By John Furgurson

Marketing is a very judgmental business.

Marketing directors are constantly judging the results of their efforts. Sometimes objectively, sometimes not.

Ad agencies and design firms judge each other in a constant battle of “my work’s cooler than your work.” They also subject themselves to judging in award shows, where a few peers get to judge the work of hundreds of competitors on an entirely subjective basis.

When it comes to television advertising, everyone’s a critic. TV viewers sit around and judge the advertising they see, based on entertainment value alone. If it’s entertaining enough, they might talk about it over the water cooler. If not, they vote with the remote.

But playing armchair critic is less harmful than being judgmental.

Critical thinking is tremendously important in marketing. If we didn’t look at things critically, we’d never push ourselves to come up with fresh, new ideas. My team gets a lot of constructive criticism. But there’s no such thing as constructively judgmental.

You can be critical of someone’s ideas without judging the person. For example, “That’s the worst commercial he’s ever done,” is being critical. “That director’s an idiot for making that commercial” is being judgmental. Judgmental of who he is, versus critical of what he does.

Being judgmental has negative, disapproving connotations. It’s based on intolerance, stereotypes and prejudice. When people jump to conclusions about a political candidate, they’re usually being judgmental.

I’ve seen a lot of sensible, savvy business owners and high-level managers make hair-brained decisions because they were too judgmental.

One client I know believes that all advertising people are evil shysters, preying on well-meaning business owners. Once burned, he lets his past experience cloud his judgment to the point of being obstinately ineffective. His poor judgment in that one area puts his leadership in question and hurts the morale of his entire team.

Good judgment, on the other hand, is the ability to form sound opinions and make sensible decisions. Great leaders and effective managers continually demonstrate good judgment. They’re open minded, they listen well, and they make good decisions based on balanced insight, rather than conjecture or some ill-conceived notion of what’s worked in the past.

Many people who strive to be less judgemental in their personal lives still fall into the trap in their professional lives. It creeps into their hiring choices, their strategic planning, and their marketing plans.

Here’s a classic example that I’ve heard more than once: “Oh, I tried radio, and it doesn’t work.” That particular business owner condemned an entire medium based on one lame attempt… he had a crummy story to tell, a poorly-written script, and a schedule that was thinner than a supermodel on a new year’s resolution. Of course it didn’t work.

I’ve even run into CEOs who are completely biased when it comes to color. They won’t approve any work that involves IBM blue, blue-green, aqua, teal or any other form of that color. How rational is that?

Personal preferences and stereotypes creep into this business constantly. And stereotypes, based on judgmental conclusions at best, are not a helpful component of your marketing program. In fact, poor judgment based on stereotypes or close-mindedness can ruin a small business.

At my firm we go to great lengths to get beyond the usual stereotypical demographic profile of the target audience. One sentence cannot possibly sum up the feelings, attitudes and behaviors of a group! On the creative side, we always try to develop intriguing stories with quirky, unexpected characters. (In Hollywood writing circles it’s common knowledge that most memorable heroes and villains are those that defy traditional stereotypes.)

Here are three stereotypes from the advertising business that I’m familiar with… Copywriters aren’t analytical enough for strategy work. Art directors don’t know a thing about business. And advertising account planners can’t possibly contribute on the creative side.

Nonsense. Ad agencies perpetuate the stereotype by segregating their creative teams from the rest of the staff, but great ideas can come from anywhere. And creative teams pick up a lot of business acumen by listening carefully and working with clients in a wide variety of business categories.

Being judgmental is so common it’s listed as a personality type on Meyer’s Briggs Type Indicator tests. It’s also ingrained in American culture. Here’s a recent example from the Olympic track and field competition in Bejing: After Jeremy Wariner won the silver medal in the 400, the first words out of his mouth were: “he’s the better person.”

No he isn’t. He just ran a little faster in one race.

Unfortunately, we judge the quality of the person according to his or her performance. Ironically, we even judge ourselves for being too judgmental.

Blogs are inherently judgmental. The whole idea of an on-line journal lends itself to judgmental rants on just about any subject imaginable. I addressed the soapbox syndrome in my very first post, and I’m working hard to make sure this blog doesn’t digress into a petty critique of the latest marketing blunder.

I urge you to do the same.

Don’t let preconceived notions and stereotypes cloud your judgment when it comes to marketing programs.

Don’t rush to judge someone based on their performance on one day, in one meeting, or on one project.

Make sure you’ve done your homework — your research — before you dive into something.

And most of all, be open minded to new ideas. Throw away the rear-view mirror!

How stock photos can hurt your brand image.

