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Archive for March, 2010

Nothing is Free…EVEN when you think it is!

Mar 29

Posted by Scott Westerlaken in Low Budget Advertising, Scott Westerlaken, Video Production | 4 Comments

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Why not let the station do your low budget ad? After all their creative and production comes FREE!

First, let’s get one thing straight.  Nothing is for free…especially in advertising!  If it is free, there are probably a hundred reasons not to get involved.

Right now there are a ton of deals being offered by the stations for air buys and they’re desperate to get your money.  The offers may range from 2x the frequency of your buy up to and including free production of the ad.  I’ll say it again…you get what you pay for!

Why?

We all know the kind of quality ads the stations normally produce, not exactly the cutting edge, cut through the clutter kind of stuff. If you are there because you get double the exposure ask yourself if it is good enough that you’d want to see that commercial twice as many time as normal.

If all you have to talk about is price, and nothing’ but price…you should be doing your ads at the local station! But, for some reason I think about 90% of the advertisers out there doing ads with the station have something more than price to offer…but it’s not coming through!

If your attitude is “I don’t care what it looks like, as long as it’s on air because if I’m on air, I’m top of mind…good or bad!”.  Remember, if you buy into the station producing your ad, you are more than likely locked into “that” station for the rest of your buys with that ad. Most will not release the ad to another station, especially if they gave you a discount (Free) to get it done!  This now leaves you with having to go through production again if you want to buy airtime somewhere else.

So what’s the solution?  The alternative to a station produced ad is using a creative production film/video company to produce your ad.  Until recently the costs for doing so where very expensive due to the cost of cameras and editing facilities. Well, times have changed. With the advancements in cameras and computers within the last two years, this is no longer the case!  Production fees are less and far better quality than that of the station.  We can produce a commercial with the same production look that used to cost upwards of $65,000 5 years ago for a lot less that that now. We can use custom cameras that shoot with the same cinematic qualities of a 35mm film camera and there have been huge advances in processor speeds for editing!  Now, add to that access to some of the best creative writers in advertising and you get a value-add that the stations can’t possibly match.

SW

Scott Westerlaken

Scott Westerlaken

With over 25 years of award winning experience in marketing, television commercials, film, video, communications, web, radio, print, and events, Scott has the ability to maintain focus on the big picture and offer a wide range of solutions appropriate to the clients message and budget. He has been recognized with dozens of awards in business, communications, and filmmaking from around the world. For the client, this means a truly unique balance of hands on technical knowledge and high level strategic experience that always leads to unique and creative solutions.

Wikio
Wikio

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East, West and in the middle.

Mar 17

Posted by Mike Jones in Guest Blogger, History | No Comments

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I’ve had the good fortune to work in three completely different markets. I started my career in Toronto, then Vancouver, then Halifax and now back in Toronto. Scott has asked me to write about how things differ in Toronto compared to the Halifax market. Here are three things that stand out to me but I’m sure there are others.

The number one difference I’ve noticed since moving back to Toronto is how much more competitive it is. You can’t be a seat warmer, you have to produce or you’ll be replaced. There is no room for laziness. People come and go quickly around here.

The second thing is how much bigger the budgets are. We had to be much more resourceful in Halifax to produce good work on shoestring budgets. I’m always amazed when I hear people complaining about how small the budget is because we would make it happen for half that in Halifax and still produce solid work.

The final thing that separates Toronto and Halifax is the number of options that exist in the Toronto market. It’s great to have so many choices and it keeps it a very competitive place. Competition is a good thing.

Mike Jones / Art Director

Since 1998 Mike has worked for top agencies in Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax. Over the years he has gained valuable experience working on a wide range of clients. Currently he works at Due North Communications for clients such as: LCBO, Goodyear, H&R Block and 3M.

Mike has been recognized at many national and international award shows such as: Marketing, ADCC, National Advertising Awards, Applied Arts, Extras, New York Festivals, London International Awards and the Bessies to list a few.

Wikio
Wikio

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The King is dead! Long live the King!

Mar 11

Posted by Scott Westerlaken in Scott Westerlaken, Social Media, Web | No Comments

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I could never figure that line out as a kid growing up.  I forget what movie I heard the line in but I know I wasn’t watching the images at the time.  Had I been, I would have seen the old king take his last breath and the crown placed on the young prince.

When websites first started getting attention from marketers in the late 90’s the hot word was “content”.  Things changed after businesses found that content on the web alone didn’t make them money or drive their sales.  Interestingly in the last few years the word keeps popping up again.  “Content Is King”, and surprisingly in the same breath I hear the “Big Idea” is dead.  In fact I was just at a Canadian Marketing Association conference and heard it again.  Thankfully there were defenders of the “Big Idea” concept on the panel.  I’m always left puzzled by the “Content Is King” statements though.

