When developing ads and direct mail, aren’t there some specific rules to follow with regard to creativity?
I hear this question a lot, and I have a standard answer: NO.
Sorry to be so blunt, but I’m so tired of hearing “experts” spout nonsense about rules for creative in advertising. You’ve heard those “rules” before: never use humor in direct mail – people don’t want “clever” – they want “information.” Or, “never have more than 5 words on a billboard headline.” How about this one, “you have to repeat the phone number at least 3 times in a radio commercial?” Right. After all, people who are driving have to have time to write down that phone number, don’t they? So, if you repeat it at least 3 times, they’re sure to get it right by the end of the spot.
Listen – maybe 40 years ago, there had to be some “rules” written because nobody really knew much about marketing and creativity. (Maybe it was 60 years ago, but who’s counting?) Today, it’s all a bunch of nonsense.
Common sense will tell you that too many words on a billboard are a total waste of money, because at 65 miles an hour, you’re lucky if the driver can read 3 of them. But you’d be surprised at successful marketing campaigns that BREAK rules. Like using humor in direct mail – one client pulled a remarkable 13% response rate. (Typical response rates are 2 – 5%!)
And those radio spots that MUST have the phone number repeated at least 3 times? Well, most radio spots today just use a web address, and most advertisers only use it once. People have the uncanny ability to remember web addresses if they’re interested in the product.
I’m sure that those “experts” who are writing all about those rules that you should never break are sitting at their computers, spewing out chapter after chapter of their latest books. You’ve met those folks at some point or another; they’re quick to tell you the name of the rather large east or west coast ad agency that they worked at – once upon a time. They have the time to write chapters about rules now, of course, because they’re not actually CREATING anything any longer. Sadly, if they’re still living by outdated and unnecessary rules, they probably don’t have any paying clients who need really creative advertising.
You see, people who don’t follow any rules when it comes to creativity in advertising, as you may have already guessed, are the ones who are doing all the work, and developing really creative advertising.
I hear this question a lot, and I have a standard answer: NO.
Sorry to be so blunt, but I’m so tired of hearing “experts” spout nonsense about rules for creative in advertising. You’ve heard those “rules” before: never use humor in direct mail – people don’t want “clever” – they want “information.” Or, “never have more than 5 words on a billboard headline.” How about this one, “you have to repeat the phone number at least 3 times in a radio commercial?” Right. After all, people who are driving have to have time to write down that phone number, don’t they? So, if you repeat it at least 3 times, they’re sure to get it right by the end of the spot.
Listen – maybe 40 years ago, there had to be some “rules” written because nobody really knew much about marketing and creativity. (Maybe it was 60 years ago, but who’s counting?) Today, it’s all a bunch of nonsense.
Common sense will tell you that too many words on a billboard are a total waste of money, because at 65 miles an hour, you’re lucky if the driver can read 3 of them. But you’d be surprised at successful marketing campaigns that BREAK rules. Like using humor in direct mail – one client pulled a remarkable 13% response rate. (Typical response rates are 2 – 5%!)
And those radio spots that MUST have the phone number repeated at least 3 times? Well, most radio spots today just use a web address, and most advertisers only use it once. People have the uncanny ability to remember web addresses if they’re interested in the product.
I’m sure that those “experts” who are writing all about those rules that you should never break are sitting at their computers, spewing out chapter after chapter of their latest books. You’ve met those folks at some point or another; they’re quick to tell you the name of the rather large east or west coast ad agency that they worked at – once upon a time. They have the time to write chapters about rules now, of course, because they’re not actually CREATING anything any longer. Sadly, if they’re still living by outdated and unnecessary rules, they probably don’t have any paying clients who need really creative advertising.
You see, people who don’t follow any rules when it comes to creativity in advertising, as you may have already guessed, are the ones who are doing all the work, and developing really creative advertising.
