Last night I was on my laptop with the Olympics on TV in the background when I heard a familiar refrain. No, it wasn’t the broadcasting of SU grad and (surprisingly) 58-year-old Bob Costas. It was an advertising jingle: Subway’s $5 Footlong. And it was truly music to my ears. Why? Because Subway gets it right when it comes to campaign length – the campaign has been going strong for over a year.
Unfortunately I see many companies unveil a great campaign, only to replace it too quickly. Instead, let a catchy slogan, compelling graphic, or memorable message stick around for a while. In our “biz,” we have a saying that as soon as you – the marketing manager, CFO, business owner – get sick of your campaign, the public is just starting to recognize it. Repetition is crucial in branding.
I’m not suggesting you keep the exact same campaign up for years; you can still modify it. For example, Subway’s latest $5 Footlong TV commercial is decidedly quirky, adding to their catalogue of dozens of variations on the same theme. And, they have a new angle on their campaign which is the “Footlong Nation Appreciation Event.” So, while repetition is crucial in branding, a little variety goes a long way in keeping your campaign fresh.
Now, if only I’d seen a Subway ad online in addition to the TV commercial, maybe I’d have been persuaded to get up and get one; but that’s another blog subject entirely!
COMMENTS
2 Comments
Keith Morgan
February 17th, 2010 07:36 PM
I just came across the ABC creative group today. I live in Syracuse and goto the prestigious school know as Onondaga Community College, aka OCC, aka Harvard on the Hill. I was reading some blogs because I plan on going into the marketing/advertising/copy write field after college. I was just wondering if you bloggers had any advice you could give on the aspect of blogging. I’ve been asked to blog for the school website, so I figured I would ask people who blog and live in the syracuse area for some advice. Thanks a lot
-Keith Morgan aka newest fan on facebook
Lindsay Ott
February 18th, 2010 10:33 AM
Hi Keith, thanks for following ABC Creative Group on Facebook and this blog! My number one rule when it comes to blogging on behalf of a company or organization is to always keep the audience in mind – and blog to that audience. Who are they? What are they interested in? How knowledgeable are they about what you’re blogging about? Second rule would be to follow the “voice” of the organization I’m blogging for. ABC Creative Group is seriously committed to great ideas and effective marketing, yet we ensure we have an approachable demeanor – that comes through in our blog entries. Finally, blogging is about engagement: Responding to comments and getting a conversation going is key. Hope that helps. That’s just my take, feel free to ask the other ABC bloggers here on the site. Feel free to email me directly at Lindsay@abccreativegroup.com if you have more questions!