Advertising Information

Crazy Ads? Maybe Youre Just Out of The Demo!


My father called me to complain, again. He's 82 and he's angry. "Son, I know you're in advertising and all that", he usually starts off, "but the ads I see today I wouldn't give you two cents for. They're stupid and they don't even tell you what they're selling!"

I explained it to him as best as I could. "Dad, it's OK, you're just out of the demo." "I'm out of the what?" "The demographics Dad, The key target audience for who they're trying to reach." "Well then who in the heck are they trying to reach?" He yells. "Must be boneheads cause those ads make no sense to any sane person."

Whether it's a beer commercial trying too hard to be funny, or like a recent FedEX commercial where Burt Reynolds sparred with a grizzly bear, I gotta admit that sometimes, Dad is right. I've been in the ad business for quite awhile now and know that in today's world, it takes a lot to get a business noticed. However I can't help laughing to myself when watching these ads, imagining the initial pitch to the client.

Secretary: Boss, those ad agency guys are here. Boss: What? Are they on the calendar? (disgusted) Oh all right, send them in. Young ad guy #1: Hello sir, and how are you today? Wow! That tie is whacked! Boss: It's what? Never mind. What have you got for our new ad campaign? Young ad guy #2: Oh this is so cool! Check out these story boards. Boss: (looks at the story boards puzzled, eyebrows creased in confusion). Young ad guy #1: OK there's no voice over at all! You just see a guy waking up in bed. Next, he rolls over and he realizes that he's in bed with the Burger King! Boss: He's what?? Young ad guy #2: Yeah! And then the Burger King, who's really this actor wearing the Burger King costume and a big plastic face with a frozen smile, reaches around and produces a Double Breakfast Crosandwich and hands it to the man who takes a big bite of it. Boss: (Now his eyebrows look like one unibrow as his cheeks glow red.) Young ad guy #1: Then they both share a laugh, pat each other on the back, and we fade to logo! Is that wild or what? It's going to generate huge numbers man! Boss: (Stunned then angry) I thought I told you guys to quit putting crack in the water dispenser!

See the problem facing advertisers today is the pressure to relate to the 18-34, 25-44 demos they so desperately need to reach, so they try anything they think will accomplish this and as a result, many people out of those key demos, don't get it. However, it dawned on me after my most recent birthday that sadly, I too have joined those ranks. So now when I watch an ad that even from my experienced perspective seems to make no sense at all, I just remind myself it's nothing personal. I'm just out of the demo.

Hal Eisenberg is an award winning copywriter, voice over talent and producer, as well as owner of The Eisenberg Agency, a full service advertising agency specializing in creative ads that get results. You can visit his web site http://www.eisenbergagency.com. Contact Hal at halacious@eisenbergagency.com.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Turns nabs $15 million for search-like advertising tech
CNET News, CA - 3 hours ago
Online publishers are increasingly selling ad space on their sites with the help of third-party advertising networks--a trend that's contributing to the ...
Ad Network Turn Secures $15 Mil. Adweek
Turn Secures $15 Million in Series C Financing Earthtimes (press release)
Online Ad Network Turn Inc. Raises $15 Million Digital Media Wire
all 12 news articles


Epic Advertising Named to the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing ...
Business Wire (press release), CA - 4 hours ago
Epic Advertising joins a select group of companies identified by Inc. for this award. Epic has realized a four-year growth rate of 118% on a high revenue ...
Merkle Ranks in 2008 Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Businesses MarketWatch
all 109 news articles


US Addressable TV Advertising - Subscription TV Networks Are ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
TV Advertising is being impacted by the Internet and by mobile services that provide highly personalized content delivery. Traditional TV programs deliver ...


Stein Mart Selects 22squared as Advertising Agency of Record
MarketWatch - 4 hours ago
22squared, one of the largest independent advertising agencies in the US, provides strategic and creative advertising services across multiple business ...


Travel Industry Association Launches Multimedia Advertising ...
MarketWatch - 3 hours ago
In their opinion, the best way to improve the image of the United States is by using an advertising campaign in foreign countries promoting travel and ...


Brisbane Times

Cloudy advertising outlook to test media operator
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 5 hours ago
FAIRFAX Media says advertising markets have continued to slow in the new financial year after delivering a 47 per cent increase in net profit. ...
Fairfax also feeling the pinch in advertising downturn Sydney Morning Herald
New Zealand 'stands out' for Fairfax Stuff.co.nz
Fairfax boosts annual profit to $473m New Zealand Herald
The Age - BusinessDay.co.nz
all 79 news articles


tyBit Launches AdVAR Program for Webmasters and Ad Agencies
MarketWatch - 1 hour ago
AdVAR is a new and unique interactive advertising program designed to help, search engine affiliates, third party web hosting providers, and advertising ...


Intel's Growth Focused On Digital TV, Internet Advertising
InformationWeek, NY - 21 hours ago
Pairing integrated processors with media partnerships could help the chipmaker tap into the $51.1 billion Internet advertising market predicted for 2012. ...


Sydney Morning Herald

Apple sued over false advertising, users upset about 3G firmware ‘fix’
TG Daily - 1 hour ago
These ongoing issues and Apple’s optimistic advertising claims apparently were enough to prompt an Alabama woman to file a class action suit, accusing Apple ...
Apple faces suit over iPhone. Is it still worth the switch? ZDNet
all 537 news articles


AdBrite Ranked No. 3 Fastest-Growing Advertising & Marketing ...
IT News Online, India - 6 hours ago
3 fastest-growing Advertising & Marketing company in the US, according to Inc. Magazine's 2008 Inc. 5000 list. AdBrite was ranked No. ...

advertising - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.