How many times have you heard this cliché on a local radio ad… “our friendly, courteous staff is here to help with all your _______ needs, blah, blah, blah.” Chances are, you changed the channel before they could finish the sentence.

Crummy stock photos have the same effect on people. How many times have you seen this image on a corporate website?

It’s the classic, customer service visual cliché, and it’s just as bad for business as the blather you hear on weekend radio commercials.

Unfortunately, images like this are a dime a dozen in Powerpoint presentations, company websites, corporate brochures and annual reports. iStock Photo alone now has over 3 million images to choose from, and they only cost a few bucks apiece.

At my firm, our art directors work really hard to avoid the milk-toast visuals that are so prominent on low-cost stock photo sites. Unfortunately, clients often question the custom photography line item in our proposed budgets.

They think the perfect photo’s just waiting to be downloaded for 99 cents.

“Stock photos don’t tell a story. That’s what makes them so universally appealing,” says Senior Art Director, Eric Haag. “For those photographers, it’s just a volume game… they want their images to sell a hundred times over, so they make ‘em as generic as possible. In that case, a picture’s definitely not worth a thousand words.”

The question is, do you really want to hang your hat on a photo that’s already being used by hundreds of other companies, including your competitors? Or do you want a compelling image that will help differentiate you from everyone else?

Mike Houska, commercial photographer and owner of Dogleg Studios, says easy access to so many images is both a blessing and a curse… he’s selling more stock photos (rights-managed) but the assignment work is harder to come by.

“The royalty free stock images are so cheap and easy to get, it’s pretty much eliminated all the low-end and middle budget work,” Houska said.

“Back in the day, buyers had to comb through a bunch of giant stock catalogs, then call the stock company to do a search that may or may not turn up something. It was a hit and miss proposition at best, and the shots weren’t cheap. Now, in a matter of seconds you can have a hundred images that fit your criteria. They’re not great, but they’re close, and that seems to be enough for a lot of people.”

Let me pose this… does “close enough” fit with your corporate culture or your personal approach to business? What would happen if the engineering department just said, “oh well, that’s close enough”? Does that sort of mediocrity apply to other areas of your business, and if it does, how’s that working out for you?

The fact is, your brand image should be just as important to you as the quality of your product.

The last couple weeks I’ve been involved in an on-going photoshoot for a client of ours. It’s a country club — a cliché just waiting to happen. There are thousands of good stock images we could use:  The guy on the tee, holding his best Tiger Woods follow-though. Smiling, happy couples clinking their wine glasses together. The dad and his son, bonding while walking down a lonesome fairway.

Yawn.

There’s nothing compelling or unique about any of ‘em. Nothing that will lead the viewer into the shot or tell the unique story of this particular club. They’re the type of stock photos that won’t offend, but they won’t impress either.

So we’re not using any of ‘em. We’re setting up every shot with painstaking attention to all the details that make custom photography worth every penny.

I believe that successful brands are built on three things: credibility, relevance and differentiation. Stock photos can hurt you in all three areas… If you’re trying to convey a message of quality, your credibility goes right out the window with a cheap stock shot. If the shot’s used by anyone else, differentiation is out of the question. And there’s nothing relevant about an image that’s designed to appeal to a mass market of consumers age 25 to 54.

So the next time you’re thinking of throwing another stock photo into a presentation or report, stop for a minute and ask yourself this: Will this image add anything to the story I’m trying to tell here? Does it convey a specific idea, or is it just a vague reminder of a general concept?

Is it just another visual cliché, like the good-looking customer service rep with the headset?

If it is, dump it! Either spend a lot more time refining your search, or hire someone to get the right shot for the job to begin with. Your brand will be better for it in the long run.

I’d like to hear about the worst clichés you’ve ever seen in marketing. Visual or otherwise. Post a comment, or e-mail me personally: johnf@bnbranding.com

 There’s a lot of economic doom and gloom in the news these days; Unless you’re living in a cave somewhere, you’ve heard about the housing market, the unemployment rate and the rising price of groceries and gas.

For many business owners, it’s frightening. The fortune-teller economists are predicting even more “belt tightening” as the year goes on, and if you let it, all the crummy forecasts might scare you into doing something totally rash. Like nothing at all.

It’s pretty common, actually. When the leading economic indicators start heading south, many business owners go into immediate survival mode. Stop, drop and roll! Duck and cover!

The natural tendency is to adopt a siege mentality and hunker down until “things get better.” So they pull the plug on marketing and branding. Then P.R and charitable giving. Then training and customer service initiatives. They stop doing the things that helped them succeed in the first place.

It’s a strategy of inaction, and it never works. Not in the long run.

Studies of life and death survival struggles prove that action is the antidote for despair. You see it in cancer patients, in soldiers, castaways, mountaineers and disaster victims. Those who let despair take over, sit down and die. Survivors, on the other hand, take action.

