AdVerbs

The lifecycle of the logo. How long should it last?

BMW was the sponsor of the season premier of Man Men last Sunday night . How appropriate. Not only is "The Ultimate Driving Machine" a Mad Ave icon, it proves that if done right, taglines and logos can continue to build equity and awareness for decades. BMW's line was created in 1974 when the automaker was an embarrassing (and virtually invisible) number 11 on the list of Top Ten import brands that year. Flash forward and BMW is number one on that list-- thanks, in large part, to smart and consistent branding. 

Smart and consistent are the key words here. Above all, a brand's positioning has to be spot-on and communicate a compelling truth in an interesting way. Then, it's all about consistency. That should be the easy part. Apparently, it's not.

We are a "throwaway society," where toasters, coffee makers, TVs, and phones are easily and cheaply replaced by shiny, new ones every couple of years. That happens with advertising, also. Too often, clients feel the need to change the brand, freshen up the look, or create a new tagline more in tune with today's market. Or even just try on a "bright, shiny, new agency." Sometimes that's necessary and justified--say,  to signal a real change or in the event of a merger or in response to an evolving market. Most times, it's just an expensive new suit of clothes that looks good, may not be a good fit, and probably will have to be replaced next season when "the look" is terribly out of date.

Classics last. And though they cost more in the beginning, great logos, taglines, and brands pay for themselves many times over.

We've been lucky to work with clients who understand the value of investing in a real brand position and creating a true position that works well today as well as decades from now. Here are a few examples:

Floyd and Stanich created this line and rebranded White River State Park more than a decade ago. Next time you're at the Indiana State Museum or the Eiteljorg, take a closer look at the entrance to White River State Park and its enduring brand stamped into the metal of the entrance.  

More than 20 years ago, we helped create a brand that brought the former Beethoven Foundation into a new era. It's still just as vibrant and appropriate today.

When Bernie Stanich here was Creative Director at Bates Midwest, the agency created a positioning line that's definitely withstood the test of time and continues, after nearly 15 years, to communicate the newness and vitality of downtown Indianapolis.

Good, solid branding lives on.  And on and on.

Why working in advertising is like having twins.

Having done both, I can testify that the common denominator here is that people come up to you and say, "I always wanted to do that." As is usually the case, be careful what you wish for. Both activities are labor-intensive, take every ounce of your attention and creativity, and are much, much harder than they look.

Both are also absolutely fulfilling and fun.

I just finished reading "Adland" by ad-agency veteran James Othmer. He points out that though our industry has changed dramatically, people still are attracted to the profession. And there is definitely a dual nature to the advertising profession.

We are constantly weighing the needs of the client against what we know to be the right solution. Dealing with the concrete realities of budgets and the creativity of ideas. It's definitely a balancing act. And great agencies do it effortlessly and selflessly.

Today, ask yourself this: Is your agency putting your best interests forward or just trying to win an award for its work? Is your agency too quick to give in to your demands-- even if it might not be the best thing in the long run? Just like in raising twins, you have to make sure both (client and agency) are heard and needs are met.  Otherwise, someone's going to end up in tears.

What do you think makes a great client/agency relationship?

Back to the future.

This week, our agency started its 25th year in business. That got us all nostalgic. Back in 1985, when Floyd and Stanich opened its doors as DJ Floyd and Partners:

No one here used a computer. It was so cool that we had an IBM Selectric.

Faxes and FedEx were still state-of-the-art. People stood around and actually marveled over electronic transfer of images.

We had to hand-deliver TV commercials to the station on 3/4" tape and radio spots were on reels.

There was no Internet. Ditto email.

We used resources called typesetters. Typography was an art, not a computer program.

The tool we couldn't live without was an Xacto knife, not an iPhone.

Having outlasted virtually all the agencies around at the time, we still love to experience the things that got us into the business in the first place:

Being privileged to peek into all kinds of business. We've picked sweet corn with an ag client, worn a rabbit suit for a car dealer commercial, learned to operate a packaging machine, and seen how cool convertibles are created.

We get to work with talented, educated, entertaining people.

And we get to be creative and put strategies to work for clients every single day.

How to outsmart, not outspend, your competition

In the outstanding new book, Juicing the Orange, by the legendary founders of Fallon, the agency that changed the advertising world (from Minneapolis, of all places), creativity is vital. Not to win awards, but to give your clients a competitive edge. As they say, "Imagination is the last legal means of gaining an unfair advantage over the competition." We agree.

Not many clients these days (none of ours, to be sure) have the unlimited dollars needed to dominate the marketplace. But they don't need to. Smart strategy, compelling ideas, and unique media placement can boost a brand without busting the budget. Here are a few creative ideas that connect with customers without major marketing muscle:

1. Get social.

Today more than ever before, grassroots word-of-mouth marketing is effective and inexpensive. Make full use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and email. Just be sure it melds with your marketing and supports your brand.

2. Pay for great ideas.

Good creative can multiply the effects of a limited media schedule. Though you have to get enough frequency in print or broadcast, you don't have to saturate. One client of ours pumped up profits 45% as easy as one, two, three: One well-crafted radio spot on two strategic stations in three months.

3. Look for "legs"

Great ideas have staying power or "legs." Lots of money is wasted because the agency or the client gets tired of a campaign long before the audience has. Remember, it takes at least three to four viewings before a concept even registers with a prospect. Put the money into compelling creative and then use the heck out of it.