Fidelity and Prudential on same wave-length 

Two giant investment firms who are promoting financial planning and retirement income programs in their television and print ad campaigns are saying the same thing to the same audiences. 

Both are featuring “Find your way to financial security with us” and both are using pathway visuals.  The two campaigns are virtually interchangeable. Not cool if you’re either of the advertising agencies involved in producing the campaigns or if you’re the advertising director for either company.   

In an interview that we saw recently, a top executive at Fidelity took public credit for coming up with the pathway theme and the TV visual concept (moving line that leads the way for the happy-to-be-shown-the-way investor) for his organization’s version. 

The collision of themes is bound to create blurred brand awareness for both organizations.  Which one will blink first, and make a campaign change? 

“Measure twice and cut once.” 

This advice makes sense in sales planning as well as carpentry!

It pays to put it in writing 

It boggles the mind to learn how many independent agents feel they can compete successfully with the GEICOs of this world, without a marketing and sales plan. 

Wyatt Earp may have been a whiz shooting from the hip, but keeping old customers and attracting new ones requires deliberation. 

Your plan doesn’t require a 97-page tome. It does require reflection that starts with the Herberg Marketing Grid (which we use consistently in our coaching sessions with agents).   

The Herberg Marketing Grid, originated by our business partner, Frank J. Herberg, CPCU, during his tenure as Sales & Marketing veep at Worcester Insurance Company, consists of four elements---KEEP, UPGRADE, ROUND OUT and GET MORE---the four sales opportunities for every consumer marketing organization. 

Begin the development of your marketing and sales plans by asking yourself: “What are we doing now in each of these four areas?”  “What do we need to improve?”  “What are our limitations: people power or money or time?”  “What is our number one priority for the coming year?”  

Commit your objectives in writing. Then determine how you will implement them with personal selling and marketing support action programs.  Put your action steps in writing. Then go-for-it! 

These headlines actually ran in local newspapers!  

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers 

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures 

If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile 

War Dims Hope for Peace 

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Victim 

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group 

Man Struck By Lightning:  Faces Battery Charges 

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges 

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks  

We all need at least one good chuckle a day.  I hope these do the trick for you. Many thanks to our good friend from University of Maine days, Hal Wheeler, for sending them along.    

Syms slogan is super sticky 

A major objective of your agency Web site, e-zines, ads, direct mailers, and sales brochures is to associate yourself with a key buyer benefit that sticks with your customers.  

One way to do that is with a slogan that positions your agency as “different from all the others.”  We call this a positioning strategy. The other day I saw an article about Syms, the discount clothing mogul, acquiring Filene’s Basement in an auction sale.  Despite the fact that I had not heard or seen a Syms communication for at least five years, the Syms slogan popped into mind…  

An educated consumer is our best customer 

The Syms marketing model is based on offering brand name clothing at discount pricing---always with the brand name label left on the merchandise.  

Don’t have a memorable, benefit-driven slogan or “positioning line” for your agency?  We recommend you get to work on developing one today. Consult your staff, consult your marketing communications support people or give us a call. But get started. When you settle on one, stick with it! 

“The consumer is not a moron.  She is your wife.  Don’t insult her intelligence.” 

This was a frequent reminder offered to his ad agency’s copywriters and art directors by the legendary David Ogilvy.  Here is Ogilvy’s philosophy in a nutshell, a philosophy that we have adhered to from Day One at MullaneyCookson Marketing:  

Content is more important than technique.  What you say is more important than how you say it. Remember the image of your brand.  Offer the reader or viewer some reward in return for his or her time and attention. Build your advertising around a BIG IDEA. 

Give this philosophy a mental test while you are reading the local newspaper or watching the tube tonight. How many selling messages are obscured by technique?  How many ads insult your intelligence?  How many are outright moronic?  Conversely, how many communicate powerful benefits in an interesting and memorable way?  Now, check your own direct mailers, ads and brochures?  Is it time for some make-overs?