Why There's More to Marketing than Advertising

Marketing is not all about promotion. If you are an advertising specialist, it does not make you an expert in marketing.

What’s more to marketing than that?

One of my first blog posts was stating that thefirst step in marketing is HR. Your employees are your best spokesmen.

In some odd way everything can come under the big title of marketing. Anything that entails some creative thinking or choice in an organization is subject to the way you decide to present it to your stakeholders, i.e. to market it.

This leaves only a few tasks that do not fall under marketing, and I say “tasks”, as even the most rigid of positions can be subject to “presentation” bias.  Let’s consider accounting for instance: true, there are some very basic entries that you cannot “edit” creatively, but as your role gets more managerial, you handle more responsibility, and you are given more power to influence the company’s overall image.

For instance, in accounting, you may be put in charge to present your company’s profit to the world. You will have to do it right; yet you will also have to do it in the most subtle and attractive way. Whether you look at the income statement and state “we got ourselves in a debt of 2 million dollars this year” or “we have invested in 3 new venues, and expect to generate 10 million dollars in the coming 3 years” makes all the difference in the world! It is all about marketing.  

Needless to say, you may conduct flawless advertising campaigns, yet… if its cost is not set based on the ROI in terms of profits, if your product’s price is not right, if your salespeople are not polite, if your venue is not welcoming, if your operations are not timely in delivery, if your secretary never picks up the phone, if you fall behind your competition in quality control (and the list goes on)… then you have utterly failed in marketing.

What a Woman is Worth

No the way you are raising your kids is not ok. 

Women are not obliged to dress to kill every day, they should not have to abide by social standards our superficial society sets. What do you get from being pretty? From all those beauty surgeries you've undergone? From that Facebook profile with tones of likes and comments. What do you really get? You've changed your face so many times, you don't even recognize your own reflection, and for who? For what?

When the highest and most appraised status a girl can get is a title of a beauty queen in a beauty pageant; that's when you need to reconsider the whole community.

Miss Lebanon 2008-2009 from fanoos.com

What are you doing telling your boys it is ok to go with a prostitute? Or that love is not a prerequisite for sex? Yes it is your fault, dear parents. Your fault, that none of those men abroad stayed faithful to their partner. It is your fault, that your married son, with a 1-year old kid, is hitting on that young girl he just met. It is your fault, that like you, your sons have learned to be violent to their wives.

Outdoor Ad on Highway - from Beirutdriveby.com

It is your fault that 11 year old got raped by the neighbor, yes that guy you know and trusted so well. It is your fault your driver dared to touch that 14 year old. It is your fault your second husband is harrassing your baby girl. It is your fault your son raped his 17 year old girlfriend. It is your fault. You, parents of this community, you failed to raise your kids with ethics, with morals. 

You failed. 

Haifa Wehbe, Lebanese singer -  from Bloggingbeirut.com

You failed at teaching them a woman's worth.

And why? Is it our stupid television stations? That set the standards for looks and beauty... instead of brains and content? Is it our advertising agencies that are so convinced that sex sells that they have plastered the roads with naked women, with no character nor personality? In either case, you failed. You still judged that girl your son brought home by her external beauty.

...And even had you raised your sons and daughters right;

You failed to say no.

Outdoor Ad on Highway - from Beirutdriveby.com

No to the degrading image of a woman hanged on our walls, our magazines, they've even managed to get on the radio... and you still failed to say no. No, to our singers, to our tourists, to the bosses, to your friend, to the gossip... 

But most importantly, no, to the social taboo, that keeps all those ladies quiet and those men free. 

...And you may think it's just an advertisement, or just a picture, but you are contributing without knowing it. Our marketing teams should be more aware of the brainwashing our kids are being raised in.

Apple is No Longer Cool

There are some areas in life where kids lead and the world follow. Brand managers, meet your critics: the teenagers.

If a teenager would come up to you and say "Apple is no longer cool", wouldn't you beleive him - As opposed to an experience marketer in his late 40s, or a marketeer like me (I bet some of you were getting ready to fight when they read the title!) You are likely to argue with the latter and explain to him how he could be misinformed; yet wouldn't you doubt your own knowledge in the matter when a teenager comes up with such a statement?

Have you heard what is the newest trend amongst teens? The huge headphones, colored and really visible ones. I mean, the last I had heard, earphones were getting smaller and all-the-way almost transparent. Well, it seems like teens have issued their verdict, what's in today are SkullCandy and Beats... and hmmm... anything sold at the Apple store?! I am left thinking, I am so off beat!

The fact of the matter is, teenagers make the rules when it comes to brand image. A successful branding campaign can be best measured by its effect on teenagers. 

Outdoor Advertising Trend in Lebanon

What's up with advertising copy cats in Lebanon? As soon as one advertisement catches on, the whole advertising industry follows its footsteps.

Can someone PLEASE explain to me what's the message behind a fashionable woman shopping for ... groceries?!

