While I was stuck at the rail crossing this morning (don’t get me started) I rolled the window down to chat with a local business owner. He asked how things were going. I told him we were busy, slightly nervous, but optimistic. His response was music to my ears:

‘”Well I guess everyone needs you at the moment.”

In slow economies many businesses decide to lay low and cut marketing budgets, which they consider to be expenses. Fortunately, there are still some positive thinkers who recognise the need to market their businesses more in tough times. In fact, I have been encouraged by the number of clients we have spoken to who are looking at the current climate as an opportunity and are keen to be more innovative in their marketing.

These are the ones who will come out in front.

Related reading:

Zag Theory

Marketing plan for tough times

Make 2009 your advertising transition year

Posted by Craig on February 5th, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Posted under: Sticky Advertising Agency | Strategy | Zag Theory

The international economic crisis has been devastating in the US and European financial and housing sectors and all indications are that Australia will also feel some of the pain. Already several large advertisers both here and overseas have indicated they will be cutting back on their marketing investment over the next year, and as the fear of recession spreads its likely that local advertisers will consider following suit.

Traditionally advertising budgets are amongst the first things cut when times get tough, but what should you really be doing for your brand and business to ensure you survive and even prosper during an economic downturn?

Interestingly, this crisis comes at a potential turning point in marketing and media history. Traditional media has been declining over the past decade whilst new media options have been on the rise. This situation could be exacerbated by the economic squeeze as marketers spend less on broad brushstroke measures and focus more on measurable results. (For further explanation of this scenario click here).

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Posted by Craig on December 21st, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Posted under: Digital | SEO Newcastle | Strategy | branding

For some time now I have been observing the advertising world move away from the effective use of slogans or taglines. It seems that, along with jingles, slogans have become “uncool” within an industry that prides itself on being “current” and “cutting edge”. Perhaps it has something to do with our current generation of marketers not wanting to do what their predecessors did. Maybe slogans and jingles are considered “old-fashioned” marketing devices.

I couldn’t disagree more (a quick look at our agency show reel displays my appreciation for slogans and jingles). I think “cool” is to blame for the blandness of most campaigns today, and why few current campaigns will ever stack up against the legendary Australian campaigns of yesteryear such as “feel like a Tooheys”, “Meadow Lea, you oughta be congratulated”, “Woolworths, the fresh food people”, “Its time” for Gough Whitlam’s election campaign and “C’mon Aussie C’mon” for World Series Cricket. Mo & Jo would be shaking their heads in disbelief.

I still believe that well-conceived slogans attached to a memorable device, such as a jingle, are extremely effective and should be part of every marketing campaign. Recently I found an excellent article in AdAge (USA) extolling the virtues of the marketing slogan. It is wonderful advice:

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Posted by Craig on July 16th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Posted under: Strategy | branding

posted by Bea Fields at Fast Company

Generation Y. You’ve heard that they don’t watch TV, and you’ve probably been told that they don’t read that much. Your research tells you that you can’t target them through MTV anymore, and you certainly can’t tell Gen Y what is cool. So how do you reach these 71 million “Millennials” that spend over 200 billion dollars annually and will soon replace the baby boomer generation as the largest percentage of the workforce? The answer is simple—you STOP marketing to them. Let me explain.

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Posted by Craig on June 30th, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Posted under: Demographics