Thoughts on Marketing…

Do you know the reason for advertising?

Some folks, especially those high-powered ad agency types, seem to have forgotten it. It is to create sales, which mean income, which hopefully mean profits for the business or individual. Period. That’s it.

All the other parts and pieces lead right back to that. Branding is done so consumers will gravitate toward that brand – to buy. Social networking is done to create relationships so that people will gravitate toward a certain person or establishment – to buy.

So with that in mind, have you seen the ad for metal roofing on TV?

There’s a young couple about to view a home for sale, and the real estate agent mentions a few features inside the home, and then starts on the roof. She tells them how that metal roof will keep them safe from fire, last forever, look beautiful, etc.

Then she says “So, ready to make an offer?” The potential buyer asks if they can look inside first and the agent looks at them and says “Why?”

I always get a kick out of it, but I don’t see it as an effective ad.

Will it sell metal roofing, or will it just make people laugh and talk about how dumb some real estate agents are?

More importantly, will it cause homeowners to go to that particular website to buy their metal roofing? I don’t think so.

First, the ad doesn’t give any reason why theirs is better than any others, which is a huge mistake. And, it doesn’t mention the brand name – or if it does I’ve been too busy watching the silly real estate agent to notice it.

It does include the “call to action,” which is a vital part of any ad, but with the “reason why” missing, I think this ad will do more good for the company’s competitors than it will for them.

If it has any effect at all, it might just be to make people consider metal roofing if they’re building, or re-roofing a current home. Then, my guess is they’ll call their local builder, and the local builder would contact a local source.

An effective ad needs to trip an emotional trigger, then offer some logic to justify the reader’s/viewer’s interest in wanting that particular product or service. And that’s where this ad falls short.

But I’d love to hear what you think about it.

Does this ad make you want a new roof? Does it make you want a metal roof? And will you go on line to order that roofing? (And, do they put some installers in the package with the roofing when they ship it??)

Does it make you think anything different about real estate agents than you thought before? If so, what?

I’m curious to see if your impressions and mine are similar.

Here’s to good marketing,

Marte