February Edition of the 60-Second Impact

February 2013

Estimated Reading Time: 60 Seconds

60-Second Articles:

1. Didn’t Buy A Super Bowl Ad? Why You May Be Smarter And Richer For It

2. Essential Thinking About Your Competition

3. The 60 Second Close: Can Colossal Ad Budgets Guarantee Success?

1. Didn’t Buy A Super Bowl Ad? Why You May Be Smarter And Richer For It

• Wish you were one of those advertisers bathing in the glory of one of those $4 million ads that aired during the big game? Actually, you’re probably smarter and richer for not doing it.

• Investing $4 million in a 30-second TV commercial (plus the huge production costs) is not a wise business decision because:

  • Advertisers rarely see a long-term increase in sales as a result of this huge investment. Pepsi’s huge expenditure – commercials and their $50 million half-time sponsorship – isn’t going to make a dent in the current cola wars.

  • At least one week after the game, most of the ads that aired are forgotten and the “buzz” disappears.

  • The ads create consumer confusion: Which beverage or car was that?

  • Humor and the cute factor, which is a big part of the ads, do not resonate with everyone. Sometimes the gimmicks or characters are remembered – but not the actual product.

  • The expense of the ads and even the creative message can leave your company open to criticism from various interest groups. Some commercials were getting bad publicity two weeks prior to the game even being played.

  • The dollars spent on the Super Bowl ad can create employee and shareholder dissention about the company’s budgeting priorities.

• When promoting a product on a single-event platform cluttered with other mega-produced spots – with little hope of moving the sales needle – not spending the $4 million is a wise business decision. You are smarter and richer for it.

2. Essential Thinking About Your Competition?

• Sustaining a successful business includes knowing everything about your competition.

• Most companies don’t take the time to truly think about their competition, and that’s a huge mistake – and a potential risk of your customers flocking to competitors for something you weren’t aware of.

• When it comes to your competition, there are three issues to think about:
  1. Who are your local competitors that are taking the most market share away from you?
  2. What makes them successful?
  3. Who are your favorite leaders in your business segment? What do they offer that makes their customers loyal? What are they doing that you admire?
• Studying your competition gives you a chance to set a benchmark for performance and an opportunity to stay ahead by re-evaluating your strengths and weaknesses and offering better products and services.

3. The 60-Second Close: Can Colossal Ad Budgets Guarantee Success??

• With all the brand awareness and advertising dollars in the world, success and a return on your investment are never guaranteed. There are too many factors that can affect the marketing mix.

• Though your business may not be the size or category where a Super Bowl ad would be considered, you have a much better chance for success with your marketing efforts simply by analyzing the manner in which the two teams got to the top – by being committed to building a championship team from the top down and having a playbook that defines culture and winning at every position.

• If your company wants to move up in the category standings to championship status and wants a winning playbook, then give us a call. We can help drive sales, convert leads and ring registers. And, we can help you get there faster … and better than ever.