Quit While You're Ahead

By: Embra King

                                      

Do you know of the Geico Gecko? Of course you do they have been beating that company mascot to death ever since his introduction in 1999. He has even had a couple accent changes since his debut. I know you know the Geico Cavemen pitch that has been on since 2005. You know--the one that is so bad now that you almost feel embarrassed for them. Now I am all for fun creative advertising, but these things should have expiration dates, and for Geico’s two longest running adds, I think it is time to let them rest. It is a good thing when a company knows when enough is enough, to bow out while the going is good. At once I thought that Geico’s gecko and caveman pitches where playful and fun; now I cringe every time I see one of their ads. It is like someone who was fun to hangout with for short periods of time, when all of a sudden they started showing up to parties uninvited and sat in the corner not talking to anyone, periodically shouting nonsense to remind everyone that he is still in the room. 

But now for my point. This past week Target unexpectedly announced it was parting ways with advertising firm Wieden + Kennedy. For several years now the firm had been creating fun, 15-second commercials that depict little life moments, highlighting a single product at the end. The ability to deliver 150 compact, playful, and sometimes downright hilarious commercials in only about a year and a half is impressive, but what is more impressive is that each is very well done, with none that really stand out as being bad.  When Target’s VP was asked why they split with W+K he had this to say, “Leave really good work before it’s time to leave”.  I think Gieco needs to take a page from the Target playbook and retire the gecko and caveman before someone thinks that a TV show based on their commercials is a good idea…

When is the Best Time to Start a PPC Campaign?

Pay-Per-Click, or PPC Search Engine Marekting, is quite lucrative for Google and the other tier one search engines. The online market dictates competition which yields higher Cost-Per-Clicks. Some keywords could cost anywhere from $2.00 to an upwards of $82.00 per keyword phrase. It's pretty insane.  It does work to increase new acquisitions though.

What are the benefits to PPC? You can get your ad rotated right on page one of Google, Bing or Yahoo/MSN. If you run through your budget, your ad will find its way off the Search Engine Results page as quickly as it got there. If you are strategic in your efforts to market your NEW product or service, even remarket it, then you might find PPC is well worth the money. If you are a highly competitive business, you may want to consider running a small PPC campaign. The great thing about Adwords is you can target any geo location to rotate your advertisements. You will also see where every dollar is going as long as your tracking is set up correctly. Then you can decide if the Return on your Investment is there or not. If you don't have a decent budget to invest in PPC, then don't waste your time.  Try another marketing strategy that benefits your budget.


Once you set up your Adwords campaign, be sure to link it to Google Analytics for more robust metrics. You will be able to measure page views, unique visitors, bounce rate, and more. It gives you a great gauge for your performance and helps you optimize accordingly. If you are not too savvy with managing and optimizing online campaigns, definitely hire an agency to do it for you.  You will find it's worth a few extra bucks to pay an expert in the grand scheme of things.


After you get your name out on the web via PPC, it's best to work on a simultaneous SEO and social media/PR campaign to continue the legacy.

Charlotte Advertising Agency CGR Creative Featured at Working Charlotte’s Business Prosperity Conference

Charlotte Advertising Agency CGR Creative was featured at Working Charlotte’s Business Prosperity Conference Saturday

Charlotte, North Carolina - Julio Colmenares, Chief Creative Officer of Advertising Agency CGR Creative, LLC, spoke about New Media at Working Charlotte’s Business Prosperity Conference on Saturday, April 10, 2010. Charlotte Advertising agency CGR Creative has been a supporter of small business in Charlotte since it's founding in 2002. The Working Charlotte Business Prosperity Conference 2010 was a great way for CGR to give new media advice to small and medium sized business owners seeking to boldly unlock the "know-how" and the "how-to" of doing business in Charlotte.

Julio began his presentation by explaining that, "What ‘new media’ means changes rapidly so the question becomes, “how can I keep current without going crazy or bankrupt?” The answer is simple, “Jump In!” Learning to swim requires that you get in the pool. You can research, compare, look to your competitor, etc. but eventually you must get wet."

