I’m following up a recent popular blog post that received more positive feedback than usual.

Let’s listen to a nice local example of radio advertising. Here is a classic case of choosing something trendy and safe over something unexpected, funny and memorable. I trust my own opinions on this stuff but I’ll let you be the judge.

First, consider the irrelevant silliness and fantasy worlds portrayed in some of the major insurance brand ads like Liberty Mutual’s. That frivolous, whimsical style is trending and resonates with certain demographics.

A local packing & shipping company recently chose between two concepts. One ad is cute, unexpected and funny while the other follows a more recognizable and pedestrian style.

Have a listen:

Recommended Radio Ad

Approved Radio Ad

The ad runs mostly in rural Vermont and central New Hampshire, so consider the audience demographics.

In the recommended spot, the transparency of an obvious non-rapper producing a rap tune is hilarious and therefore memorable. The word choices work well to reinforce what the company does, followed by the “straight man” owner summing it all up.

In the approved spot, the trending style of fantasy, super heroes and puns was considered the safer way to go. That’s perfectly understandable but for me, after hearing it once or twice, I’ve had enough. The rap version still makes me smile after playing it dozens of times.

Be Different and Better!

As a consumer of terrestrial radio, I’ve been moved many times to try products or hire services over the years by the convincing power of relevant, on-target and sometimes funny advertising. Many of the best campaigns have been locally homegrown, being very creative and memorable.

There’s no need to hold back fun, creative and effective work, especially in times like these! Think outside the box for a change. Avoid the same, lame, me-too advertising game and make your messages more memorable in your market!

The post Make Ads Memorable, not Maniacal appeared first on Chuck Sink Link.

The national and global brand advertising agencies have allowed a whole legion of inexperienced and perhaps marginally talented career people into their creative departments over the past decade, and it’s showing! There are of course notable exceptions, but all you need to do is watch or listen to ads produced by the major insurance brands like Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Geico, Farmers, State Farm… They seem to be racing to the bottom of creative quality.

Piling on Creative Trends

The style and tone of these big brand campaigns are the same – weird, chaotic, hyper-exaggerated attempts at grabbing attention or trying to be funny. Does any of it relate to your personal (and emotional) needs for insurance? You be the judge.

A fine exception is the Allstate “Mayhem” campaign. It makes sense and cuts to the heart of why we need to be insured. Personifying the stark side of reality is indeed a clever and humorous way to wake people up to the fact that insurance matters in their lives! Compare Mayhem’s relevancy and creative quality to that of “Doug and Emu” (Liberty Mutual). There is no comparison.

Raising the creative quality standards in advertising starts with giving audiences respect for having intelligence and creative thought of their own. If I were running a large national or global agency, my message for creative professionals would be this. There’s no need to scream for attention with outrageous fantasy and folly. Try instead to captivate us with great ideas and compel us to action with emotion-driven messages relevant to what matters in our lives.

The post Let’s Raise Creative Quality Standards appeared first on Chuck Sink Link.