Canned commercials, oh boy! What are they? Canned commercials are pre-produced print, radio and television ads that focus on a particular product category.
They make it easy on the advertiser because these ads usually cost about $300-$500 per ad and all the advertiser has to do is tag the spot with their logo.
Common canned categories are financial, funeral homes, grocery, and jewelry.
Now, I'm not going to say that companies who use canned ads won't be successful.
There are companies who have grown-up on these types of ads, but advertiser beware.
Canned ads are most successful when you are the only one in your product category advertising.
That makes sense, right? However, once others start entering the electronic world of influence your "national looking" ad becomes faceless and impersonal.
Pre-produced ads can't show your company's differentiation.
How can they? Bob in Huston is using it, as is Mary in Cleveland, John in Anchorage, and on and on and on.
The purpose of the canned ad is to promote the industry, not an individual business.
It is an advertiser's drug, they're easy to execute and implement, but they will never allow you to create a brand that anyone can relate to.
So, I would never suggest steering away from your canned ads without offering suggestions as to how to accomplish this: find an ad writer who you feel you can openly communicate with.
The best ad writers are those that are not directly involved in your day to day business.
It's important that the writer see your business as a consumer and not as an employee.
Pick one or two "Unique Selling Propositions" (U.
S.
P.
).
That is, what does your company do better than anyone else in your product category? Once you have identified your U.
S.
P.
's it is important to develop that message with your ad writer.
Enter your customer's world.
Get outside the bottle and try to read your label as they see it.
Every ad you produce should focus on one of your U.
S.
P.
's.
Don't clutter your ad with more than one concept.
The goal is to leave the receiver with a clear understanding of what is being communicated, and what you want the receiver to do or feel after receiving your message.
The easiest ads focus on what to do: i.
e.
"pick up the phone and call today!" The ads that evoke a feeling the receiver will have once purchasing your product are the most effective.
Let's face it.
Only about 1% of products being offered falls into the "need" category: food, shelter, and clothing.
No one "needs" a Rolex watch or Gap jeans or aluminum siding.
They want these items.
Creating emotional desire is key.
Think about yourself.
Don't we all have many encounters with our intuitive self daily called justification? We will justify in our rational mind what our emotional side wants at the moment.
Sometimes, we become impulsive and buy the item right away.
Other times, we bring it back to our rational mind's eye to sort things out.
But, the emotional side almost always wins out.
Get people to desire you in your advertising and you will win.
Let's recap: find an ad writer outside your organization who you can trust; develop one or two U.
S.
P.
's; focus your ads on one U.
S.
P.
; create desire and be clear on what your prospect is to do or feel.
Follow this wisdom and stick with it and you shall see your rewards!
They make it easy on the advertiser because these ads usually cost about $300-$500 per ad and all the advertiser has to do is tag the spot with their logo.
Common canned categories are financial, funeral homes, grocery, and jewelry.
Now, I'm not going to say that companies who use canned ads won't be successful.
There are companies who have grown-up on these types of ads, but advertiser beware.
Canned ads are most successful when you are the only one in your product category advertising.
That makes sense, right? However, once others start entering the electronic world of influence your "national looking" ad becomes faceless and impersonal.
Pre-produced ads can't show your company's differentiation.
How can they? Bob in Huston is using it, as is Mary in Cleveland, John in Anchorage, and on and on and on.
The purpose of the canned ad is to promote the industry, not an individual business.
It is an advertiser's drug, they're easy to execute and implement, but they will never allow you to create a brand that anyone can relate to.
So, I would never suggest steering away from your canned ads without offering suggestions as to how to accomplish this: find an ad writer who you feel you can openly communicate with.
The best ad writers are those that are not directly involved in your day to day business.
It's important that the writer see your business as a consumer and not as an employee.
Pick one or two "Unique Selling Propositions" (U.
S.
P.
).
That is, what does your company do better than anyone else in your product category? Once you have identified your U.
S.
P.
's it is important to develop that message with your ad writer.
Enter your customer's world.
Get outside the bottle and try to read your label as they see it.
Every ad you produce should focus on one of your U.
S.
P.
's.
Don't clutter your ad with more than one concept.
The goal is to leave the receiver with a clear understanding of what is being communicated, and what you want the receiver to do or feel after receiving your message.
The easiest ads focus on what to do: i.
e.
"pick up the phone and call today!" The ads that evoke a feeling the receiver will have once purchasing your product are the most effective.
Let's face it.
Only about 1% of products being offered falls into the "need" category: food, shelter, and clothing.
No one "needs" a Rolex watch or Gap jeans or aluminum siding.
They want these items.
Creating emotional desire is key.
Think about yourself.
Don't we all have many encounters with our intuitive self daily called justification? We will justify in our rational mind what our emotional side wants at the moment.
Sometimes, we become impulsive and buy the item right away.
Other times, we bring it back to our rational mind's eye to sort things out.
But, the emotional side almost always wins out.
Get people to desire you in your advertising and you will win.
Let's recap: find an ad writer outside your organization who you can trust; develop one or two U.
S.
P.
's; focus your ads on one U.
S.
P.
; create desire and be clear on what your prospect is to do or feel.
Follow this wisdom and stick with it and you shall see your rewards!
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