Insights

Should Your Advertising Agency Do Spec Creative?

Peter · August 31, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Should Your Agency Do Spec? No! Yes. No Way. OK, Have to. Nope, Never. And, On And On.

Damn, that’s an age old and very perplexing question. I answered it in a chapter in my pitch book, The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches. and have an excerpt on this subject below.

I have been thinking (rethinking) about the question of whether or not advertising agencies should do spec creative or not. It was sparked by David Gianastasio’s ADWEEK article, “Can Agencies Win If They Don’t Play the Spec Pitch Game? The pros and cons of creating free work to win work.” David cites the El Segundo agency High Wide & Handsome’s refusal to do spec work. As High Wide & Handsome says…

When Mike Wolfsohn and his two partners left Southern California agency Ignited in 2010 to form High Wide & Handsome, they vowed not to participate in competitive pitches requiring contenders to foot the bill for speculative creative work. Such exercises “demean the profession,” said Wolfsohn, who decries the process as “a reality show to impress some panel of judges. Pitches rarely resemble what a working relationship would be like between agency and client.”

OK, more power to them. And, they might be able to pull it off for four reasons: [Read more…] about Should Your Advertising Agency Do Spec Creative?

Two Inventions To Get You Sparked

Peter · August 26, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Inventions? Sparked? You?

I am enamored with the concept of invention: meeting needs in new ways and in turning accepted ideas and ways of turning the same old on its side.

Right now I am staring at a big fat binder from Saatchi & Saatchi research and planning that I used in most of our new business pitches in the late nineties (and still use for reference.) These planning tools included our Masterbrand Temple, the Brand Detonator, SURT, Integrator and Old Brand Development. While they were all super smart stuff that helped us develop marketing strategies that lead to brand building and award-winning advertising, these tools also played the all-important role of dazzling prospective clients. Of course, Saatchi wasn’t alone in developing proprietary research tools. But, we really knew how to leverage the power of inventing new ways of doing business. Which brings me to the point.

Go Forth And Invent… Here’s Some Help.

Watch Rémy Martin Win The 2015 Brand Passion Award!

Peter · August 26, 2015 · Leave a Comment

This Is Brand Passion! Woman Downs Entire Bottle Of Rémy Martin XO Because She Couldn’t Take It On Flight

Now, ladies and gentlemen… this is BRAND Passion. In the 2015 mega-quest to help our brands become ‘Friends’ (and lovers) with their customers… this intimate brand relationship between a woman and her beautiful cognac should win a CLIO for Rémy Martin XO.

I am trying to visualize the award entry from the agency. How would they craft this story that Remy customers will never, ever, part with their XO! Hey, “I’ll miss that international flight… I just need to be alone with my Remy.”

The full story is on Yahoo!

How are you bonding with your customers?

I suggest that you head over to Branding Strategy Insider and its Seven Markers of Passion Brands to see how other masters are doing this.

Some Sweet Free Consumer Research Tools

Peter · August 24, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I Love Free Consumer Research Tools

I wrote about the new world of free (or virtually free) consumer research on LinkedIn. I discussed how I used Google Consumer Surveys to answer the question, “Have you ever considered retiring in Mexico?” The survey took about 10 minutes to set up and less than 24 hours for me to get 500 responses from my target group of 45 to 65-year olds. Surprisingly, 13% of this target group said yes.

OK, OK, it did cost me $50. But, really 50 bucks for a real survey is virtually free. (Yes, I know that serious researchers will have lots of questions about how Google runs these but, go with the flow.)

Another Google tool I use often (it is especially valuable to prove points in new business pitches) is Google Trends. Google Trends displays search history across the Google world view. Need to convince your client that she should hire Khloe Kardashian for its next social media program? Let Google Trends show you our wonderful world’s interest in this highly talented young woman.

There’s MoreFree Research Just For You

I am sure you know about Survey Monkey. Here are a couple of newbies.

Typeform is an online survey and form builder. From Typeform:

Online forms are an integral, if often unflattering, part of any modern business. By matching your style, both verbally and visually, typeforms transform the way you collect data, so you can put your stamp on what you ask.

What if there was a medium that can be both your promo flyer and your application form? A single tool that builds all sorts of competitions, with the perfect looks for social media. That’s what a typeform is.

Time and resources for developing landing pages, microsites and product presentations are scarce. Your project deserves to make a great first impression, and be ready to interact with visitors from the off.

Free Survey Creator. Surveys… fast.

Tally creates instant polls. Here is an example.

Need Some Help?

I’ve written about the power of research in new business pitches and how-to maximize effectiveness in my book, The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches. By the way… Buy the book and win more new business.