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Awards For Advertising

Advertising is a great business. Think about it. First they tell you that frequency is crucial, you cannot expect results unless your ad appears numerous times. Isn't that sort of like saying that the ad won't be very effective, so you will have to keep trying?

Then they tell you that you cannot really predict the impact the ad will have on sales, you are generating awareness. Did you go to the ad agency to get awareness or sales?

Anyone who says that ad agencies cannot sell has never considered the sales job they did to get customers to settle for awareness! This discussion could go on forever, so let's just go immediately to the discussion the title promised, advertising awards.

How Awards Help You Select An Ad Agency

How does anyone go about selecting an ad agency? Well, whether people like to admit it or not, we have no way of telling the difference between a slick presentation from a competent agency and a slick presentation from an incompetent agency. Of course, we can tell when a presentation is not slick, but more on that later….

Since one slick presentation looks pretty much like another, and what we are buying is future results (sales resulting from the ad campaign), the safe and logical thing to do is take a look at what they have done in the past. They will show you samples of their work, and you will like it or not, but what you like is really not all that important. After all, they are the trained professionals, and the mere fact that an ad campaign does not appeal to you does not mean it is not effective.

So how can you judge effectiveness? Well, what about the awards those campaigns won? Of course - that makes sense, those campaigns were evaluated against campaigns from other agencies, and an impartial group of judges determined which agencies produced the best campaigns.

Winning Advertising Awards

Well, it isn't really all that easy. First, the judges are not impartial. Who are the judges? Are they people from various magazines that can only afford to publish because of the ad revenues they receive? Are some of the judges academics that teach the agencies their craft? In short, are they people who have bought into the conventional idea that ads should be expected to create awareness instead of sales and that even that humble goal should require expensive repetition? Such judges could hardly be considered impartial. While they may not have a bias in favor of a particular agency, they certainly have a bias in favor of the status quo.

Now consider the award categories. "Best four color two page spread", "Best black and white ad", and "Best series". "Best" by what standard? Best because it is visually appealing to the trained eyes of the judges or best because the consumers bought more product? When was the last time you saw an award for "Achieved rapid growth in sales with a minimal investment" or "Gained 25% increase in profits with a 5% increase in advertising expenditures"? Which categories mean the most to you?

Results - Or Awards?

Most companies want results, not awards. Don't be seduced into chasing the wrong objective. Ad awards do not generally reflect the real success of the ad campaign. Most awards simply prove that the winning agency succeeded in talking their client into spending a lot on clever ads that would impress other ad agencies, resulting in the award.

Why is this so important? One reason is that advertising can work, but not if the wrong agency is steering your advertising investment in the wrong direction. If you get burned by a slick but unscrupulous agency you may give up on advertising and miss some fabulous opportunities. Another reason is that if companies continue to be duped by the agencies winning awards, other agencies that are committed to producing programs that get their clients sales instead of awards will not survive, and that would be bad for all of us.

Where Could You Go To Get The Facts?

I have never been too big on conspiracy theories, so I am hesitant to raise the question - but where could you go to get the facts on advertising effectiveness? Ad agencies have an obvious bias. They get paid by people who advertise, many are not very effective, and the biggest names in the business have the most to lose.

The tradition of letting ad agencies receive their commission from ads they place for you has the unfortunate effect of encouraging them to sell you on placing lots of expensive ads. It would make more sense if they were paid based on the amount they saved by spending less on more effective ads, but that is another matter.

You could look at the various magazines, searching for some keenly insightful article on effective advertising, but the overwhelming volume of publications rely on ad revenues for a significant portion of their revenue. Not only do they not want to discourage you from advertising by telling you the facts, they cannot afford to upset the ad agencies that determine where the ad budgets get spent.

Your last hope might be the universities, where advertising and marketing classes are taught by (1) former practitioners (with the inherent bias of the way they created and placed ads) or (2) non-practitioners from an ivory tower perspective.

Our Bias

At the risk of sounding rather pessimistic, there aren't too many people who have anything to gain by conducting good research and sharing it with people who buy advertising.  We suggest that you find someone who has no incentive to see you spend money, but who understands your marketing effort to be your ally. 

Since "Strategies That Work" is not an ad agency, we feel that we can take an informed but unbiased position, promoting a higher standard in advertising.  Fortunately, we are not alone - there are numerous qualified market research firms with no ties to advertising agencies who can help you sort ad agency hype from reality - after all, profits come from sales, not awards!

Best Picks...

....If you are in a hurry and can only read a few articles, the following five are the ones we hear the most about...

They are a bit longer than most of the others, but they will give you something to think about....

Could You Run A Winning Football Team Like You Run Your Company?

Teamwork - Coaches and players speak to business professionals, encouraging them to build teams that can win.  Let's compare your company to a professional football team....

Eating The Heart Of The Watermelon

The heart of the watermelon is the sweetest and lowest hassle part - so why bother with the rest?  You may not want to follow this thinking at your next picnic, but it sure works when making customer and product decisions!

Quit Your Company - An Exercise

This exercise will force you to see your company and the competitive landscape differently than ever before.  It will help you decide what needs to be done in order to stop the competition you don't even have yet...

Dealers And Distributors (Short Version)

You may need dealers and distributors- or not.  The real issue is whether your end users feel that they need your dealers and distributors!  Companies win when they offer end users what they want....

Dealers And Distributors - And "Going Direct"

If you have a dealer and distributor network, should you consider "going direct"?  Let me ask you this - if a major competitor did, what would happen to you?  That's your answer - this will help you see how to do it....

Management Theories

Not all management theories work - and this section discusses some theories that have problems

Reality Instead Of Theory

You can't believe everything you have been taught about business.  Most of it is true, good information - the trick lies in knowing which parts to believe, and which parts to reject.