Determination and a disciplined, almost clinical approach seem to be the secret. Survivors don’t place blame, make excuses or wallow in self pity. They accept their current circumstances and start working on a solution immediately by setting small, achievable goals. They don’t waste a lot of energy running around in circles, doing things that won’t get them to the goal.

For a climber in the Andes, it meant extricating himself from a crevasse and literally dragging his starving body and shattered leg 10 miles down a glacier. All the way back to camp. For one hiker in the canyonlands of Utah, it meant amputating his own arm with his pocket knife.

Makes surviving a recession seem like a cake walk.

Make no mistake about it, a significant economic downturn can be fatal to a small business. But businesses fail all the time, regardless of what the economy is doing.

The fact is, if you have a clearly defined strategy, and the discipline to stick with it, there’s no reason you can’t do much more than just survive a recession. You can thrive. You can gain ground on the competition. You launch new products and improve your entire operation. The history of American commerce if full of war stories that prove the point.

Post and Kellog’s were battling head-to-head in the breakfast cereal category when the Great Depression hit. W.C. Kellogg plowed ahead, doubled his advertising budget and even introduced the world’s first vitamin-enriched product cereal. Post cut back and Kellogg’s has been the market leader ever since. (Kellogg also cut hours in his plant for three of his shifts and added a fourth, just to spread his payroll among more workers. But that’s another story.)

But forget about the 1930’s. Here are some things you can do, right now, to survive the perfect, economic storm.

1. Use downtime to your advantage. Most managers have so many fires to put out they never get around to long-term strategic thinking. If things are slow, do it! Clarify your objectives and fine-tune your elevator pitch. Revisit your value proposition. Make sure you can communicate your strategy clearly and succinctly. (Few CEOs can.)

2. Get your bearings and refocus your efforts. In the woods, the last thing you want to do is wander around in circles. Same thing in business. Don’t waste precious energy and money chasing business that doesn’t really fit your model. (see item #1)

3. Renegoiate your media contracts. When it comes to print ad space and broadcast spots, you should be able to get a lot more for your money right now. So play hardball. Insist that your advertising salespeople work up innovative new schedules.

4. Get creative. Brainstorm new strategic alliances, sponsorship opportunities or marketing initiatives. Look for ways to leverage your existing partnerships. Do something! And keep this in mind: When times are tough even small initiatives can have a big impact. Because everyone else is sitting around waiting for the rescue helicopters.

5. Recycle one of your favorite, old ad campaigns. A lot of people kill campaigns way too soon, before the public has ever been thoroughly exposed to the messages. So instead of creating a whole new campaign, go through your archives and dust off the advertising that’s worked for you in the past.

6. Spend a little extra time listening to your best customers. Forget about you, and find out what their problems are. Then help devise a solution.

7. Take extra care of your people. They’re reading all the bad news in the paper too, and it’s unsettling. So step up, and be a leader. As the CEO, you have to be an optimist. Because nobody follows a pessimist.

Thankfully, the automotive engineers have devised a cure. With the new steering-wheel mounted audio controls, drivers can now change the channel, quite literally, without lifting a finger. So the instant a bad commercial comes on, they’re outta there. Before the gag reflex forces them to the side of road.

You’ve heard the commercials I’m talking about. The worst offenders involve a ridiculous, up-beat jingle or dialog between two “real people” who are stiffer than a week-old corpse. In the worst-case scenario, it’s a double whammy of bad dialog with a poorly-produced jingle sandwiched on both ends.

How does this happen? Why do so many radio commercials degenerate into one long string of corporate cliches and yes-man mumbo jumbo?

Radio is potentially the most creative of all your advertising options. There’s a reason it’s called the “theater of the mind.” In a 60-second spot there’s time for character development. Plot lines. Even intrigue. Well-written radio engages the human imagination and entertains while conveying a clear message about the character of your business.

You can be concerned, caring and compassionate. You can be convincing. You can create drama that moves people, or comedy that cracks them up. You can literally make people hungry just by using a few choice words and some sizzling sound effects.

Unfortunately, most companies come off sounding obnoxious, greedy or condescending. Announcers talk about “our friendly and knowledgeable staff. ” Jingle lyrics sing about “qual-i-ty and crafts-man-ship.” And in phony slice-of-life commercials people talk enthusiastically about douches and over-the-counter hemorrhoid medication. Puke alert! People just don’t talk that way, and everyone knows it.

If you want your radio commercials to be more palatable to the listeners — and more profitable for you — you have to do more than just the usual sales spiel set to music. In fact, the most memorable radio campaigns all contain five crucial elements:

1. A smart, coherent strategy.
2. An original idea.
3. Exceptional writing.
4. High production values.
5. Plenty of air time.

