14/09/2012
By Jackie Barrie, Copywriter, Trainer & Author at Comms Plus
A builder client wanted to stress that he only does high-end projects. He doesn’t haggle when his competitors undercut him. He only wants clients who appreciate the quality of work he delivers. He’s not cheap. I said: “Aha, so you’re the Stella Artois of builders!”
Stellar
Stella’s slogan is ‘Reassuringly expensive’. In their latest ad campaign, the copy reads: ‘It’s not a glass. It’s a chalice. (Made of glass.)’ Note that the copy doesn’t mention the product. It cleverly suggests quality without having to mention beer at all. And you can even get your hands on a ‘chalice’ if you want to.
Tip: Be brave. Be fearless. Be confident about where in the market you stand.
Royal
Prince Harry was recently caught on camera ‘with his pants down’ in a Vegas hotel room. Lynx took the opportunity to run an ad reading ‘Sorry Harry if it had anything to do with us.’
Meanwhile, for the Diamond Jubilee, Marmite launched limited edition packaging reading ‘Ma’amite’. It’s become a collectors’ item even though Her Majesty’s title should be pronounced Mam as in jam not Marm as in Farm.
Tip: If something happens that fits your brand, ‘newsjack’ it.
Off-target
Mattessons are running a TV ad with the strapline ‘You must be Hank Marvin’. Trouble is, not everyone knows that’s Cockney rhyming slang for ‘You must be starving’. And not everyone knows who Hank Marvin is. Confusion reigns!
Tip: Know what your audience knows and what they don’t know.
Jackie Barrie writes without waffle for websites, blogs, newsletters, brochures, leaflets and speeches, in fact, anything to help your company make more money. She is the author of ‘The Little Fish Guide to DIY Marketing’ and ‘The Little Fish Guide to Networking’.
Find out more at www.comms-plus.co.uk or 0845 899 0258.
