Is bigger better? Does size really matter? In some instances the common myth that size does matter will often hold water, but when it comes to Print Advertising the urban legend is a sinking ship.
Before you advertise in the newspaper(that's right.....the newspaper does still exist, but I won't tackle that topic just yet because I'm planning on discussing that in a whole other post in the near future) you must first understand and respect the "Newspaper Totem Pole."
Newspaper Totem Pole
1. FREQUENCY, FREQUENCY, FREQUENCY
- It's not rocket science people! Frequency and consistency allow the greater chance of reaching and establishing your message with the readers (readers are also consumers). You should at least commit to 3 or 4 ads within a 7 day period to see a return on your investment.
2. SIZE DOESN'T MATTER
- You might have the biggest ad in the newspaper, but it's not the size, it's how you use it.
3. COLOR
- Even though color makes things pretty, color is also expensive and you could use that extra cheese towards making your ad a little bigger or booking another ad to establish frequency.
So, lets recap. What's the most effective way of newspaper advertising?
Answer, remember and respect the "Newspaper Totem Pole" by cutting the ad by at least a fourth of its size and run it 4-5 times more frequently.
FUN FACT: Did you know that "sleep is the greatest eraser of short term memory, which makes it the single biggest obstacle to advertising retention." -Chuck McKay: A Strategy For Frequency In Newspaper Advertising
I couldn't agree with you more on the frequency issue. I always gave my advertisers the exercise analogy, and said "Well, if you jumped on a treadmill and ran for three hour would you expect to be 50lbs lighter automatically?" It's the same thing with advertising. With so much advertising and propaganda everywhere, people have trained their eyes and ears to let it all fall by the wayside. I heard somewhere that it takes the average person 17 times of seeing the same message before they actually taking action to try it. With that in mind, advertisers should consider the frequency more than the big ad size. If people see something multiple times, they believe it to have more credibility. Its psychological and in the long run, it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Kevin! I tell my clients this all the time! I do direct Mail advertising in our community and it is REALLY helping stimulate the economy!!! It is expensive but my clients are seeing the benefits!
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