Julio also provided these 7 pieces of advice for attendees to take away from his presentation:

NEW MEDIA: Sink or Swim!

Enjoy the Water: Don't try to be everything to everyone. No product or service will appeal to everyone. Many business owners, including corporate executives, try to come up with ways to reach every market. Typically, this does not work. It can spell disaster for small businesses, who cannot afford to spread themselves too thin. Therefore, find your market and be everything you can be to that audience.

Swim with a Strong Buddy: New Media is one area where people try to tell the professionals what to do and how to do it. You wouldn’t tell a doctor what treatment to prescribe, just like you wouldn’t tell your lawyer how to defend you. Companies can lose a lot of time and money while trying to act as their own ad agency. Agencies are experts. They charge for their time and experience and have one goal in mind: To get the best results for their clients in order to keep those clients.

Beware of Rip Tides: Many companies offer quick fixes for little investment. These are often a simple "Buy your Rankings" package which can work for a short time and leave you stranded in deep water after the initial investment is gone. Work toward developing a consistent managed strategy that will work for the long term.


Know How Deep the Water is: Make your new media decisions based upon research and a formal marketing plan rather than a predetermined target budget. New media is often less expensive than traditional channels but you still get what you pay for.

Constantly Work on Your Stroke: Monitor your new media performance! You need to find out what works best for you. After you find this out, you’ll want to stay the course. Keep track of how SEO efforts and keyword campaigns not only how they drive traffic to your business but at what rate they actually produce sales. Consider testing each new media channel before deciding on which to explore more fully.

Have a Lifeguard: You should always have a professional that you can rely on for no nonsense feedback and creative ideas for all your new media campaigns. Preferably this is someone with a vantage point with which to measure your efforts and who can point you in the right direction.

Pay Attention to the Other Swimmers: Put your new media dollars in the right places. Your favorite website, social media outlet, blog, or even search engine might not be a favorite of your audience. Know what they read, peruse, and where they get their info, and advertise in the new media channel that reaches your target market.Julio Colmenares, Chief Creative Officer, CGR Creative, LLC - Description: Explore "New Media" (Websites, Search Engines and Social Media) and how to stay current without going crazy or bankrupt. Learn how to leverage technology to build awareness of your company.

About CGR Creative: Charlotte based CGR Creative is a full service advertising agency, marketing firm, design studio, and interactive marketing agency. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi-lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market.

For more info on CGR Creative visit http://www.cgrcreative.com

Julio Colmenares to Speak at Charlotte’s Business Prosperity Conference

April 7, 2010 - Charlotte, North Carolina - Julio Colmenares, Chief Creative Officer of CGR Creative, LLC, will be speaking at Charlotte’s Business Prosperity Conference on Saturday, April 10, 2010. The Charlotte Business Prosperity Conference 2010 is a one-day experience for small and medium sized business owners seeking to boldly unlock the "know-how" and the "how-to" of doing business in Charlotte. The "Business Prosperity" theme is appropriate as Charlotte business owners, entrepreneurial-minded professionals, and their employees will access strategies, skills, resources, and connections to prosperity, productivity, and power. The entire conference will be focused on removing barriers to business by empowering attendees to drive revenue and control expenses.

Breakout Session #3 - NEW MEDIA: SINK OR SWIM

Presenter: Julio Colmenares, Chief Creative Officer, CGR Creative, LLC - Description: Explore "New Media" (Websites, Search Engines and Social Media) and how to stay current without going crazy or bankrupt. Learn how to leverage technology to build awareness of your company.

The Conference will be provided in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese!

DATE:  Saturday, April 10, 2010
TIME:  8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  UNC - Charlotte
REGISTRATION FEE:  $99
College of Health and Human Services Building
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223


About CGR Creative: CGR Creative is a full service marketing, design, advertising, and interactive marketing agency. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi-lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market.