We have seen it for Eatalian ("fashionable modern cuisine", is it?), C & F (perfumes and cosmetics) with the message "live out loud", and for yet another Italian fashion brand *which name I cannot recall* (the unipole was located around Sin el Fil- Baouchrieh).

Did anyone else pick this trend up?

The Creative Work's Effect on Ads

Mike Bendixen, in a research entitled "Advertising effects and effectiveness", argues that the creative work has no effect on the magnitude of an advertising campaign; as the latter is only affected by the frequency of use of the medium in question.

As I stop to assimilate his research findings, I cannot help but pause thoughtfully. If indeed creativity does not in any way compensate on frequency; how can smaller campaigns, at times, get better response?

I would have to disagree in parts to the way the finding is presented. "Magnitude" by definition refers to the size. Thus obviously we are talking about frequency and reach. However, the way I see it, good creative work helps support the campaign in magnitude too, and is not merely a tool that dictates the efficiency of the campaign, as Bendixen seems to put it.

How? A good creative work stimulates the brain. It can be humor, it can be shock, simply beauty or even creativity. Whatever it is, it increases the magnitude exponentially as it is bound to create word of mouth.

Thus, I would not go against what has been stated by Bendixen. The magnitude within the medium in question is not affected by the creative work. Yes. The same medium will not multiply simply because the work is good. However, the medium will shift to incorporate other mediums which consequently would create a greater magnitude.

There, lies the beauty of marketing, the art of efficiently allocating budgets to maximize return by juggling not only the financials but also the qualitative.

*food for thought*

21 December 2012

I am extremely amused and I want to share the fun!!

I don't know if you are yet familiar with the whole propaganda surrounding the end of the world... Here's the scoop. Rumors are spreading on the world wide web that the end of the world is coming on December 21st 2012.

This propaganda coincides with a movie being launched that revolves around this topic... and yes, I don't believe in coincidence.

Do you remember the Blair Witch Project's marketing stunt? They filmed a trailer that seemed so real and fooled so many that it spread like fire over the internet. The entire marketing strategy revolved around cheap and fake publicity which made the movie extremely popular.

Back to the new movie launch: "2012".

The end of the world concerns everyone. What better message can create word of mouth, and what better medium to spread false rumors than the undictated web?

A great stunt of "mischief marketing" as Ray Simon would put it, and I would argue that it is more successful than the Blair Witch Project... With 8 million viewers so far, the "December 21 2012 THE END" is not doing so bad on youtube.

Rules of SEVEN

Hands-off marketing if you are not a marketer!

You won't see an sportsman working on accounting, or an accountant fixing the television. Why the hell does everyone feels he can get involve when it comes down to marketing?!

Things CAN and DO go wrong! In the name of all those who have to sit quiet and watch their campaigns get smashed by the decision maker:

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1-Make use of white space. It makes the eye more at ease and your ad more attractive.
2-Let the borders breathe. Always leave a margin.
3-Beware misspellings in the text.
4-Beware misinforming the public.
5-What is a beautiful piece of work without an audience? The medium is key.
6-Use integrated marketing communication; convene the same message, with the same soul.
7-Present the logo properly, always follow the guidelines set for its identity

OUTDOOR

1- Outdoor bookings should be done early on. NO you cannot wait for a better price, unless you're ready to deal with the worst locations.
2-Locations are to be chosen wisely, avoid locations in the middle of nowhere, avoid advertising clutter, avoid that tree blocking the view but mostly avoid the panels that are parallel to the road, they need to have a minimum tilted angle.
3- PLEASE outdoor advertising cannot handle a three paragraph text, in fact, it cannot even fit a three sentence text!! You want your ad to reach the audience? Try three to seven words; and that's that.
4-The logo HAS to be big enough. What is visible on your pc is not necessarily visible on the roads. No general rules. It all depends on the logo's font and recognition ratios.
5-Too many items in the picture might seem to offer a better understanding of your goal; do NOT be fooled, too many items in the picture equal no picture at all to the passers by. Keep it clean and simple, use a human character if you can, otherwise make it a very intriguing picture.
6- DO use sans serif fonts. Those like Times New Roman are less readable from distance.
7-Consider the use of eye catching colors like red, orange or yellow for the background. (However, the effectiveness of these colors is highly dependent on the surroundings)

DAILIES

1- When booking in a newspaper, choose your ad location wisely. You don't want a festive ad next to the picture of a mourning woman.
2-A quarter page size is ideal in terms of value. GO for it when possible.
3-Better one ad in the front or back page than three in the middle.
4-Write concisely, and make it informative.
5-Consider the low resolution and bad printing quality, text and logos should be big enough and do not put 2 layers of the same color and expect it to be visible!
6-Use serif fonts, as they are more readable up close.
7-Always include a picture. It makes the ad more attractive.

TELEVISION

1-Some colors look better on TV, like purple and blue. Take this into account.
2-When it comes to animation, go slow enough to make the information graspable but fast enough not to make it boring.
3-Cut, cut and cut. It helps the eye keep its focus.
4-The brand should be mentioned prominently enough to be remembered; especially of the ad includes a lot of fluff and talk. In that case, increase the frequency.
5-Music is core. Make it relevant.
6-The choice of medium is very important. Take a keen look on the viewership ratings and assess your investment accordingly.
7-Choose your timing wisely, for a maximum viewership aim for news-time.

