Evaluating Ads, or

"You Don't Have To Like It"

 

 

When we visit a doctor, a lawyer or an accountant, we usually follow their advice. We're free to do anything we want, of course, but because of their training and experience, we assume that they know more about their specialties than we do. We try hard to understand their advice and we usually follow it.

 

Advertising seems to be different. We've all seen a lifetime full of advertising. We're very familiar with it. We can't escape it---it's everywhere. We see ads created by the very best professionals for the most competitive, best-funded products on the planet. These ads often raise advertising to the level of entertainment.

 

So, we think we know something about advertising and we feel free to judge it. When we do, we usually say, "I like it," or "I don't like it," meaning, "It's entertaining" or "I'm familiar with advertising like that," or "It satisfies my expectations."

 

The best advertising professionals look at ads differently. All of their decisions in creating an ad start with the question, "What will make people want to have the product or service?"

 

They ask their clients many questions and research their business categories. Ad professionals want to know, as precisely as possible and practical, who will want the product or service, why they will want it, what it compares to, what else they'll confuse it with and so on. Advertising professionals consider carefully how any ad message will be perceived by the most important person---the person that will buy the product or service.

 

Making ads that are familiar, entertaining or pleasing to the advertiser--that's you--is much, much less important. You don't have to like it. You just have to understand how it will work.

 

The advertising we'll create for your business will appeal to your best prospects. The ads will contain carefully chosen elements and compelling reasons for them to visit your business instead of a competitor. We'll work especially hard to make the ads associate your business with benefits for the prospects.

 

We ask that you judge your advertising based on professional effectiveness, not personal preference. We'd be glad to meet with any staff and discuss the ads. We'll explain clearly how advertising works and how these ads will work.