#1151 Ad Cents

Since I’m in the radio biz, I’m very interested in radio advertising. Which means I’m interested in advertising generally. And the relative effectiveness of different sorts of advertising.
We are exposed to about a kajillion advertising impressions in a lifetime and, as with anything you get a lot of, you develop defensive strategies to screen out some of it.
The things you screen out are usually those you have pre-judged as annoying. The ones you let in are often the ones you find entertaining.
Yes, people find ads entertaining. Which burns them into memory. The words “Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce” are sufficient to get most people thinking about Burger King. “Two all beef patties special sauce...” sends you down a good brain rut into McDonalds.
But notice; these ads are essentially audio. Would they have been as effective as a print ad? Would they have dug as deeply into the inner emotional folds of your brain?
No.
That’s why the Irish Government bans political ads in the electronic media. Talk about luck of the Irish. The government says it’s because of the “particular power of the broadcast medium.” They know that electronic ads go straight for the gut, where most people really do their thinking.
Brain schmain, motivation starts in the organs.
That’s why cigarette advertising was banned on the airwaves long before any thought was given to banning tobacco print ads. It’s easy to block out a print ad, just close your eyes or put the newspaper in the bottom of the bird cage.
Radio ads seep deep into your psyche on a wave of emotion.
I read an interesting story recently about the failing revenues of the post office. In it, they mentioned a startup company in Seattle that’s set up a service where they email you scanned images of unopened envelopes of your mail. You then have the choice to receive it or have it shredded. Customers request 90 percent of their mail shredded based on a look at the envelope alone.
Lesson to bill collectors. Don’t make your envelopes look like direct mail giveaways.
And lesson to direct mail companies.
Maybe it’s time to invest in a transmitter... or move to Ireland
America, ya gotta love it.