Article written by Jon Bergan

As you slouch back into your favourite arm chair, flick on the television and immerse yourself into your regular sitcoms and other programs, you can’t help but feel the boredom settling in as the same old advertisements crop up on your screen during the ever so regular commercial breaks. Without fail, those same string of ads appear. Whether they’re the same old KFC ads or those commercials that look like they were made twenty years ago, its always the same old same boring commercials. You’ll find these culprits on all marketing platforms - radio, print and the web - and chances are you’re wearing a guilty grin right now!

With so many design trends already in place and well over used, businesses now need to visit more creative avenues of getting their message out there. No longer can a business rely solely on the old ‘tried and true’ techniques. Sure, you may get some exposure from your efforts but at the end of the day, there is still a large risk of you getting lost in all of the wish-wash of marketing materials going around. It’s time we all started thinking outside of the box, taking some risks and jumping outside of our comfort zone and the best way to achieve this is via creative advertising.

creative advertising?

To put it simply, creative advertising is the use of extremely unique or utterly obscure imagery to get your message across and combining that with popular viral marketing techniques to get your message out there. You don’t have to do a complete brand makeover to accommodate for such promotions either. All you need is some guts and some exceptionally creative genius and you’re already on your way.

The biggest problem with so many businesses is that they want to play it safe. They’re uncertain of the effects such a marketing campaign could have on their business especially if they’re marketing themselves to corporates or other larger organisations. It can be daunting, but it is the risk you have to take to separate yourself from the thousands of other people in your industry who are still biting their nails over taking such a leap. Don’t be one of those businesses.

Taking the leap into creative advertising can give your business the edge it needs to succeed. It can drop you into a niche market (whether by accident or by plan) or could even further enhance your current market position by giving you that unique look that you’ve been after for so long. Some other benefits of throwing your marketing sanity out the window include:

• Instantly Recognisable Marketing Material: With such a unique marketing campaign, your marketing material and brand will be instantly recognisable by the public and extremely memorable.
• Increased Buzz Marketing: As your campaign is so obscure, it’s only normal for people to talk. Have you mentioned the new Cadbury Gorilla ad to anyone yet? I thought so.
• Increased Opportunities for Viral Marketing: When you’re promoting yourself so uniquely, opportunities arise for people to spread the word and tell their friends.
• Opportunities for Brand Development: Now that you have such a strong image, you may choose to implement this new method of marketing into your brand and ultimately further solidifying your position within the market.

still confused?

To put things into perspective, I have a few great examples of creative advertising that’s currently in use, some right here in Australia. These examples are sure to get you inspired and will give you a better idea of what approaches you can take to get your message heard.

• Cadbury – Gorilla TV Advertisement: Cadbury, leading Australian manufacturer of milk chocolate who definitely aren’t afraid of being creative when it comes to their marketing efforts, recently released a new advertisement to add to their already creative marketing campaign. To put it simply, it’s a gorilla playing drums with a purple and white background that matches their branding. Who could forget an ad like this? It’s memorable, it’s branded, it’s utterly unique and everyone loves the theme music – not to mention the big cute gorilla! See it online: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iKdQC-hbY7k
• Spring Valley – Neglected Sensible Shelter: Fruit drink manufacturer Spring Valley came up with the ‘Sensible’ – an adorable looking little creature that represents our inner health. Their use of the ‘Sensible’ is to show how the general public no longer look after themselves as much as they should and how they are ultimately harming their Sensible. The Neglected Sensible Shelter website allows you to find, nurture and replenish your Sensible. See it online: http://www.saveyoursensible.com
• Agency Fusion – Make my Logo Bigger Cream: Here is a fantastic example of creative advertising and viral marketing. Agency Fusion, a US based graphic designer, came up with a great little movie focused around the ‘Make my Logo Bigger Cream’ which is a product that apparently helps your logo stand out and improve your brand’s recognition. The humour combined with the uniqueness proved to be a hit on the Internet and thus the video has been viewed by millions of users the world over. See it online: http://makemylogobiggercream.com

Below are some interesting creative advertising that various companies around the world have implemented. You’ll quickly see how unique and how eye catching they truly are. A huge thank you goes out to Jacob Cass of Just Creative Design (http://www.justcreativedesign.com) for these images.

getting the ball rolling

First things first, you need to come up with something exceptionally new and something that has never been done in your industry before as far as marketing is concerned. The more obscure the idea the better. If your idea sounds like something nobody in their right mind would do, then you’re probably heading down a good path. Brainstorm, brainstorm and brainstorm! Throw your creative cap on and get those ideas flowing!

