Have you ever had an irritating little computer problem that you just couldn’t figure out for the life of you? (If you work on a PC, I’m sure you can identify with this more than most). You try for what seems like ages to fix a formatting issue or convert a file properly, but you just can’t make it work. After exhausting all of your creative options (for me that means closing the program and re-opening the file) you finally cave and ask a co-worker for help. And of course, the moment they look over your shoulder they instantly know the answer.

Good agency relationships provide the same vital external input to marketing departments. Yes, internal marketing teams know the brand inside and out. They’ve spent countless hours pouring over research, reviewing sales data, and executing strategic plans. They have an in depth understanding of their product, the competitive landscape, and the target audience. But living and breathing the brand and being that close to a product can take its toll on a marketer’s ability to take a fresh look at things from an outside perspective. Enter the ad agency.

At the onset of a new client relationship, we as the agency are well aware that we don’t know the ins and outs of the brand the way the client does. But therein lies our strength.  We have the unique privilege of being able to take an objective look at the big picture. Ask some new questions. Research the answers to the same old questions. Take (or at least recommend) some risks. Change up the creative execution. Explore a new strategy.

Now of course it’s not all rainbows and sunshine just because we get the opportunity to take a fresh look at things. We have to work collaboratively to leveraging the history and knowledge of the client’s marketing team with the creative and strategic talents of the agency. We may have different perspectives and roles, but in a great relationship we’re able to combine our efforts for an incredibly powerful end result, that ultimately benefits the brand.

Two of the little things I’ve been working on lately are drinking more water and improving my posture. In order to help myself keep these goals top of mind, I used a very simple tactic: Post It Notes (real original, I know). I put one-word notes on my monitor to remind me to sit up straight and refill my water glass (or drink the one sitting on my desk, still full from 2 hours ago).

The first day was remarkable; I corrected my posture at least a dozen times and drank 6 glasses of water. The next few days I still found myself correcting my posture and drinking more water. But by the end of the week the impact started to fall off and by the second week the notes had no effect whatsoever.
I finally realized the problem – my brain adapted to the presence of the notes and after a while just filtered them out and ignored the cues to work on my goals. It’s an unfortunate application of the power of the human brain. I became immune to my own surroundings, without even trying.

This whole experience got me thinking about the minds of consumers today. They work exactly the same way. We all know advertising is ubiquitous. We live in a world where target audiences of every shape and size ignore marketing and ad messages daily. I just never considered how easily consumers do so without even trying. Overexposure has caused the consumer brain to easily tune out even the most intrusive ads. The question is how do you ensure your marketing efforts aren’t just another post-it note that people can ignore? The answer is what it’s always been.

Step 1 – Understand your target audience in deep and impactful ways.
Step 2 – Be strategic. About what you say, how you say it and where you say it.
Step 3 – Be creative. About what you say, how you say it and where you say it.

I’m not expounding some new insight or wisdom here. This is nothing new, I know. But it’s worth taking a look at your strategy and making the necessary changes to get consumers to change their behavior. Then you’ll have consumers that will listen to your message (and maybe have better posture, too!).

Act. Perform. Do. Move. Execute. Commit. Pursue. Participate.

At the end of the day, most brands are trying to accomplish these things. Most want their target consumers to act: to try a new product, buy the newest version, tell a friend. Whatever the case may be, it is forever the challenge of marketers to mold the actions of the audiences we market to. And by challenge, we really mean challenge. But there are a few things we’ve learned along the way that make it easier and more worthwhile to get our audiences to act.

Knowing Your Target Audience

Everyone knows this, right? WRONG. Sure, we might know the demographics of our target audience, but we’ve got to know more than just an abstract picture of their life and more of why and what makes them who they are.

The Environment

In an ideal marketing world, we could blast out one message that would subscribe to all people, everywhere. And for a while, the ad world prescribed to that. But its not a top down environment like that anymore. Brands can’t simply rely on traditional media along. Nor can they forego traditional aspects of traditional marketing in favor of jumping on the social media bandwagon. Each are important, but work best together, in a combination of “old” and “new.”

What You Say

It’s not just being in the right places, but saying the right things. You can know your target audience inside and out, place your ads in all the right places and still fall short of creating action within the target audience. This is where applying knowledge about the target audience really comes into play. Brands that understand their audiences and create campaigns with ad messages that really resonate with them are almost always successful. And if you can say the right thing to the right people in the right space, well, you just might be succesful, too.

I think everyone wants to be unique and different to a certain extent. Not “weird” different, just individualistic. I think its human nature to want to be perceived as an individual and not just another person in the crowd. It’s the reason we all make the choices we do. From the clothes we wear to the way we speak to the career path we choose. We’re stickin’ it to the world by saying, “Hey, I’ll do what I want, thank you very much.”

It seems that this sometimes falls on deaf ears. Brands can forget that their target audiences are made up of real people – people who go deeper than demographic categories. It is one of those inherent Ad 101 principles we all learn, but somehow forget in the midst of briefs, proposals, and campaigns.

I almost feel foolish even writing about this. It seems like such a given that everyone knows the importance and value of understanding psychographics. But the fact is that everyone doesn’t. They weigh demographics (Women, 25-54, with a household income of $75k, living in urban areas), but do they weigh what makes their target audience who they are? The demo listed above could include crunchy moms that are outdoorsy, family oriented, bargain hunters, interested in green products and like to buy from brands that they believe in… OR… it could be single working professionals that are on-the-go and career focused, with a lot of disposable income looking for status brands and products that offer convenience. The way you approach the demographic group might be the same. But the way you approach the psychographic groups is entirely different.

I, for one, want to be marketed to for who I am; not my age, sex, marital status, and household income. Let’s make it the marketing golden rule: Advertise unto the consumer as you would have a brand advertise unto you.

In a land called Oz, Dorothy found herself miles away from her home after a terrible tornado that turned her world upside down, from black and white to color. She was in unfamiliar territory and had to find a way to get back home. Asking around town, everyone told her she could head over to the Emerald City where the Wizard of Oz would be able to transfer her back to her beloved state. After a long haul, she is finally granted an audience with the great and powerful Oz, who seemed overwhelming, but great, capable, and overall, convincing. Dorothy does pretty much whatever this guy says, dog and friends in tow.

But we all know that at the end of the day, Dorothy finds that the great Oz is just a man behind a curtain, pulling levers and playing tricks. He may have seemed fantastic, but in reality, he was just full of hot air…literally (bad hot air balloon joke). His promises proved empty, and Dorothy had to find another way to reach her goal.

Well, you all know the story. I promise I am getting to the point here. In today’s marketing climate, it can be hard to tell the difference between agency A and agency B. They all claim that their work is the best, most innovative, most creative, what have you. But sometimes, it is just as important to know who is behind that curtain. And if that person claims to have all the answers and to solve all of your problems before actually getting to know you, well… maybe they are just smoke and mirrors.

Working with an agency is most definitely about creating great work. It is about reaching goals, creating sales, and increasing brand awareness. But its also about the people. The right agency shouldn’t force you into a pair of rose colored glasses (they are tacky, anyway). Finding someone who creates great work is one thing, but finding someone who “gets you” AND creates great work is something else entirely – something you should want. And trust me, this isn’t an advertising unicorn. It does exist.

So while it is our job to have all the answers, to help take you to the next level, and to get your products or services out there, we won’t do that without first getting to know YOU: your goals, your desires, your needs and wants. We’re ready to create magic, but we also want you to be a part of it.