Marketing Point Made...

Yesterday, I got feedback on my August 3 marketing tip. My tip was about outdoor freezer ads for TBS’s My Boys the cable sitcom about a female sports writer, her girlfriend and her pack of male pals.

I’ve never seen the show because I’m one of the rare 23% in the US without cable or satellite TV (Leichtman Research Group). And I’m probably a statistical oddity since I do have HDTV, satellite radio and DSL!

Perhaps I was wrong to assume the show was targeted to women. I spoke without a lot of due diligence. I met at least one male viewer yesterday.

So, let me clarify, my tip wasn’t a bash against the show.

I was challenging the effectiveness of advertising on the ice freezers at gas stations. And apparently a blog reader, Beth, (not MY Beth) is challenging me. That’s fair.

Since the freezer ads are a form of outdoor advertising, let me defer to the experts: The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA). “At least seven out of ten outdoor ads promote local businesses. The proportion of local advertising is even greater in non-urban areas”, according to the OAAA website.

Why? Perhaps because outdoor advertising is most effective for local businesses. And, back to my original point, it’s more measurable. If I call a real estate agent, chances are he’ll ask how I’ve heard of him and he can track results.

But to Beth’s defense, as I rethink it, I do find the idea of using non-traditional media an interesting idea. I like measurable media. But not every media can be measurable. And by not using the same media that all other TV sitcoms use, they are more likely to get noticed.

As Beth points out through her husband, I DID notice the ad and REMEMBER it.

Touché, Beth.