Old Volvos Never Die. They Pass On

'Old Volvos never die.  They Pass On'

That headline from 1980 proves the adage that some things are timeless.

Back then the world was recovering from a second oil crisis and even though Volvos were powered by 4 cylinder engines, the fuel economy numbers as mandated by the EPA were going to be bad.  Volvo decided to go another direction and talk about their durability.  Specifically, how long their cars lasted. 

Clever.  And on point for the brand.

This campaign didn't appeal to everyone.  Again, that's the point.  They knew who their customers were and spoke directly to them.

I confess that I'm Volvo enthusiast.  Between my wife and I, we've owned 5 Volvos.  Currently we run a 14 year old V50 and a 10 year old XC60.  We maintain them well but the darn things run well and feel as tightly screwed together as when they were new.  I hope I haven't jinxed them!

When the brand delivers as promised, that's the mark of great advertising!

Until next time...

Chris

What is Canada's Premium Beer?

"Hey Google...What is Canada's premium Beer?"

That question posed in backlit billboard splendor caught my attention while I was out running early one morning last week. Most of the time I am barely aware of anything other than my breathing and footsteps.  After seeing this message, all I thought about for the rest of my run was how smart Steam Whistle was in coming up with that campaign.

Advertising works when the message resonates with its target audience. This is great advertising! The people who put this campaign together deserve kudos for developing and executing this campaign. I'm sure they have data to rationalize their work but emotionally it just feels right.  And that's the magic that really caught my attention:  An advertising campaign that speaks directly to the customer emotionally.  

Good going Steam Whistle...and all your marketing and advertising partners.

Until next time...

Chris

What it really is like inside an Advertising Agency

What's it really like inside an Advertising Agency?  Well...drinking for starters.  That was my first impression at my first Agency when 10 minutes into my interview, the VP asked if I wanted a drink.  And he wasn't offering water!

The truth about what goes on inside an Advertising Agency is somewhat more mundane.  It's a business first:  It produces advertising at a cost (communication marketing 'stuff') and sells at a markup with enough profit to keep the shareholders happy.  On the surface it looks glamorous.  Until you're 3 days into a location shoot with costs spiraling and the client is freaking out. 

Back in the day 'The Agency' was the keeper of the Strategy.  We asked the questions, analyzed the data from both quantitative and qualitative research, came up with brand positioning and developed marketing, communication and advertising plans.  And of course the advertising.  Even within the world of 'Digital', not much has changed.  Maybe the players have but the song remains the same...

Until next time...
Chris Morales

Marketing 101: Awareness, Consideration, Preference

Back in the day as a newbie account guy a really smart Creative Director sat me down for a lesson on Marketing:  "You've got to get the consumer to become aware of you before they will consider you...only then will they grow to prefer you".  Great advice then and even more critical today with the myriad ways that consumers learn about new products.  Here's a great way to look at the process:

At the end of the day brands are looking for ways to keep a customer coming back for more...all while telling their friends...and so on...

Until next time...
Chris Morales

After dark in Advertising

What really goes on in an Advertising Agency after everyone but the Creative Guys have gone home for the evening?

I came across an interesting read recently.  It's called LINDSREDDING.COM.  Linds is a former Creative guy and he wrote an article on his blog a few years ago that presents a humurous take on the Advertising business. He's pretty cynical about the advertising business and that's too bad.  I've spent my working career in and around the business.  I've seen and experienced a lot...I still love 'the business'.  

That being said, If you've spent any time in the trenches of an Advertising Agency, it's a great read.  And if you haven't, you'll think we're all crazy. 

The trick to being truly creative, I’ve always maintained, is to be completely unselfconscious. To resist the urge to self-censor. To not-give-a-shit what anybody thinks. That’s why children are so good at it.  A Short Lesson In Perspective. 

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Chris M Morales

MarCommTO

chris.morales@bell.net

647 393 3855

Linkedin:  Chris M Morales 

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own and are not associated with any other group or organization