CGR Creative is certified as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)

CGR Creative was awarded HUB certification this week meaning they are now qualified as a Historically Underutilized Business. Julio Colmenares, Partner and Chief Creative Officer of CGR, was excited that the HUB certification process was completed. Julio said, "I am glad that we can now offer an extra benefit to our clients, many companies out there are looking to partner with HUB Firms and I am happy we bring that added value to our clients." Julio went on to explain that, "this really doesn't change anything here at CGR. We have always been focused on providing top quality results with phenomenal service, and that remains our mission."

CGR's HUB vendor information can be found here.

According to Bridget Wall-Lennon, Director Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses, in her post titled "HUB OFFICE PREPARES FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES," North Carolina business owners were understandably optimistic when they heard the state would receive $6.1 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) is working to ensure that minority-, women-, disabled- and disadvantage-owned businesses will enjoy an equal opportunity to participate in providing state government with the goods and services it requires. 

To help level the playing field, Governor Perdue recently signed Executive Order 13, which tasks the HUB Office with assisting certified HUB firms in identifying and obtaining ARRA contract opportunities. As with all state government contracts, the aspirational goal for goods and services is 10 percent (by dollar amount) of purchasing to be derived from HUB firms. 

For more from Ms. Wall-Lennon visit this link.

About CGR Creative
CGR Creative is a full service marketing, design, advertising, and interactive marketing agency. CGR Creative prides itself on supporting their customers in a way that larger agencies can’t, often times committing all their resources to ensure the success of their client’s projects. CGR Creative’s fundamental belief is that the client’s success is their success. The agency, with an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, is fully bi­lingual, with a Latino marketing division that offers a variety of marketing channels that are specifically targeted to reach the Hispanic market. 


www.facebook.com/cgrcreative  -  www.twitter.com/cgrcreative  -  http://www.cgrcreative.blogspot.com/

Advertising Can Go Wrong

Bad advertising is nothing new. It has always been there.  After all the first newspaper advertisement ever was an attempt to sell property in Oyster Bay, Long Island. This ad for Pet Evaporated Milk is banking on the fact that Tuna Pizza would be a big hit. Hmmm... I don't remember seeing it on the menu at Spago.

Sometimes the ad itself is fine but the context is bad. Like if your magazine ad for Valvoline Motor Oil is next to an article about the War in Iraq, or, worse, a story about electric cars. The McDonald's billboard below the childhood obesity billboard couldn't be much worse.

Sometimes ads are just ugly. The product or tagline or even the copy can just seem off, wrong, off-putting, or unsightly. Rarely, however, is it the models in the ads that are the offending party. However, it does happen, and the Pallas Athena ad is a perfect example. Just about everything in this full page magazine ad is awful.

Then there are the ads that try to be bad. Those maverick art directors who want to push the envelope until something pushes back. What they don't realize is that often their client pays the biggest price for running a bad ad. I wonder how many advertisers would run intentionally bad ads for their own agencies or better yet their children's businesses.

Absolut vodka is a product that often pushes the boundaries with their ads. There was the infamous one where Mexico retained most of the Southwestern United States, and there is this one which is just in poor taste. Absolut is a great brand, and they can get away with running the occasional bad ad, but why? An argument can be made that it attracts attention or that any publicity is good publicity. Unfortunately, Tom Cruise and Britney Spears proved that old chestnut 100% false.

The issue here is that advertising can go wrong, and your business needs to question your creativity BEFORE it gets produced. Sure, you trust your agency; as an agency we appreciate that, but do parents who trust their kids still ask, "Where are you and that kid with the piercings going?" You should ask your agency what their intentions are with your brand as well!

Do you have any examples of advertising gone wrong? If so, post links to those, and we'll use them in a future post, and of course we'll give you credit for the discovery!

Funny Newspaper Clippings

CGR ran across these funny newspaper clippings over the weekend.

Any takers? We are betting the cat gets picked up first!



Pony? Looks like a small horse? Really?



Lady jackhammers will be the least of your kids problems.