There can be many reasons why advertising campaigns tank, but usually it boils down to three reasons:
- Your creative is bad. Have you ever seen a TV ad and asked yourself “What was that about?” Or heard a radio spot that just made you change the station? Sure you have. Bad advertising is all around us. Bad creative makes us change the channel where good creative engages the audience and causes them to do something.
- You paid too much. Many times the people paying for advertising don’t understand all the ways a media outlet can confuse, overcharge or package worthless ads into the mix to make you feel like you are getting a deal when really you just bought junk. Have a professional media buyer on your side. It’s like having a good doctor. They can heal a lot quickly by seeing where your campaign is sick.
- You chose the wrong advertising medium. It’s amazing to me how many times clients have asked me to purchase advertising for them on programs, shows, stations or sites that they like. They paid for this and by gosh they want to see it–never considering where their target customers are consuming their favorite programming. Look at your media mix. Make sure your target customer are there before you invest.