Archive for category Uncategorized
A Response to Ethics in Advertising
Posted by Aim Marketing in Uncategorized on July 29, 2010
I am pleased the Associated Press chose to quote my thoughts on ethics in the Advertising Industry. As I read the responses from readers, I realize there are two different topics of ethics being discussed. The first being the truth in advertising such as advertising messages that are not quite true or misleading and the other being the relationship between advertising agencies and their clients. My remarks were about the latter. In this tight economy, clients are scrutinizing overinflated charges and the agencies relationship with media. No longer can an agency charge an arm and leg for a drag and click. Clients are also questioning the media buys and how the agency justifies the rates. The Mad Men episode on Sunday night alluded to their second floor as to make them sound like a bigger agency. In competing for an account if my agency is honest about what we are capable of doing for our clients but our competition is lying their heads off we feel the playing field is not even. So I welcome an ethics committee but have little hope they will change bad practitioners but maybe these decisions will call them out. I would like to suggest to the ethics committee that they try to educate clients as to how to choose an agency.
Mark Fleisher, aimadvertising.com.
A Tsunami of Political Advertising Rolling Your Way
Posted by Aim Marketing in Uncategorized on July 23, 2010
Have you ever felt this way?
Kantar Media, which tracks political advertising, says about $2.6 billion was spent on the 2008 general election—up from $1.7 billion four years earlier In January. Remember how obnoxious it got? This year the ad spending will likely increase again especially since the Supreme Court removed almost all limits on corporate political giving. One wonders what we are in for in the coming months. For one thing there will be no bargains for media buyers. I predict so much ad spending for political ads that candidates will be forced to spread their money around from radio, cable television, direct mail, newspaper and TV. This is one segment of private business that is in for a windfall.
My next prediction is candidates will remember the Obama social media campaign and dive in headfirst. The only thing is Obama had celebrity appeal that made people excited to actually be his friend and network online with him. A candidate flub-up in social marketing may end up being worse than goofing up a question at a press conference, or performing poorly at a debate. We did just witness the backfire when Palin tweeted “no mosque at ground zero”. I like the fact that you could join in or opt out of online campaigns. It will be interesting come September when the barrage starts.
My advice is to get your buys in now if you’re planning a fall campaign, but be prepared. The audience has many ways of tuning you out. While media will get some well deserved advertising revenue, our poor retailers trying to make a last ditch effort to end the year in the black, will get buried in the clutter or end up on the cutting floor. My only hope is that after the election the retail climate might have more optimism about the future of doing business in this country.