Make Your Ads Work Harder

I see more companies waste precious advertising dollars by making the same simple mistake.  Their ads don’t brand them.  By branding, I mean differentiating them from the competition.  If you think by running an ad with your name on it you are  branding, let me enlighten you – you’re not.  Ask yourself why the consumer would choose you over your competitor.  If there isn’t a clear reason, your ad isn’t working as hard as it could.

The basic principle of branding is to find something that differentiates you from your competition. Your product/service may be better, cheaper, faster, safer, softer, more effective, etc.  If you can’t find a way that your product/service is different, make one up.  That may sound ridiculous, but it’s absolutely critical because without differentiation, you’re just another (fill in product name here).  This principle holds even truer when you have less money to promote your brand. It comes down to this:  Do you want your ad to say “Hi” or “Hi, you’ll like us better than our competition because……”.

Here are three ways to critique your ads:

1. So What? – Look at your ad from the consumer’s perspective and ask, “So what?”  If you can’t answer the “what” part, your ad isn’t working hard enough. You can make it a lot stronger and more valuable by finding a differentiator.
2. Is It Mine? – Ask this simple question – can I put my competition’s logo on my ad and have it still be true. If the answer is yes, you need to differentiate yourself.
3. The Duh Factor – Does your ad tell the consumer anything other than the obvious? For example, you’re a donut shop.  If your ad doesn’t at least hint at why your donuts are better, fresher, lighter, healthier, tastier, more convenient, etc., then in the consumer’s mind, you’re just another donut shop.

Whatever your differentiating message is, scream it from the rooftops in every medium you advertise in.  Otherwise, you’re just wasting your money. Sure, you can argue that you got awareness and visibility, but that ad costs the same whether you add a strong branding message or not.  It’s your money – make that ad work as hard as it can.