The Internet is a communication medium and people use it to find information or entertainment of some sort (this is over simplified).  The information/entertainment on a website is considered its content. Generally the thinking is the more useful, fresh and interesting the content the website has, the more successful it will be. In theory this is because more people will want to visit it again and again, link to it, and generally talk about.  This is especially true if a website is constantly adding more and more content on a regular basis.  This could also be said about TV, Print and Radio and the strategy leaves a lot to chance.  You could be lost in the clutter!

In the past the “Big Idea” was the game changing concept in traditional marketing and advertising.  This was the “Where’s the beef?” idea.  If you had a good enough idea, theory said you could connect with the consumer, cut through the clutter and the product or service would be a success.  To me, though, the “Big Idea” can be two things:  giving people want they want (whether they know it or not) in a way that is more enjoyable than the competition and/or creating emotion that motivates them to an action.  Right now, the web needs the “Big Idea” more than at any other time to date!

As I see it you can have all the good content in the world, but you can still fail without a great idea.  Case in point are the sites with great content (pets.com, drugstore.com) but had flawed “Ideas”.   All the content in the world could not save them.

bk chickenMy line of thinking is if you combine valuable “Content” with a “Big Idea” you are almost guaranteed success.  On the web, Crispin Porter produced a great example combining the two.  The subservient chicken site, was built a few years ago for Burger King (ironic) to launch their new chicken sandwich and also build the brand slogan, “have it your way”.  Without the “Big Idea” I could easily see this site having been just pictures or descriptions of the many different ways to get your BK Chicken Burger (I’m sure we have all sat through those briefings)…. Instead it was an early micro site viral success!

Most times I will take the “big idea” over “content” (though I would take a million dollars over the idea of a million dollars in a second).  To say that there needs to be no “Big Idea” for successful marketing and websites as long as you have good content is rather foolish.  You are just keeping the door open for the competition to come eat your dinner.  Statements like “Content OR Idea” need to be refined to “Content AND Idea” in order to position yourself best for success.  I am almost thinking that the “Content Is King” line of thinking doesn’t consider monetization of the product? Am I misguided? Maybe I’m just not seeing the King for what the King is?

SW

Scott Westerlaken

Scott Westerlaken

Scott Westerlaken

With over 25 years of award winning experience in marketing, television commercials, film, video, communications, web, radio, print, and events, Scott has the ability to maintain focus on the big picture and offer a wide range of solutions appropriate to the clients message and budget. He has been recognized with dozens of awards in business, communications, and filmmaking from around the world. For the client, this means a truly unique balance of hands on technical knowledge and high level strategic experience that always leads to unique and creative solutions.

Wikio
Wikio

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Running on cruise control.

Mar 5

Posted by Chad in Chad Wiesner, Marketing Strategy, Sales | 3 Comments

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Why some mature businesses ignore marketing at their own peril

Chad Wiesner

Chad Wiesner

Have you ever dealt with a salesperson at a well-established company that just seemed to be from a bygone era? You know what I’m talking about…a nice enough individual, but just not overly engaged or knowledgeable about what’s new in the market or what the latest trends might be among his or her competitors. This individual is probably a long-serving employee and unfortunately embodies the tired culture of the organization. The company’s product or service is proven, the orders just tend to come in at a predictable rate and there seems to be a steady demand. Perhaps the owners have become complacent over the years and with a generally positive cash flow, there’s never been much of a need to look at things like brand marketing, sales strategy or product development. As a result, the business is essentially running itself and cruising along – completely oblivious to the dangers that may lie just around the next bend.

Wayne Gretzky once said “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”  In today’s business world, technology dictates who the winners are and who the losers will eventually be.  Businesses that neglect to re-evaluate their products, services and strategies on a regular basis are eventually doomed to failure, no matter how secure and comfortable things seem at present.  Companies have to plan for the future and develop strategies to deal with changing customer tastes and demands. One thing I’ve noticed over the years in my own corporate experience is that companies who embrace change and develop the necessary marketing strategies to take them forward, even though things are going along just great at present, are inevitably successful. The problem is, many business owners cannot get past the initial investment required to kickstart this process and many have a jaded view of what the actual return on their “marketing investment” will be. Truth is, not investing in marketing means that the business probably will never grow and when the ownership goes to sell the business, they may discover it isn’t worth as much as they had expected. That’s a hard reality to face after a lifetime’s work.

The good news is, it’s never too late to renew and re-position your business for the future!  A thoughtful marketing strategy should not be just about renewing the brand image or website, it should be a comprehensive exercise that involves every department. As I have mentioned in a previous Blog, a solid marketing strategy must be viewed as a strategic “roadmap” for your business which takes into account the various facets of  a business: sales, brand marketing, finance, customer service, production, engineering, research and development, etc.  Dialing these departments into the strategy requires active participation from employees. My experience has been that engaging people in any process creates a greater sense of team and accountability. In fact, some of the best new product ideas, processes and perspectives often come from your employees. Injecting new energy, an outside perspective and some “real-world” expertise into a mature business will further motivate your employees to reach farther and “get with the new program”. Plus, there’s a certain comfort to employees during difficult economic times when they see their company investing in the future. Investing in the future means jobs, financial security and prosperity in the community.

