"Warning: If you're addicted to spending ungodly amounts of money in an effort to interrupt enough people into becoming "aware" of your product, service, or idea ... skip this. You ain't gonna like it."
Robin Good: A great article by Robert Bruce on CopyBlogger starts with this very warning and deservedly so.
The article talks about the myth of creativity in selling and of how much inappropriate is the traditional advertising business model with the new situation we are in right now in .
In the traditional world, here's whata typical advertisign agency may say:
"We pride ourselves on creativity, not playing it safe, doing things that no one has ever seen before."
Huh? Speaking to an audience, and selling to them, is largely an exercise in having the wisdom to enter a conversation that’s already happening in the prospect’s mind. It’s using the language the audience is already using.
Creating things that “nobody has seen before” — aside from the hyperbole of that statement — could work well as ride in an amusement park, or a fireworks display, but it’s the kiss of death in the art of selling."
And here's more juice on what you REALLY need to do:
"Three steps to a successful approach
The equation used to be: money x media = business.
The new equation is: time x media = business.
In other words, every company is a media company.
...
Here are three steps to creating a “campaign” that will last:
1) Build a minimum viable audience with useful, educational, and entertaining content.
2) Listen carefully to their frustrations, fears, problems, and desires.
3) Create or adapt products and services that better serve them."
Highly Recommended. 9/10
Full article: http://www.copyblogger.com/advertising-is-dead/