I have been a little irritated lately. Believe me… it has been fairly stressful being so irritated at the world. I have begun to realize that the majority of marketers, advertising firms, and communication professionals have become extremely complacent. Period. Why is it so hard for marketers to speak human?
Let me give you a few examples:
1. The Indianapolis Mayoral Race
The wonderful city of Indianapolis recently had their mayoral race. Greg Ballard and Melina Kennedy squared off for a battle of the ages! Greg Ballard pulled out the win to secure his second term but not without some terrible marketing from both sides of the aisle. The overproduced “he said, she said” debate choked my television set and the smiling pictures of staged individuals drove me insane.
The Ballard team released ads blaming the Kennedy campaign for lying… the Kennedy campaign did the exact same thing to Ballard. “The Indianapolis Star calls the Kennedy ads cheap,” cries a Ballard campaign. Not two days later, a Kennedy ad was released saying, “The Indianapolis Star backs Kennedy.”
I would show you two examples but the Kennedy campaign didn’t actually use YouTube.
Where is the passion behind the campaign? Where are the advocates screaming on the social media, “I believe in this race and I believe in the position of candidate X!”
To their credit… both parties used social media… and I’m using the word loosely.
Political marketing hasn’t changed in twenty years and I am becoming tired of innovation NOT happening in this world. You were handed a blueprint of how to build a digital and user friendly campaign with Obama. Let’s spend some time in the coming years truly working towards success.
2. Comcast
My fiance and I were watching some movie reviews and previews that come with the cable package we purchased from Comcast. After every 60 second preview we had to sit there and watch a 60 second commercial for Fandango.com. Let me be clear, this was the same commercial… over and over again.
I’m going to blame both parties – Fandango and Comcast for this debacle. The fact that they thought it would be a good idea to place an ad within on-demand features is puzzling. It is completely impossible for Fandango to measure the success of interrupting my night over and over again.
It shows a lack of ingenuity and innovations within the Comcast and Fandango team. I’m less likely to use Fandango because you annoyed me over and over again with an ad that I COULD NOT skip.
The Problem
The problem is not a lack of trying. Marketers are some of the hardest working individuals in the professional world. The problem is a lack of passion and not understanding the true potential of moving an individual to excitement.
I just finished reading the Steve Jobs book by Walter Isaacson (more on that later)… which every single one of you should buy today. Towards the end of the book Steve is talking about advertising most notably political campaign ads. He is talking to Obama and basically says, “Your campaign ads are shit. They have no passion and I want to help you make them better for 2012.” Steve was right… they have no passion.
Why is it so hard for marketers to speak human? We are not spending enough time trying to figure out the true passion behind the individuals we are trying to sell. We are not trying to reach the individual instead of the masses. Yes, campaign ads can reach millions but they do not show passion.
Marketers are trying to instill decade old… tired… and beat-up values in the minds of consumers. It just isn’t working anymore… period.
What do you think?
Leah B.
I seriously want to take this post, print it out, roll it up like a newspaper, and swat some local (and national!) business types right on the nose with it.
I'd also add Doctor Pepper 10 to that list. What an abortion of a campaign THAT is. Dated, unoriginal, offensive, one-way communication in a two-way world, and those are the kindest things I can say.
The Click Whisperer
CNN.com has my loyalty because of brand equity; when I want to watch news videos I got to CNN.com pretty much exclusively. My peeve is with the fact that they run the same commercial between every 3 minute video segment. Not only has CNN eroded it's brand equity with me considerably, but their lack of deftness with programming their commercials and selling this obtuse "Run-of-channel" spot to whatever advertiser is dense enough to go for it KILLS the brand equity of the advertisers. I'd never buy a Nissan because of it.
TruthShocker
Wow. Instead of complaining about the way marketers are doing stuff why dont you go out there and help? You're a "social media guy" in Indy so why didnt you reach out to either campaign to help? Perhaps overhyping on social media only gets you so far
kylelacy
It's funny that you assumed I didn't try to help. I don't debate with people who are not open enough to provide their name with a comment.
TruthShocker
Its not difficult to find out whose all talk and whose all action. I only share my social information with individuals with Klout Scores above 63
Leah B.
ZING!
Eric Wittlake
Kyle, I agree with you here. Many marketers are still looking to shout their own message.
Remember the Toyota ad a couple years ago that sparked outcries because of the obnoxious music and very high frequency? It turned out they were applying traditional reach / frequency approaches in their planning and ignoring how viewership has changed.
Toyota's top deciles or quintiles (to use old school planning language) had much higher frequency than they would have had 10 years earlier, and they didn't consider the impact this change has in how they should approach planning and the experience their audience has.
Rodger
Brutha, I feel your pain, but it's not always the communication professional's fault. The client's wishes always trump better practice. Clients who don't understand won't make the right decision. It's that simple. It's your job as the communication services provider to help them understand — which you try to do here.
Let me ask you some questions. Have you approached Kennedy or Ballard to show them the error of their ways and help them understand that a better way can be had? We will have another election in 2012, will you approach other politicians and show them the way to communication nirvana?
Or, are you complaining to be complaining? The same goes for Comcast.
The problem, however, at least for now, is that you won't convince Ballard because he won. So the tactic of sleazy, cheap advertising worked. At least in his mind. And at the end of the day, it's what the client thinks about our work that matters, right? They are writing the check, aren't they?
As long as a tactic works, people will continue to use it. I think Doug Karr said the same about SPAM not long ago. It's cheap, sleazy and annoying, but it works. Otherwise, why would it be used.
As concerned, but savvy, Hoosiers, citizens and consumers, we have two choices: 1.) Listen to the crap, or 2.) find something else to occupy or time — like a good book.
Savvy communication professionals have a greater opportunity now more than before. Approach these organizations that are doing crappy marketing and teach them the gospel of good communication. The rub comes here, you know. Only a thirsty horse will drink the water you lead it to. Until then, I suggest reading more books.
Ted Hong
Hi Kyle,
I'm the CMO for Fandango, Ted Hong. Thanks for pointing out this issue with our ad on Comcast. It was not apparent to me that the ad was not being frequency capped. We are looking at making adjustments right now.
I really do appreciate it and not just because your Klout score is 62 😉
kylelacy
Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you Ted! Post coming.
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