If you have any examples of how embracing change and developing a thoughtful marketing strategy has helped a well-established company build for the future, I’d love to hear about it.

Chad Wiesner

chad@phigroup.ca

Chad has over 17 years of marketing and sales leadership experience with corporate management roles spanning the international export, credit information, manufacturing and telecommunications industries.  A collaborative entrepreneur by nature, Chad has successfully developed and executed strategic marketing plans pertaining to branding, communications, product development and sales for both small and large companies. His “real world” business acumen has taken him from the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies to the docks of multi-national seafood companies. With an eye for detail, Chad has crafted meaningful marketing strategies and communications plans that encompass the essence of the company and the customers it serves.

Wikio
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If your going to get shot, forget the blindfold.

Mar 2

Posted by Scott Westerlaken in Scott Westerlaken, Video Production, web video | 3 Comments

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What to wear for a video shoot.

At PHI, we want you to look your best.  When we go shooting real people we always get asked the same question “What should I wear?”  For some, I know they are looking for an excuse to go out shopping, but for most it’s a legitimate concern that sometimes is overlooked.  I put the following points together and share it with people I intend to shoot.  Not only does it make them feel more comfortable about the upcoming big day, it also avoids costly delays and embarrassment.

- Dress as you would normally when you have a big meeting and realize the what you wear will effect what people will think about your company.  Take into account that you want to feel comfortable as if you are uncomfortable it will be communicated on camera.

-Solid colors look best on video. Think blue, yellows, greens, grey and off white.  Red is also fine but depending on the camera, the hue and the texture has caused problems in the past.  Best to bring a back up if you dress in red…Just in case.

-Avoid white or dark clothing and instead dress in off white and dark grey.

-Avoid wearing the same color shirt & tie as…well, you won’t see your tie!

-Try not to wear anything too bright or distracting. Wearing wild colors, distracting clothing or jewelry may take away from what you want to say.

-Avoid clothing with fine patterns (pin stripes, herring bone) as they will cause a moiré pattern (a distracting wavy effect, seen mostly when Don Cherry appears on HNC) when seen on TV.  Not to say you can’t wear something with a pattern, you just need to avoid the tight, thin, contrasted lines.  Below is a quick example of what the moiré pattern looks like…note that only the image is pulling back, all the other movement is an illusion but very distracting!

-Avoid clothing that displays a brand, saying, image or logo unless you have obtained advance copyright approval (in writing) or it’s your own brand or sponsor.

-Avoid clothing that is reflective or has reflective strips unless it’s part of the interview!

-Avoid clothing that makes noise.  If you know you will be walking while being interview, wearing cords or wind pants that swoosh when you walk would not be a good idea.  Also think about leather that creaks, jackets and jewelry that also might make noise.

-If you can, or are unsure about what to wear don’t be afraid to bring several set of clothes so the director has a choice.

-If you wear eyeglasses, you may be asked to remove them if you are comfortable without them.  Remember when the optometrist offered low or non glare lenses?  Non glare free type lenses cause flares (reflections of the lights) and blocks your eyes from being seen.  If you can’t function without them, we have a few tricks to lighten the glare.

Other things to remember:
-Turn your cell phone off.  Even it it’s on silent or vibrate it can still make noise or cause electromagnetic interference to the camera and audio gear.

-Don’t forget to get a good night sleep before the shoot.  Trust us…it shows!

-Men may need a little powder to keep the skin sheen down.  Don’t be embarrassed about that!

-Women should wear their normal amount of makeup and not over do it.

- If you are prone to heavy sweating, let us know.  Even if you are not, it’s always a good idea to keep a handkerchief close by for any quick dabs.  Consider dress shields if you perspire easily.

-Don’t wear vivid red lipstick or try out some whacky new colour…unless that’s the look you are going for!

-Make up in general should be limited to softer tones and neutral overall look.

-Avoid ball caps.  They hide your face and makes lighting you very hard.

-Try and pick an outfit that we can clip a small microphone and transmitter and transmitter too, unless we have discussed other intentions.

-If you are being shot on blue or green screen it’s very important that you do not wear…blue or green!

If we have missed anything or have any other advise to share, please let us know!

SW

Scott Westerlaken

Scott Westerlaken

Scott Westerlaken

With over 25 years of award winning experience in marketing, television commercials, film, video, communications, web, radio, print, and events, Scott has the ability to maintain focus on the big picture and offer a wide range of solutions appropriate to the clients message and budget. He has been recognized with dozens of awards in business, communications, and filmmaking from around the world. For the client, this means a truly unique balance of hands on technical knowledge and high level strategic experience that always leads to unique and creative solutions.

Wikio
Wikio

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