RADIO

1- Balads work greatly
2- Make the information concise so as not to lose the listener
3- Manage frequency effectively for optimum results
4- Music is crucial
5- Beware the pace of the speaker, leave room for breathing
6- Chose the right language to reach your audience
7- For optimum reach aim for rush-hours

The Old School

Marketing strives on evolution:
psychological and technological, but mostly, on communication.

Experience matters in the business world. However, it feels that young fresh new comers are a step ahead in understanding the predominance of novelties and effects of the new implicit regulations that dictate the market. The old school of marketing has a bunch of attributions that in today's world are almost extinct!

The obvious change - the one that even the most conventional do not fail to identify - The Medium
In the book Mavericks at Work the authors discuss whether Google and WPP cooperate or compete, they conclude that they do both at once, quoting WPP's own CEO they are "frenemies". Yes, marketing has shifted, as new modes of communications are being adopted, from targeted sms, to digital marketing, the new technologies are offering various ways to deliver the brand.

Other changes come subsequently - The Delivery
New possibilities open new doors. What was once a one-way delivery is transformed today into an open dialogue. What was entitled "delivery" became, finally, what marketing is all about, "communication". Thus we entered the world of interactive marketing.

What the old school still does not understand, is that with the changes stated beforehand, the most important change took place - The Message
The brand is no longer communicated in emotional statements, as the audience now has the power to retort. Today, marketing is about content, and no longer about fluff. It is about being informative and no longer descriptive. The client seeks, and the marketeer's job is to supply. The line between B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business) marketing is becoming very thin, as the end consumer now almost requires (as the rules in B2B marketing dictate) a rational value added proposition to purchase a product.

Finally, the receiver has evolved - The Audience
The audience has become bombarded with information, with brand names, with slogans, it has finally gained an immunity to the traditional advertising brainwashing. The message can be fatal. The audience has grown to become aware and conscious. It can discern truth from lies and does not like to be taken for a fool. Information is broadly available and word-of-mouth spreads fast.

...So innovation took place in terms of medium, delivery, message and audience. Where do the marketers stand on keeping up?

Advertising in Lebanon

Advertising is getting kind of hard to avoid in Lebanon. Here's a list of some Advertising in Lebanon posts:

Politics Advertising in Lebanon
Advertising in Lebanon Trends Spring 2010
Outdoor Advertising Trends in Lebanon
Creative Works Effect on Advertising
Advertising in Lebanon Rules of Seven
Lebanon: The Old School of Advertising
Variations in Advertising Media Sensitivity

MIT Arab Business Plan Marketing Campaign

The MIT Arab Business Plan campaign was a broad regionally-spread marketing effort to incite people to participate in an entrepreneurial competition. Thus the marketing message was action-oriented: register online. The participation is free of charge, thus it eliminates the pricing factor on the measuring of campaign effectiveness.

Yet, I was shocked to realize there was only 1,241 completed applications, better yet, of which only 266 qualified for grading? OK, so if you do not live in the Middle East, I understand that you are bedazzled at my surprise. However, you must understand that this campaign ran on a top national TV for months, was featured in newspapers, it was even paralleled with a television program and was supported by direct mailing and facebook targeted advertising.

Bad marketing?...

Variations in Medium Sensitivity

Marketing is not global. What applies in one industry does not necessarily work in another. I think I have identified the key for successful marketing when it comes to restaurants and pubs: word of mouth.

You can put a billion dollars advertising on billboards and magazines, if you are not offering an added-value that will eventually generate word of mouth; chances are that you have just literally thrown your money away... and I have news for you, they are not coming back!

Make sure your marketing department has some marketing sense. The only thing you need to do to succeed in this industry is to offer something exclusive to you; create your own identity prominently enough to be marked in the eyes of the consumer and you're in the game... make sure it doesn't become boring, and you're winning.

Are marketing mediums industry specific?

I was staring at some outdoor advertisings the other day... and I spotted some Perfume posters. Who the hell gave that marketeer this position?! The day it becomes a want to wear the same perfume everyone else is wearing, will be the day billboards become an effective tool for perfumes!!! Whoever put an accountant in the marketing department has made a terrible mistake. It might be cheaper to target a broader mass this way, but your damaging your image!

Customers actually search for perfumes in the glamorous magazines, they expect them to be there, so you better give them what they want. If you want to sell, that's where your investment should be. Forcing your product to the mass is neither a good strategy for your brand image nor a smart sales technique; as far as I can tell. I can't think of someone wanting his perfume to be on the streets... consumers want their perfumes to be in fashion editorials and stylish magazine pages... It doesn't take a genius to figure this out. It's common marketing sense!

Unless there has been some benefit gained from overriding the competition, these companies need to seriously consider their profits and redefine their marketing plan.