The secret to making angel/devil advertising work is to infer about the other business without saying the other guy is rotten. For example, some coffee houses fought Starbucks by relentlessly saying Starbucks beans were burned. This turns customers off. Even if some may believe it, it comes across as sniping.
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal titled, Restaurants Burned by Deep Discounts, said in part, “as several chains prepare to report second quarter earnings in coming weeks, Wall Street is bracing for news that price cuts not only ate into profits but failed to bring in as many customers as hoped. There was an 8% [...]
As to the actual ad, the blowup porn doll approach seems confused. Go with me here. If this is indeed an ad for a target demographic of young men, and you want them to eat them, are they in turn like the woman pictured? So should this be an ad in West Hollywood rather than West Madison, WI?
While Facebook let’s you connect with people you generally already know, YouTube let’s you take your store, your products and customers to a whole new level online.
Those differentiating factors of how it is made will make it important to train the crew how to explain what you offer. They’ll also need to taste test next to Sbux and McCafe so their crew can speak about it intelligently. Again, someone who likes McCafe’s coffee should not be seen as a threat – they came to YOUR shop to try yours – the independent should win them over not piss them off.
As a former CMO you have a choice of three things to focus on. You either want to either drive frequency, trial of product or number of items in an order.
Just last week we saw Amazonfail where “someone” mysteriously removed gay and health titles from Amazon.com. Then Domino’s in Conover, NC with the employees boasting on camera how they put food up various parts of their body and then serve it. Now comes the spectacle of franchisees not buying enough chicken to support a major ad campaign.
If you need help with ideas for where to spend your time working on your business instead of fretting about your business, your competitors are giving you free instructions – just sign up.
The recession and bailout are just vehicles to hang your message on because they are topics in the news. Yes there has to be value there but these merchants are creatively looking at engaging their customers who might pass them by – and results have been very good.
Five minute interview of Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor on MSNBC by Rod Kurtz, Senior Editor of Inc. magazine on Phibbs four points retailers can use right now to alter holiday sales and get ready for 2009.