Positive Reinforcement Myths

Positive reinforcement can result in training and motivational miracles - but there is one little catch...everyone in the "real world" seems too well fed for it to work!

Truth About Advertising - What Advertising Awards Mean To You

Advertising awards are something ad agencies love to display - perhaps it gives them a feeling of credibility.  It's a shame those awards don't reduce their client's advertising costs or increase their client's sales...

"One Size Fits All" Management Fads

Management fads do a lot of damage - they send companies off in wrong directions, and they erode the confidence of managers.  How?  Managers try the latest fad, and when it doesn't work, they assume it is because they were not good enough - it's a shame, because their instincts are almost always more effective than the fads...

TQM - The Quality Myth

TQM has been a major force for a number of years.  Although it has lost some of its luster in many circles, its proponents (consultants getting wealthy, perhaps) continue to re-invent it under a constant flow of new names....

Your Departments

The last group of articles in this section apply to sales and marketing.  The reason this area is receiving so much attention here is that there seems to be more confusion in that area.  Let's just take a quick look at some of your key departments...

Accounting Excitement

If business was a sport, the accounting department would be keeping score.  Unfortunately, the accounting department seldom provides the kind of information managers need in order to make good decisions....

Purchasing

Purchasing is more than "buying what you said you wanted", it is a proactive role that investigates better products and anticipates demand.

Engineering And R & D

Engineering creates your "new and improved" products - you need to make sure they know what your company and your customers want from them.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing - Manufacturing efficiencies largely determine your costs - and costs largely determine your competitive position!  Efficiency requires great management, management willing to do what it takes to attract and retain the very best people.

Entering New Markets - Then Closing The Door Behind You

Entering new markets - you couldn't do it if the companies already in those markets were staying in touch with their customers!  Remember that after you enter a market - or you may become someone else's "new market"!

Innovate, Renovate, But Satisfy Your Customers

Things have changed faster than most companies have changed - the web, overnight delivery, long distance charges, longer lasting products, direct (to consumer) sales - there are many ways to combine these things to satisfy your customers - and gain market share.

A Winning Marketing Campaign - Lousy Sales

Heartbeat Of America.  The ad campaign won awards, but market share slipped.  Winning companies match great marketing with great products - then the competition loses while consumers win.

Strong Companies Win In Efficient Markets

Marketing is not the art of lying without getting caught.  When your product is the best choice, there is no need to lie.

Applied Market Research - Satisfied Customers

Market research can come from a consultant, but it should also come from your own employees.  Having market research means nothing, however, if you don't use it to make customer driven decisions.

Selling To People - Not Markets

Sometimes we can forget that markets don't buy anything, people do.  Market research is valuable, but make sure it tells you about real people.  Nobody wants your product - they want a way to solve a problem or meet a need - perhaps your product can help them accomplish that.

Advertising For Sales, Not Awards

Advertising - why are you doing it?  If it is for sales, you may need to make sure your agency understands your priorities - instead of pursuing "awareness" and "impressions" - if you want sales, hold them accountable for sales!

The Rest Of It...

Not everything fits into a file, box, or compartment - this is the rest of it....

StrategiesThatWork.com Homepage

Marketing should not be a lie - build a company with productive labor, efficient purchasing, great design, accurate accounting, rational distribution - and the result is a truth you are proud to tell.  Marketing becomes a simple matter of telling the truth to people who are interested!

Eating The Heart Of The Watermelon

The heart of the watermelon is the sweetest and lowest hassle part - so why bother with the rest?  You may not want to follow this thinking at your next picnic, but it sure works when making customer and product decisions!

Dealers And Distributors - And "Going Direct"

If you have a dealer and distributor network, should you consider "going direct"?  Let me ask you this - if a major competitor did, what would happen to you?  That's your answer - this will help you see how to do it....

Dealers And Distributors (Short Version)

You may need dealers and distributors- or not.  The real issue is whether your end users feel that they need your dealers and distributors!  Companies win when they offer end users what they want....

Quit Your Company - An Exercise

This exercise will force you to see your company and the competitive landscape differently than ever before.  It will help you decide what needs to be done in order to stop the competition you don't even have yet...

Three Kinds Of Employees

The right employees are one of the most important resources a company has. Most employers are quite aware of how valuable a great employee can be, but have a difficult time figuring out who the great ones are.  It helps to divide the work force into three groups.... 

Your Mission Statement - What It Means

A mission statement is not something you can carve in a plaque next to your door, because it needs to change.  Mission statements establish priorities, and if customer satisfaction is not at the top of those priorities, you may have a problem.

Could You Run A Winning Football Team Like You Run Your Company?

Teamwork - Coaches and players speak to business professionals, encouraging them to build teams that can win.  Let's compare your company to a professional football team....

Performance Reviews

Performance reviews.  Yawn.  While performance reviews are not exciting, few things can do more to shape your company.  Done right, they can make a big difference...

"Honey, We Need To Talk"

"Honey, we need to talk" are terrifying words when they come from your spouse.  You may feel that you have an "open door policy", but walking in that door feels a lot like "Honey, we..." to most employees.  You need an easy way to stay in touch - like lunch!

Partnering And Sole Sourcing

Partnering - we hear a lot about it, but if you aren't willing to be a partner in your purchasing, you are not ready to ask your customers to trust you in that role....walk in their shoes for a moment.

Customer Focus

"Customer Focus" is something we hear a lot, but seldom results in much action.  Funny, isn't it, that customers are the only people who leave money in your company - everyone else is there to take some out....

Science Of Yourco

You don't have to look further than the nearest business magazine to find a few easy steps to management success - so why bother to develop a "Science Of Yourco"?