21Sep 2004 by Bob Cargill

Broken Line, Solid Practice

Advertising, Copywriting, Direct Marketing
Historically, the prototypical direct response ad has always included an order form, which is invariably surrounded by a broken line. To those who don't respond by phone or – today – computer, such a plain and unmistakable border tells the audience to get out the scissors, detach along perforation and mail before said offer expires. Even if there’s no form to complete, coupon to save, or paper to shuffle in any way whatsoever, it’s still an incredibly strong call to action. It’s Pavlovian, really, consistent with the laws of the conditioned reflex. But evidently all this is no secret to the marketing team at Boston Sports Clubs. I can’t tell you how many ads of theirs I’ve seen framed by broken solid – as opposed to dotted – lines. For…
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15Sep 2004 by Bob Cargill

Recycling References to Popular Culture

Advertising, Copywriting, Direct Marketing
Before you attend your next brainstorm meeting, I have a little homework assignment for you. Watch a few hours of television. Take in a couple of good movies. Listen to some talk radio. Punch up The Lycos 50. Then grab the latest issues of People, Time and Rolling Stone magazines, and read them cover to cover. I know, all that’s going to seem like information overload to some of you (and, to the others, perhaps a disdainful exercise in futility), but if you can stomach all the mind candy, the ideas will come rolling off your tongue. You’ll recycle a few references to popular culture and have everyone at that meeting – and, ultimately, your customers – singing your praises. Trust me. Using current events and popular culture to call…
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08Sep 2004 by Bob Cargill

A Big Lesson in Marketing

Advertising, Direct Marketing, Miscellaneous
The success of any advertising or direct marketing campaign depends on a coalescence of elements, not the least of which are the motif of the creative and the timing of the launch. If you can tie those two together, you're likely to be sitting pretty. For example, take the Sunday newspaper insert I received recently from Target, which prides itself on selling quality, stylish merchandise at reasonable prices. Scheduled to arrive in-home about a week before the first day of school, it was obviously designed by the retailer to look like a classic composition notebook – ruled pages, marble red cover and all. But the “back to school” theme doesn’t stop there. This bold, eye-catching, 8-1/2” X 11” insert is divided into three two-page spreads – one each for middle…
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21Jul 2004 by Bob Cargill

Viral Marketing Gone Good

Advertising, Direct Marketing, Miscellaneous
Wednesday, July 21, 2004 – Chances are you’ve already seen the Flash parody of the Woody Guthrie folk song, "This Land Is Your Land," that’s been racing its way across the Internet this week at lightning-like speed.  My good friend, Michael Chinnici, emailed it to me a few days ago, and initially I didn’t think twice about it.  Spoofing President Bush and his Democratic challenger, John Kerry, it’s amusing, sure.  But at first glance, I though it was just another joke du jour encumbering my Inbox.  However, on second thought, turns out this clip (produced by the Los Angeles-based animation studio, JibJab) is an instant classic, the perfect example of viral marketing gone good.  So good, in fact, that JibJab is getting so many hits on its Web site that its principals,…
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14Jul 2004 by Bob Cargill

Marketing Miscellany

Advertising, Direct Marketing, Fundraising
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 – Say cell phones, and my first thought is Nextel -- probably because I’m hooked on a clever, little walkie-talkie feature called Direct Connect. But now I have another reason to be enamored of this wireless communications behemoth: its new tagline, “Done,” which, in one four-letter verb, speaks volumes….However, just because I like it doesn’t mean Thomas L. Collins wouldn’t be able to suggest a better alternative. After all, perhaps no direct marketer out there has a more critical -- and more experienced -- eye than Thomas, "The Makeover Maven" columnist for DIRECT magazine. Seriously! Read him -- and reap….I have to hand it to the folks at the United States Postal Service for practicing what they preach in a glossy, tri-fold self-mailer that came to…
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08Jul 2004 by Bob Cargill

12 Ways You Can Be a Direct Marketing Hero

Direct Marketing
Thursday, July 8, 2004 – Continuing a longstanding agency tradition, Yellowfin Direct Marketing is just days away from the release of our new fiscal year calendar, designed both as a useful time management tool (for those on the receiving end) and as a timely, self-promotional vehicle (for us). That’s right, in the spirit of practicing what we preach, this calendar is offer-laden, information-packed and just begging for a response all year long. (It’s also -- hint, hint -- absolutely free to anyone for the asking.) Each month of the calendar features a great, little tip on how to “take your organization’s direct marketing initiatives to the next highest level.” Along with this colorful, new wall calendar, we've included a dozen different coupons, each one good for one free half-hour consultation…
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29Jun 2004 by Bob Cargill

The Brilliance to Which We Aspire

Copywriting, Direct Marketing
Tuesday, June 29, 2004 – Thumbing through the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine last week, an ad for eBay Motors -- smack, dab in between the “Correspondence” and “Rock & Roll” sections -- stopped me dead in my tracks. An extraordinarily simple, no-frills composition, it uses a story about “Brothers John and Tom [who] want a great way to sell their cars” to illustrate the benefits of peddling wheels on eBay versus the old standby, the classifieds. After seven days, John, who uses eBay, “sells his car for a great price,” while Tom, who went the old-school route, finds his “ad is used as litter box lining.” It’s hip, funny and irreverent, sure, but it’s also textbook in formula, drawing on a case study of two young men and…
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15Jun 2004 by Bob Cargill

Talk about Target Marketing

Direct Marketing
Tuesday, June 15, 2004 – If you’re like me, you own more loyalty cards than you care to admit, but like a good boy scout showing off his merit badges, you don’t hesitate to flash them -- with great pride -- at the register. These cards, of course, are used by database marketers to keep track of our purchases, but on the surface, all most of us consumers care about are the “rewards” (read: discounts) we receive for our frequent patronage. Yes, there are those who dismiss such loyalty marketing tactics as too “big-brother”-like. But privacy concerns aside, I think these cards point up an incredibly effective way to forge bonds with your audience and introduce them to products and services they’ve shown a predisposition to buy. For instance, the…
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11Jun 2004 by Bob Cargill

Those Whom Are Sure to Attract Others

Direct Marketing, Fundraising
Friday, June 11, 2004 – Some of the best ideas have a way of falling into your lap. For instance, one of our higher education clients is doing something on its Web site that any other school, non-profit organization or association (I can’t help but think of the New England Direct Marketing Association) could emulate. In promoting Alumni Weekend 2004 on its Web site, Ithaca College is posting a list of those alumni who have already registered to attend, the idea being that if you see someone you know, or someone you want to know, you’ll be more likely to attend. Think Evite. After all, if it’s all about networking -- and you just so happen to be on the fence -- what could be better than knowing in advance…
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