ADOI Blog

Advertising Overload!

admin2 on 07 7, 2009

If I hear another so called advertising or brand expert say that to build a brand companies must create awareness by reaching as many consumers as possible and as quickly as possible, I am going to thump him or her because he or she is really doing a disservice to not only our clients, but also the rest of us in the industry.

On a recent 30km drive from Bandar Kinrara to Sri Hartamas on the LDP, my son and I counted an astonishing 480 billboards, advertising hoardings, buntings, shop signs and other messages that were a result of companies trying to raise awareness of their products to as many people as possible in the hope – and I stress the word hope, because that’s all it is – that one, some or all of those people, may remember the product name next time they need it and ask for it by name.

10, 20, 30, 40 years ago, and before that, there was a place for creating awareness because, if there was also effective distribution, the product had a good chance of evolving into a brand. But today, the concept of creating awareness is past its sell by date!

So, do I remember any of the billboards I saw? Yes, one of them and the only reason I remember it is because it was for shock absorbers! Why would a B2B product advertise on a billboard? Has anyone ever bought shock absorbers? I haven’t, and I’ve been driving for over 30 years and in that time I’ve had some really clapped out rides that required me to replace just about every component EXCEPT the shock absorbers!

The global economy has tanked, budgets have been slashed and we need to start offering measurable solutions that ensure purchases are made otherwise we’ll be out of a job, or perhaps even punched!

Marcus Osborne is a founder of FusionBrand, Asia’s leading data driven brand consultancy. If you like this, you can read more of his often controversial opinions about the industry here: http://brandconsultantasia.wordpress.com/

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