The outdoor marketer's oversight
What's wrong with this picture:
When's the last time you paid attention to and were prompted to visit a Web site by an ad you saw on public transportation?
When's the last time you paid attention to and were prompted to visit a Web site by an ad you saw on public transportation?
I was on the bus last night coming back from the Chicago IxDA when I had a revelation. Many of these ads, like this one here, are chock-full of information. After this information, usually, is a Web site you can check out for more information.
It's not that I don't like these ads, don't get me wrong. My main beef with them is I just don't think they're actionable. It's like, great, you actually have a Web site. It's not 1998; you should have one already.
So I can go to a great vacation spot, or I can go to a cool new Web site if I:
a) See the ad enough to remember it in the future.
b) Actually write down the URL.
c) Care enough to follow through and go to the page.
Maybe these ads aren't about getting someone to do something. Maybe it's just about bombarding folks with repeated messages so that they maybe recall your brand in the future. My suggestion: Show potential customers why they should listen to you. You'll probably benefit from giving them something immediate.
It's not that I don't like these ads, don't get me wrong. My main beef with them is I just don't think they're actionable. It's like, great, you actually have a Web site. It's not 1998; you should have one already.
So I can go to a great vacation spot, or I can go to a cool new Web site if I:
a) See the ad enough to remember it in the future.
b) Actually write down the URL.
c) Care enough to follow through and go to the page.
Maybe these ads aren't about getting someone to do something. Maybe it's just about bombarding folks with repeated messages so that they maybe recall your brand in the future. My suggestion: Show potential customers why they should listen to you. You'll probably benefit from giving them something immediate.
Comments
To answer your question, it was probably the Windorphins campaign that Ebay ran, mostly in outdoor.
Posted by: Marobella | January 10, 2008 8:12 PM
Honestly, it depends upon the ad and who they are trying to target.
When I was in college they had a campus bus system and a lot of local businesses or organizations ran ads on the inside and outside of the buses. When you spend a lot of time on the bus you start to read what's available.
Posted by: Mike Templeton | January 11, 2008 10:13 AM
I ride mass transit everyday. Being in marketing, I always read the ads. I can't say it's prompted me to visit a website. I can say, in this busy world, the advertiser reached me.
Mary
Posted by: Mary | January 16, 2008 11:26 AM
Paul - Haven't seen that one yet, but I'll keep an eye out for it.
Mike - Kind of the "throw-the-stuff-against-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks" approach. But hey, if it works, why not use it?
Mary - What would prompt you to visit a Web site?
Posted by: Daniel | February 1, 2008 8:09 AM
It's not "bad" to advertise where people have nothing to do but wait -- on the bus, at the gas pump, in line at a store, etc. It's just that static advertising like this one tends to fade into the scenery after the first glance. Put an LCD digital sign up there, and people will be mesmerized by it.
Posted by: Jody | February 6, 2008 12:02 PM