Compare Smart Zones targeting to old-school digital advertising targeting

There is a tipping point when some things become a little old school. Like the underperforming digital banner ads that companies continue to overspend on. Compare traditional online targeting to SmartZones by JD, a new-school mapping of nearly 100% of online home and business traffic into 16 million qualified, target-ready audiences. All while protecting user privacy. And without using intrusive cookies.

In under 2 min., you see exactly how Smart Zones compares to traditional digital advertising.

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The Perils of Celebrity Endorsements

In this recent Chiefmarketer.com article, I shed a spotlight on how celebrity endorsements in advertising can take a bad turn. But don’t let that prevent you from exploring the right kind of endorsement campaign for your marketing communications. In the article, I offer some examples and good advice to help you create a fairytale ending for your next endorsement campaign. 

Negative Advertising in Political Campaigns

With the Presidential campaign now seemingly in full swing and hundreds of Senate, Congressional, Gubernatorial and local races beginning to ramp up, the air waves will soon be inundated with political advertisements by candidates, interest groups and political action committees all jockeying to have their candidate be the last one standing when the dust settles. It seems that during every election cycle we hear stories about the bitter nature of campaigns today and how, despite a strong and growing public opposition to negative ads, they will play an integral role in the race for whichever office is most hotly contested. Being a bit of a political junkie myself, I often have friends, family and co-workers ask me why do these campaigns feel so compelled to go negative and when did all this negative campaigning start? So as a precursor to the coming onslaught of political advertisements coming soon to a television near all of us, I thought I’d provide some insight on these types of ads both from a historical and advertising perspective.

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Super Bowl Ads Near Sell-out … WHY?????

Advertising Age reports that close to 90% of advertising time for the next Super Bowl is already sold. To the marketing folks at companies on whose behalf this time has been purchased, I have a question:

Did you buy anything as a result of the Super Bowl ads last year?

In fact, here’s another question for you:

Do you remember most of the Super Bowl ads from a year ago?

If you’re spending money, huge money, on advertising during the next Super Bowl, you better be able to answer a resounding “Yes” to both questions.

It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I am not a fan of “killer” creative, which seems to dominate Super Bowl advertising. Nor do I agree with those who try to convince us that “buzz” is a desirable result of advertising. “Biz” is a measurable result, and buzz without biz is just noise.

Successful advertising is about relevancy. It’s about selling your product. It’s not about some schmo standing at the water cooler on Monday morning saying “Hey, Dude … did you watch the ads on the Super Bowl yesterday?”

I have no problem with those who want to buy Super Bowl ad time. It’s their money. I have a distinct problem with those “creative” types who guide their clients down the wrong path. Creative awards simply don’t equal money in the client’s pocket. Just look at Crispin Porter & Bokusky, known to some as “the hottest” advertising agency in the country. After all, look at what their “killer” creative accomplished for Miller Lite (“Man Laws”) or ConAgra (“Deadenbacher”). Buzz? Maybe. But money losers. And accounts lost for CP&B.

We, as marketers, can’t get caught up in all the hype about the Super Bowl ads. We have an obligation to our clients to do everything we can to show them how to create advertising that works. It may be your client’s money, but if you drop $2 million to $3 million of their cash and don’t generate big business, the consequences could – and should – be grave.

Grant Johnson

Johnson Direct LLC

800-710-2750