Competition Beware

We will stomp you to the ground. Make you wish you’d never been born. Completely obliterate you.

We don’t play by the rules, and we’re not afraid to get dirty. So bring. It. On.

Fellow marketing agencies, we’re not talking to you. We ARE talking to the noise. To cell phones and commercials. To barking dogs and junk mail. To iPods, billboards, crazy people on the bus and traffic jams. To all the little things that clutter the minds and blur the focus of our clients’ target audience.

Because they’re the real competition, aren’t they? They’re what’s keeping your message from being heard. That’s why at Black Sheep we don’t take these distractions lightly, and we don’t just sit back and wait for things to happen. We set major ideas into motion. Here are some thoughts on advertising…

1. Literally, don’t be so obvious. If your business places ads in trade magazines, this is especially important. If you have a computer company, don’t use a bunch of monitor images. If you sell tractors, lose the tractors. All your competitors are doing that, and the only way you’ll get someone to pay attention to your ad will be to create a diversion. Think about the ads you read and the ones you skip… you probably flip past the boring ones.

2. Flower isn’t power. When using the written word to catch attention, don’t be flowery and dramatic. Using SAT words incorrectly only makes you look stupid. Be bold and funny. Select powerful terms and clever phrases to get your message across.

3. Be a rabble rouser. True, you shouldn’t be offensive with your marketing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor. Pick something innocuous yet slightly edgy to make your point, and you’ll be remembered not only for what you say, but for how you say it.

4. Stupid is as stupid does. It doesn’t do any good to say something that goes over your customers’ heads, but you don’t have to be condescending. Think about how happy you are when you “get” a clever joke. It’s an immediate connection, and your audience will appreciate your acknowledgment of their intellect.

So take a look at the ads you have. Are you breaking the rules? Are you getting the most out of your money? Does anyone even notice what you’re saying? Give Black Sheep a call, and we’ll tell you how you can take your advertising… and your business… to the next level. Contact us today.