospect in the leading role of enjoying the benefits of the product or service. This will help you discover key words for concepts and copy!________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Feature:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Immediate Benefit Word Picture________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Long Term Benefit Word Picture________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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What’s next?
Part 3: Digital Creative that Engages Customers October 17 (today), 1:00 - 2:45 pm
Or: if you have something you’d like critiqued, or questions answered, we are available during lunch!
Lunch Time
See you at 1:00!OR…
we’ll be doing critiques during lunch