Posts filed under 'other'
August 14th, 2008
There’s plenty of people out there who get the deer-in-the-headlights look when I say “I work for an ad agency.” So, to shed a little light on what we do, here are answers to two popular questions: How do ad agencies work? And how do I pick one for my business?
How Ad Agencies Work
Ad agencies run the gamut from large multi-nationals to one-man (or -woman) shops. Some just do media buying and ad creative and others do just public and media relations. Most, though, do everything including market research, media buying, ad creative, graphic design, web work, public relations and video production.
Usually you’re assigned a point person for your project, and that person will work closely with you to ensure the end product meets your expectations. At the beginning, there will be some back and forth as we gather background and ideas for the project and then you can expect proofs based on an agreed-upon timeline, which then go through another back and forth period until they’re just right.
We typically have clients that either know what they want right off the bat or come to us just knowing they want to improve their business; in the latter case, we will propose various strategies & tactics to help.
In all cases, clear and honest communication are essential to the agency-client relationship. We do this for a living and have probably heard it all, so don’t be afraid of speaking up. You won’t hurt our feelings. You hire us for our marketing and advertising expertise - we understand your business and goals but we are not experts in your field - you are. If something isn’t right or you have questions, ask. We’d rather get constructive feedback than produce a project that you don’t like.
How To Choose an Agency
Here are some questions you can ask yourself as you start looking at agencies for your project or business:
1. Do you like the work they’ve done for their other clients? While a portfolio is not all-inclusive of an agency’s expertise, it will be representative of their work and you should at least like some of it. But don’t be hoodwinked by the flashing lights and pretty pictures of impressive creative - ask about actual results their clients gained as a result of the project.
2. How long have they been around and do they have long-term clients? An agency that’s been around awhile in this business means they’re probably pretty good at what they do. Agencies that don’t get results have a very short shelf-life. Also look for the number of long-term clients they have - that’s also a pretty good indicator of the quality of their work and customer service. At the same time, look for an agency that regularly brings in new clients as well - new clients keep our creative forces fresh and new.
3. Are you given a list of current and former clients as references? If not, and they won’t provide them after you ask, it might be best to turn tail and run. If an agency does give you referrals, call them!
4. Will they have to outsource parts of your project or is it done in-house? Outsourcing will drive up costs and project timelines. If you need full service, be sure the agency you choose can provide full service. If they just do public relations, for example, they will likely outsource the video project that’s needed for the second phase of the campaign.
5. Finally - do you like and trust the agency’s staff? In most cases, the client-agency partnership is a close one with near daily contact when you’re in the midst of a campaign. It’s important you like and trust the agency’s staff…You don’t have to invite them over for Sunday dinner, but a certain amount of friendliness and goodwill go a very long way.
There are many other nuances and topics I didn’t cover here - these pointers are just a starting point, an introduction to a complicated but beneficial relationship between agency and client.
July 16th, 2008
Summary from post on Advertising Lab~
Imagine: You find something you like, reach into your pocket for a small device, scan the barcode, and the device tells you whether and were the same product is available for a lower price.
This future just got one step closer with the release of an iPhone app Checkout SmartShop, “a shopping assistant meant to help you find online and local prices when you’re out and about shopping.” For now, you still need to type in the UPS code; they are working on converting the iPhone camera into a barcode scanner.
In a post on industry blog Advertising Lab last January on online experiences and offline expectations, the author writes, “Retailers gotta act quick if they want to have some control over the converging experiences. In a few years, people will be carrying web browsers in their pockets and won’t be needing all this retail innovation. Then they would go to Barnes & Noble to browse books and order the ones they like on Amazon right from the store.”
That part about “a few years” was probably too optimistic. Not only can we now browse the internet with small devices, such as our phones, these same devices can assist us with where to get the best deal.
July 11th, 2008
We often receive numerous resumes this time of year from recent college grads wanting a job in marketing. And I don’t blame them - marketing is an exciting, interesting and (sometimes) glamorous industry, BUT…
This particular “But” refers to many things, not the least of which is the fact that I’ve never hired anyone - even an intern - that had little to no real-life experience in the field. Just because you have a degree from XYZ University in Communications will not make you qualified for a client-services or creative position in an ad agency. The competition is fierce, so here are some free tips to those of you looking for your big break in the ad world:
1. Get experience. I don’t care how you do it, just do it. Unpaid internships at an agency over the summer or when you’re not in class are great options. Look for a place that will offer you the chance to build your clips portfolio and give you at least some “real” work beyond filing and collating news conference kits. Or, volunteer to do PR for a local non-profit or plan and implement a public awareness campaign on your campus for a social issue you feel strongly about. Be creative and be open to working hard. There are plenty of businesses and organizations that could use a little marketing or PR work. Show me that you like the work and are willing to learn the trade.
2. Get samples. We always will ask for samples of your work - typically writing samples, but if you’re applying for a design position, be prepared to submit samples of your design work too. Often we’ll ask for samples with the application (i.e., before an interview). Then if you get called in for an interview, we’ll expect you to bring additional samples along too. Be prepared to discuss how you prepared the piece, its target audience and what kind of results you had with it. Things done for class are acceptable, but real-world clips are better.
3. Be accurate & professional. If there’s a typo in your cover letter or resume, you probably won’t get an interview. Sorry. And be professional in your communications. An email is fine - but remember it’s not a wall posting on Facebook. Do an appropriate opening and closing with complete sentences. If someone sends me a very well-written cover letter, I almost always review their resume carefully.
