Advertising is one of the few aspects of a business that needs to really, and I mean really, be impeccable. There is no cutting corners, saving a buck, and settling for less. If you can’t go big, go home.
Over the years, I’ve run across many clients that allocate just enough money to reserve an ad slot (television or print), but do not factor in the cost of graphic design or video production. At the last minute, there is a mad dash to collect additional funds so the advertisement will come out halfway decent. This is not the proper way to plan a marketing campaign and such should be calculated far in advance.
For example, every now and then we all see a television commercial that looks very low-budget and cheesy. In comparison to competitor commercials, which air before and after, low-budget television ads inherently receive a negative vibe, thus hurting the advertiser more than helping them in the end. Over $5,000 and all you get is a degraded company image. Not for me. If you’re thinking of creating a television commercial, you get what you pay for and be sure to factor in a healthy budget for video production. If you do not have a budget for high-quality video production, I highly suggest you re-think creating a TV ad in the first place.
Another example, which I see quite often, is large print ads (half or full page) with low-quality graphic design or repurposed ads that previously ran. Paying top dollar for a large print ad, then publishing an enlarged/pixelated version of a previous ad, or an ad that makes no sense, is treacherous. Design an advertisement that directly fits your current mission (e.g. sell foreclosed homes) AND is sized for the marketing medium in which it will be used.
Now that I have vented, I feel much better. Have a good night everyone and be sure to bookmark this sucker if you find it interesting in the slightest way.
Sincerely,
Aaron Schoenberger
The Brainchild Group
The Brainchild Group is an <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/10/los-angeles-advertising-agency/”>Interactive Marketing Agency</a> that provides strategic, professional internet marketing and website design services to a variety of businesses. We specialize in Social Media Marketing, <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/10/los-angeles-flash-web-design/”>Flash Website Design</a> and Search Engine Optimization — <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2010/01/corporate-seo-consulting-sem-training/”>Corporate SEO</a>, <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/12/restaurant-marketing-tips/”>Restaurant SEO</a>, <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/10/law-firm-marketing-seo/”>Law Firm SEO</a>, <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/10/wordpress-seo-expert-los-angeles/”>WordPress SEO</a>, and <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/2009/08/why-is-seo-best-marketing-medium-for-realtors/”>Real Estate SEO</a>. Please feel free to <a href=”http://www.thebrainchildgroup.com/blog/contact-info/”>CONTACT US</a> for a consultation.