Once you have some ideas, it would be well worth your while to approach a marketing agency to help further your idea and to really refine your message, however if you’re working with a limited budget, just think things through as thoroughly as you can. Determine what marketing vehicles you could use to get your message out there – print, web, television, radio – whatever you think will compliment your outrageous idea yet will attract your target audience in the most effective manner possible. Bundle all this together and throw it into action by adding it to your marketing plan.

Although this sounds like oodles of fun and games, this is in fact a very serious exercise and requires a lot of attention to detail. It’s important to note that although you’re coming up with some crazy ideas, you need to pay close attention to how you execute your campaign and ultimately how it all ties back in with your business, its image, its messages and its brand. The ideas you come up with could end up shaping your brand or positioning your business within its market in some truly unexpected ways.

So, next time you’re reviewing your marketing plan and are trying to come up with some new ways to build awareness for your business, think outside the box and consider some truly creative advertising options to grab the attention of your target market. It may be the dash of creativity your business needs to separate itself from the herd and establish that strong position in the market you’ve always dreamt about.

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For those of you that read the Bergan Blue eNewsletters, you will have heard of Louise Meers. Louise is an extremely talented young woman who produces some quality articles for us at Bergan Blue. This month we asked her to write about online and offline marketing working together. As always, I was delighted to read her work. With Louise’s permission, and without further ado, here is the article that Louise wrote this month.

online and offline marketing: the best of both worlds

Co-existing… too good to be true? Not in marketing. Integrating the online and offline worlds could be one of the best decisions you make in terms of getting the word out about your business. They’re powerful in different ways when apart, but by combining online and offline techniques, you really will benefit from the best of both worlds.

Exposing your business to as many people as possible is absolutely crucial. Even though we live in a highly technological society, we can’t necessarily assume that everyone uses the Internet for his or her main source of information. That’s why it’s so important to cover all your bases.

The following is a guide in how to get offline marketing to work with and promote your online efforts. Yes, you really can teach old dogs new tricks!

the business card

The business card is arguably the most important marketing tool for any business. It does all the talking. It may sound simple, but your card should definitely include your web address, as well as name, phone numbers and email contact. For those technologically inclined, this would be a great indicator for them as to where to get more information about your business.

print advertising

Everyone consumes some sort of print media, whether it be a newspaper, magazine or even a catalogue. Advertising in print is still extremely effective and it’s quite easy to circle in on your target market because there are so many different publications out there. If you are trying to attract a younger market, you could include details of your Facebook or MySpace group in your ad. Or if the professional market is who you cater for, why not include the web address of your blog? It’s tiny but thoughtful touches like these that will set you apart from textbook marketers.

flyers

Trying to get the word out there? A cleverly designed flyer will often do the trick. What’s great about flyers is that you can put them anywhere and everywhere. Mailbox drops are still popular, even in the age of email.

Tip: Include details of how an individual can sign up to your e-newsletter. Chances are if they love getting mail, they’ll love getting email too!

tv and radio

These two mediums have survived despite of the Internet, and remain strong in terms of their marketing and advertising capabilities. Not everyone has mobile Internet, so the radio still holds its place – especially with those who work 9 to 5. Whether it be in the car or a portable radio, most businesspeople usually listen to the radio at some point in the day. The TV is no different. An important thing to remember here is simplicity. If you want radio or TV advertising to promote your online business or marketing efforts, you need to be clear and concise, especially with your web address. Keep it short, keep it punchy, keep it to the point. Leave them hanging for more. They’ll definitely want to visit your website afterwards.