4. Don’t expect overnight greatness. So you’re offered an entry-level position; be prepared to do a lot of routine news-release writing, proofreading and media-list updating. These are the things that take up so much time in the advertising world but rarely get done because of the other demands on the staff. You’ll generally be doing “real” work for the agency along with some front-line client work, but it’s not all restricted-access parties and creating a Superbowl ad right out of the gate. You’ll have to pay your dues and be open to learning from a mentor.
5. Never stop learning. This field changes daily. Read everything you can get your hands on. Assigned to work on a healthcare account? Get a copy of Modern Healthcare and learn about the field. Even if you don’t have a personal interest in it, get interested. Some of the most successful ad people are insatiable readers and thinkers. Essentially, we’re paid to think for our clients. They’re busy running their businesses; it’s our job to keep on top of demographic, economic, advertising and technology trends for them.
This is a fun industry, but it’s a lot of work, too. So good luck and I’ll see you on the field!
July 8th, 2008
Web site security. Although this is a technical discussion, it can have a serious marketing and business impact. Especially when you are trying to drive visitors to your site and it is down for two weeks because the data has been hacked.
Microsoft has taken the unusual step of issuing a security bulletin for something called “Rise in SQL Injection Attacks”. Although not a particularly attention-grabbing title, this is an exceptional subject for a security bulletin because it’s not about a specific Microsoft product that’s patchable, but rather coding practices in general.
“SQL Injection” is a technique used to “hack” websites, and unfortunately, a great deal of websites are vulnerable to it (some estimates suggest “hundreds of thousands”, but it may be many, many more). Hackers typically use automated tools to find vulnerable sites, and then “inject” malicious code that can do any number of things. In recent weeks there has been a huge surge in the volume of these attacks.
These range from simply adding code that causes a virus infection on a visitors browser, to editing or changing any content on your website, or in the extreme case, completely wiping out the website. The consequences of an attack should be pretty clear - for less extreme attacks, you may not even realise there’s a problem, but it’s more likely that the attack may cause inconvenience or embarrassment. In the extreme case, a well-crafted attack can have disastrous implications to a business-critical website, totally disabling a business, or result in the theft of credit card data and associated financial loss.
Links to documentation on SQL injection and coding best practices:
SQL Server Injection Protection
Preventing SQL Injections in ASP
How To: Protect from SQL Injection in ASP.NET
Coding Techniques for protecting against SQL Injection in ASP.NET
Filtering SQL Injection from Classic ASP
Security Vulnerability Research & Defense Blog on SQL Injection Attack
July 3rd, 2008
This weekend, we all feel patriotic and many businesses are likely to be decorating their spaces - or filling their promotions - with flags and related flag merchandise and displays. But before you err on the side of what looks good versus how to actually display the American flag properly, review these guidelines about how to display a flag indoors or out.
And if you’ve already decorated or printed your fliers, change what you can and remember the rest for next year because there is in fact a right way and a wrong way to use the American flag and its likeness.
Oh, and don’t shoot your eye out with illegal fireworks. Have a happy and safe holiday!
June 12th, 2008
The assumption is that companies with high ethics, and that are able to communicate that to consumers, will profit. Certainly “green marketing,” is a buzzword lately in advertising everything from automobiles to soap. But while green claims are important, high ethical practices extend to all types of advertising.
This ad for the Argentine presidential campaign the was part of a panel discussion at the AAF National Conference, Monday in Atlanta. The session was called “Green vs. Green: Can Corporate Profit Follow Social Responsibility,” about how corporations can enhance brand loyalty and their profits by demonstrating ethical behavior and management. The panelists included Allison Arden, VP or AdAge, Katherine Benoit, GM Corporate Marketing Director, Tim Love, VP Omnicom Group and Doug Wood, Chairman, Advertising, Technology & Media Group, Reed Smith and was moderated by Wally Snyder, President/CEO of the American Advertising Federation. They discussed whether a commitment to progressive environmental practices can pay enough to satisfy shareholders as well as other ethical practices in advertising.
In one sense, it’s about karma. Do good, tell the truth and good will come back to you. As one of the panelists said he was told about ethics by his 97-year old grandmother, “You gotta meet yourself around a corner someplace.”
See Wally Snyder’s article on advertising ethics at http://www.aafblog.org/blog/?p=6
See the FTC’s Green Guides at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=b2333ddf96abf25788ef3037ffcfb40a&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title16/16cfr260_main_02.tpl
June 5th, 2008
The Mayor’s Arts Awards, presented by the Rockford Area Arts Council, are wrapping as I tap this out. The awards have little to do with advertising - the stated intention of ADwire - but are critically important to the cultural and economic health of our community. The arts affect us all and allow us to understand our world, to interpret our challenges and triumphs and are the lens through which we view our strengths, our frailties and our oneness.
As Greg Johnson from Beetcafe.com said in accepting his award for Community Impact by a Business, “Rockford has the best, most hidden, arts culture of anywhere he’s ever been.” And I concur. Without further ado, the recipients of this year’s Awards are:
(l to r) Rockford Area Arts Council Executive Director Anne O’Keefe, Individual Arts Advocate Recipient Ald. Doug Mark (Rockford’s 3rd) and Mayor Larry Morrissey