Devising a simple but intelligent advertising strategy is the single most important step in the whole process. Unfortunately, it’s also the most widely neglected. No one expects the radio stations to help with strategy. That’s your job — or your agency’s job. If you want results in the long run, you really need to spend some time thinking it through before you run out and book the air time.

Most advertisers use radio only as a tactical sales tool. But a long-running campaign can be much more than that. It can be a major asset to your business and a constant thorn in the side for your competitors. (You want them thinking, “gee I wish we would have done that.”)

A smart advertising strategy combines a high degree of business discipline with a good dose of imagination. It’s a creative thinking process that few business owners ever take time for and that many people consider pie in the sky… delving into issues like your core values, positioning strategy, brand personality and competitive analysis.

So if strategic thinking is not your strong suit, get some help. Find someone who can guide you through the planning process, help you prioritize your messages and hone-in on the dramatic difference that will resonate with listeners. Insist on a thorough strategy statement that will become the foundation of all your future advertising.

Once you know what to say you can begin thinking about how you’re going to say it. That’s where an original idea is absolutely invaluable.
Radio is great for conveying ideas, but lousy for listing details. People tune out when you start throwing laundry lists of products and services at them. You have to whittle it down to one main idea and then hammer that idea home time after time.

Doug Hall, Founder of the Eureka Ranch says, “articulating your overt benefit is a never-ending journey. You can always do it with greater relevance, interest and excitement. “

What you’re after is one idea that has thousands of possible iterations. Tom Bodett’s timeless, down-home humor for Motel 6. The Great American Hero series for Bud Light. Orkin’s authoritative announcer for their product that “kicks fire ant butt.” “Pizza Pizza” for Little Ceasar’s. These are big ideas that have produced big results over the long haul.

There have been many copywriters on the Motel 6 account, but the campaign stays fresh because the idea is consistent, the character is well developed and the writing is sharp. Which brings us to the third major component of great radio advertising.

Writing for radio is tough. Every word has to be written with an ear for alliteration. You have to hear it. You have to sound it out. Then you have to edit mercilessly. Dialog should flow naturally, as if from the lips of a real person, not some cheap pitchman. It should be quick. Snappy. And smart.

Easier said than done. Some of the finest fiction writers in the world have trouble writing believable dialog. In Hollywood the problem is pronounced. The major movie studios employ writers who do nothing but re-work the dialog on existing scripts. And even then, there is a lot of really lousy dialog that gets through. It takes a special ear. Just because you got A’s in English class back in college doesn’t mean you can write a good script.

Of course a good script, an original idea and a brilliant strategy won’t get you anywhere if you cut too many corners on the production of your commercials.
All the radio stations offer free production services. The sales rep will write you a script and the station’s producer will record the voice-over, add sound effects, drop in a music bed, do a mix, and cut the necessary dubs. The problem is, the producer might have as many as 40 spots to complete in a weekend, and after a while they all start sounding the same.

For instance, finding good voice talent is always a challenge. There are plenty of people on the radio with great voices who can’t act worth a hoot. And that’s what we’re really talking about here. Acting.

Modern technology now allows us to produce radio spots here in Bend while using actors anywhere in the world. So you don’t have to settle for a local DJ who’s also doing spots for a used car dealer down the street. Keep in mind, your talent is the audio personification of your company. He or she better be able to convey genuine emotion using just the vocal chords. He better be ready to capture the flavor and the inflection of a well-written script without going through thirty different takes. Otherwise, even the most talented audio engineer with all the latest sound enhancement software won’t be able to save it.

The last piece of the puzzle is reach and frequency. That is, how often are your spots running and how many people are listening. (Without getting ill.)

The most common mistake is spreading your budget way too thin across too many different stations. Inc. Magazine recently published some good guidelines for this. “You should be buying more frequently over two weeks instead of spreading it out over a month, and buying 30 spots on two stations instead of 18 spots on three.”

A rough rule of thumb is that listeners need to hear an engaging ad at least three times a week before it starts to break through the clutter. Believe it or not, if your spots are well done you’ll get sick of them a lot faster than the general public will. So resist the temptation to change. Stick with it until the airwaves are saturated.

Radio is a wonderful, cost effective medium. When all five elements come together in a 60-second spot it can be pure magic. Remember, you’re looking for solid strategy, an original idea, concise writing, strong production values and plenty of air time. Even four out of five would be nice. But when several of those elements are missing, there’s a good chance your ads will just be turning stomachs. And ultimately, it’s your responsibility as an advertiser to keep that from happening.