Merging the online and offline is as easy as that and it really takes no time at all.

It can also work the other way as well – you can use your online marketing to promote offline techniques. Remember to give customers and clients options; maybe they would like an information pack sent directly to the house? Even a small thank you note sent in the mail can be more appreciated than a one-line email. It’s true that people still like a little bit of old-fashion charm.

From now on, don’t think of the online and offline worlds as mutually exclusive. Think of them as partners who can compliment each other. Instead of alienating people or groups, employ as many old and new tools and techniques to best promote your business. You’ll have plenty of customers and clients in no time, both young and old and from all walks of life.

Written by Louise Meers

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Common Design Mistakes - Part 1

Whether in start-up phase or well established, the fact is that small businesses can’t always afford to pay to have their marketing materials designed professionally. So sometimes they decide to design their own. This is where things can go horribly wrong. Below you will find some basic design tips that will help make your flyers or ads look a little more like you had professional help!

symmetrical madness

Centering every visual element in your marketing material is not the best approach. Despite the attraction to symmetry being deeply ingrained in us as humans, when it comes to design having your business logo, marketing message, pictures and contact details all in one long-running, centered paragraph isn’t only unprofessional looking, it also looks lazy and boring.

Those corners are just begging to be filled. That doesn’t mean you should fill up every other bit of space on your canvas, but instead plan your design strategically, sketch it out on some paper, do a mock up of your sketch, and then play with it until it looks right.

too much text

You have a matter of seconds to get the attention of your audience. When they look at your flyer and see a page full of black text and a tiny logo, you’ve lost a customer. Most people today barely have time to pick up your flyer or glance at your ad, let alone read a whole marketing pitch on a piece of paper. They’re not going to waste their time reading something like this, so don’t waste your very precious time making this kind of flyer. Volume does not equal quality. Cut down on unnecessary text and make every word left on your design one that counts.

clip art

Clip art is for your kids’ projects and garage sales. It should not be part of anything that comes out of your business. Trust me on this one.

no white space

As I mentioned above, you shouldn’t try to fill up every pixel of free space. All marketing material needs blank or white space – websites, business cards, flyers and stickers. All of them. It gives the illusion of there being less text to read, makes the text that is there easier to read and generally presents the overall design as clean and neat. Overcrowding your designs with pictures, accents or big bits of text screaming, ‘DON’T MISS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!’ is not going to help with your image.

not proofing before printing

I like to think I’m a bit of a Nazi when it comes to spelling, grammar and, well, pretty much anything to do with language. So I can’t help but notice when I get a flyer or brochure that says, ‘We sell used furnture.’ Spot the mistake? I can promise you I did.

It amazes me how often this happens, and it’s not just on things that the businesses in question have printed themselves – it’s also on material that has been printed professionally. Professional printers WILL NOT proof your work. That is your job and you need to make sure you do it before sending off the so called finished files. I know what it’s like to have been working on a personal design for 3 weeks and wanting to see the back of it so I can get on with my client work. It’s only natural that when you finally get the look right, you’re keen to just get the printing over and done with. But not checking your spelling or leaving out a comma where there should be one makes your audience think you didn’t care about getting their business enough to double check your work before sending it to them. And who wants to give their money to someone who apparently doesn’t care if they get it or not?

I know as small business owners we are all run off our feet and usually very time poor. Sometimes it is easier to just throw a flyer together in Word. But think of it this way: marketing your business should not be less important than doing the accounts or working on a client’s project. Without good marketing, you won’t have those clients and your bank account will be sitting still twiddling its thumbs.

When you need to get a flyer done for the next promotion, set aside a decent block of time and plan your design down to the last detail. Once you’ve planned, try designing it using the tips above. If you need to, look at designs on the web or keep competitors mail-outs and compare your design to them. Don’t blatantly rip off their design, but ask yourself, ‘What’s this flyer got that makes it look better than mine?’

Whatever you do, don’t rush to get your marketing done so you can get back to your latest project. This is your business and its image, and that is the most important project of all.

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