advertising

How To Position An Advertising Agency – Part II

Peter · September 19, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Welcome to Part II of How To Position An Advertising Agency. Here is Part I. It’s a good place to start.

Positioning An Advertising / Digital / Design Agency Isn’t Easy…

I know, I’ve positioned and re-positioned my own agency and do this for my ad agency clients. Here’s what you are up against.

Most advertising and digital agencies do essentially the same things for a living. Once you’ve decided on advertising or digital or integrated or mobile you are up against many other advertising, digital, integrated and mobile agencies.

Most agencies fear not being able to offer all things to all clients.

Differentiation itself may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. “The general challenge for any brand in any market is that what is differentiating is often not motivating and what is motivating is not necessarily differentiating.” This from Michael Moszynski, CEO of London Advertising (more on London later.)

Clients have a very short attention span. They might not spend the time required to read your carefully crafted copy. In this case, being concise would help.

The Power Of A Powerful Advertising Agency Position

Total Media Spending Going Up

Peter · August 22, 2013 · Leave a Comment

A good thing… marketing budgets are going up. Highlights:

TV remains king.

Digital growing by more than $5 billion per year.

Mobile expected to grow by $22.6 billion in next 4 years.

And, surprisingly, print holds steady.

Advertising Agencies: Follow The Money: Social, Mobile, Video

Peter · August 19, 2013 · Leave a Comment

From the land of “you know” this, comes a reinforcing eMarketer article and graphic showing you where the marketing / advertising budgets are going and you know what’s coming… I say follow the money.

Wow, so many opportunities for your agency to: build out social media, mobile and video expertise; so many opportunities to recalibrate your brand positioning and sales proposition. So, are you? I got to go WTF if you aren’t.

Four Reasons For Advertising Agencies To Want A Car Account

Peter · August 14, 2013 · Leave a Comment

… And One To Help Go Get That Car

As an addendum to my Advertising Week Social Club “Dreaming of a Car Account?” interview with Nielsen’s Ian Beavis, I offer some more thoughts on why you should go after a car account.

Big Bucks

Not that you didn’t know this but these guys spend big bucks. According to Kantar Media, in 2013’s first quarter alone, automotive manufacturers spent $1,971 billion and $1,381 billion respectively on manufacturer and dealer advertising.

According to Ad Age, General Motors spent $3.59 billion on advertising last year while Toyota spent $2.86. For contrast, Hyundai and Kia spent only $776 million and $1.26 billion.

Big Media

Again, no surprise that auto accounts use all types of media, which offers agencies of all stripes the opportunity to customize services for manufacturers and dealers. According to Ads24’s most recent Path to Persuasion (P2P) Wave 4: Automotive (passenger cars), “Usually, the most effective media mixes include media formats that play differentiated roles across the Path to Persuasion.”

Big Noise

Just as a reminder… Has anyone not seen Audi’s “Prom”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANhmS6QLd5Q

Or, Volkswagen’s “The Force” (with 58 million YouTube views)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

Or, Kia’s “Hamster Rap”?

Or… Chrysler and Eminem?

Big Love

Toyota has been with Saatchi & Saatchi (nee Dancer, Fitzgerald, Sample) since 1975. Car accounts are hard to move.

“A car account always has been a rite of passage in the world of agencies,” said Jon Bond, co-chairman of Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal & Partners. “It’s like being a made man in the Mafia, but … today, you can get whacked the next week.”

Big Need

Two of the more interesting questions and answers from my interview with Ian Beavis, EVP Automotive at Nielsen and ex auto CMO point to the fact that agencies can find a wedge service into auto accounts. Go for it boys.

Levitan: A final question. Agencies have a hard time creating a competitive agency brand positioning. Any insights and advice you can give to the agency world on how to be distinctive in this highly competitive category?

Beavis: You rarely hear of an agency being a business solution provider, as it just doesn’t sound cool or creative. A good agency solves a client’s business issues and is a partner. Very few qualify and even fewer truly embrace this challenge.

Levitan: What are the current digital hot buttons at car companies?

Beavis: Quality lead generation and follow up. It is the top priority with all OEMs

So, be smart, be distinctive, be a problem solver… get going.

Emotional Marketing As An Advertising Agency Positioning

Peter · August 8, 2013 · 1 Comment

I am talking with one of my clients about an agency positioning that positions them as an expert on emotional marketing. As in, the agency is an expert at triggering an emotional response in the consumer. Yes, they have the right chops for this. And, they live in the right country. And, clients, well some, Ok some, understand the emotional vs. the uber rational sell. Kiss me and I’m all yours.

As such, I am sensitized to emotional pitches these days. Here are two examples of emotional marketing in action. One is a movie trailer (from the great Spike Jonze) and the other a Google Nexus website and really sweet video (a really sweet story.)

Why is Google’s advertising getting so much better than Apple’s?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS8zOLOcPMQ

Here is the Nexus website. Watch the video.

I did some personal math the other day. I’ve been positioning agency’s for over 25 years. I’ve got another 13 really smart positionings up my sleeve. If you are interested in separating your agency from the pack, start here…