Phone Number or Webpage?

Hello Creative Types!

Saw a commercial today that reminded me that I needed to vent about another little something about script writing.

When I write scripts for clients I focus on either the telephone number or the url of the business but never both.   And more and more I encourage clients to go with the url mostly.

You say, “but wait…..I have a cool vanity phone number”.  Then use it my good man, woman or gender neutral person!  But whatever you do don’t try to make the viewer or listener work too hard to remember your name, phone number, url, zip code, dress or suit size and political leanings.

I use a Blackberry for my communication.  Now if I were to see an ad that said “call 800-EAT GOPHERS”, well I would certainly want to check it out but those of you who own a Crackberry know…you can’t spell out a phone number…..JEEEZ!   Now same scenario I see the same commercial and it tells me to go to go to EAT GOPHERS .com  Well with just a  few tippy taps (yes I said tippy taps) I am on my way to the website whether I am at my computer or on my mobile device.

Here is an annoying test to try with your Lab Rat…I mean Cube Mate.  “Gopher” your head over the partition as say “Hey Cube Mate remember this number…888-947-1928….thats 888- 947- 1 - 9 - 2 - 8.”   Then one day later “Gopher” your head up over the partition and ask them to repeat the number you gave them yesterday.   Unless they have written it down..there is a high probability that they have forgotten the number.

Now try a new experiment. “Gopher” over the partition again and say..”Hey Cube Mate remember this website….”GOPHER POWER dot com..that’s Gopher power dot com”.  In all likelihood they will probably type the url in right away but I bet you a wooden nickle that tomorrow when you as them they will remember “Gopherpower.com”.

Hey it’s just my opinion.  Got one?   Well let me hear it.

Have a productive and creative day!

~The Head Who~

All is Revealed

The fall television season is upon us.  We have been hammered with promos for The Event, warned that our favorite show has been moved to a “better night and time” and we have been told that if we miss a single episode of a new show we will be LOST (no pun intended) and never able to catch up.  Apparently there have already been football games touted as “the game of the season”.   Ladies and gentleman I give you marketing at it’s best.

What is the lesson we learn from the barrage of new programming promos from the networks?  FREQUENCY……HELLO!

As a marketing professional I have heard numerous clients say things like “oh I tried TV it doesn’t work” or “Radio and TV advertising is a waste so why bother, nobody watches the commercials”.  When I hear things like this I want to wrap my arms around that spurned advertiser and apologize for the media professional who led them down the path to poor results.

I can remember my little league baseball coach saying over and over again…”the more at-bats the more hits”.  This little pearl of wisdom applies to advertising.  If you are going to invest the money for radio or television then you better commit yourself to FREQUENCY.

The other part of the equation of course is the creative message. But I will save that for the next blog.

~The Head Who~

www.whodidthatmedia.com