Can You Market Via the Internet?

A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends, news from the world of puppets and ventriloquism, bits of humor and other interesting but useless information. I post every Tuesday and Friday.
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Can advertising succeed on the internet?
Eric Clemons recently created a lot of buzz with an article entitled, "Why Advertising is Failing on the Internet." Among the most salient of Clemons' arguments:

• Pushing a message at a potential consumer when it has not been requested, and the consumer is in the middle of doing something else online, is a losing strategy.
• The above is especially true if the consumer knows that the maker of the message has paid to get the message across and that no one is verifying the claims.
• Consumers still need and crave information before making a purchase, but they have other, more reliable means aside from advertising to do that.
• Even the best targeting doesn't address the fact that many consumers simply do not trust advertising.

It's easy to find opposing views on every subject on the Internet ... but who knows how true those views are? In the end advertising may turn out to be more trustworthy because at least you know someone is accountable for claims in advertising. You can't say the same for Wikipedia, product reviews, blogs, tweets, videos, etc. which often quote a quote of a quote without ever knowing the real source.

Plus, let's say you're a hardcore runner and you're reading a blog about marathon running. Chances are good that you'd be interested in an ad for a new high-performance running shoe.  That's not intrusive. It's targeted.

Banners, viral video, social networking, email marketing and company Web sites all make the prospect of getting your message across over the Internet a daunting undertaking. But marketers are gaining on the task and in the end buyers will be accustomed to and persuaded by marketing on the Internet.

Even I do it. Click here.

In this shallow world that habitually and wrongly places so much emphasis on "looks," we get an occasional reminder that talent still matters. In this instance the talent is named "Susan Boyle," and as of yesterday this clip had more than 13 million hits on YouTube ... in a day.  I highly recommend that you add yourself to that number by clicking here. Be patient and watch the whole thing. You won't be disappointed.

Need to Shave Daily Diminishes

Hundreds of thousands of layoffs monthly are reducing the number of men who feel the need to shave daily. That would seem to be bad news for makers of shaving products. But not for Norelco, which also makes products for grooming beards and stubble. Note: I have highlighted Norelco's BodyGroom Web site before. It's new Manalogus are very funny and worth watching. My favorite is "The dreaded call." Go there by clicking here and then be prepared to laugh out loud. And also note that the on-going success and accolades for the site are proof that even when your web site is considered the best in you industry, you still have to keep changing it if you want to stay on top.

Sales of electric groomers grew 3% in 2008. Norelco benefited disproportionately, with a 24% lift in sales of grooming products last year ... thanks in large part to its humorous Web site.

This is a bitter pill to swallow for the wet-shave crowd, led by Procter & Gamble Co.'s Gillette, which has been pointing out in ads lately that its Fusion blades cost only $1 a week.

But the recession beard could actually mark the peak of a decade-long trend of looking "scruffy" to be followed inevitably by a shift toward clean-shaven faces down the road.

I'm Just the Reporter

As I searched for additional articles relating to the grooming data above, I ran across a Schick Quattro for Women commercial. Click here to see the ad on the company's Web site. Before we go any farther, please remember, I'm only the "reporter." I didn't produce the commercial.

While commercials often use obtuse metaphors and bizarre analogies in the hopes of selling otherwise boring products, this one doesn't beat around the bush. I have to say that even a Mannequin American can quickly grasp the point Schick is making. I'm just surprised they had the nerve to make it.

And they made it even more entertaining in the U.K. version of the TV commcercial which you can see here.  

I Learned a New Word on South Park

Loosely tying to the post above, whoever said watching TV can't be educational was wrong.

Again, I'm just a Mannequin American, but I thought I was a well-informed Mannequin American. Turns out, I'm not. I'm more of an ill-informed "guy" Mannequin American. I learned that fact by watching a recent episode of South Park.  I also learned a new word ... "queef." To be honest, I'd rather not have learned that word even existed. But South Park spent an entire episode defining and defending the word and the action. All I can say is, "I'll never be the same." Click here to see a streaming video of the episode via the Comedy Central Web site.  (Note: After you click on the link the Comedy Central Page will say that the episode is not yet available. But wait 10 seconds and the message will change and allow you to click on a link to watch the show.) Not office friendly. In fact, it's not friendly at all ... but 51% of people claim it's funny. In fact, two of B&M's staff members had tears in their eyes, they were laughing so hard. As for me ... I'm going to therapy.

Too Many Words Can Mess Up a Good Visual
Travelers understand and appreciate the print ad below, and immediately grasp the value of the product. No need to mess things up with an explanation.

If 10% of My Readers Vote ... I Think I'll Win! 

Come on ... vote for my blog and help a Mannequin American beat out those ad supported blogs written by people who actually know something about marketing.  If 30 more readers vote for this blog, I'll be in 1st place. Consider this your subscription price.

 Click here and you will go to the Blogger's Choice '09 Awards web page.  When you're on the site, click on "Best Marketing Blog" on the left-hand menu.  Then scroll to my blog which is listed under bmpr.com/chip_martin 

Blogs are ranked by the number of votes they have. I was on the 1st page today.  When you find bmpr.com/chip_martin  click on "vote."  You'll have to register and give your email address ... I know it takes a minute, but that's how the scoring remains legitimate. So please take the minute to register and then vote.  I know this is a hassle. So see the next paragraph.

After you vote for me, email me at chip.martin@bmpr.com and as long as our supply lasts, I will send you a free highlighter from Brown & Martin, Inc.  (I promised Tim Kaker a beer for his vote ... but that was an exception.) Just think how cool it would be to have a "puppet" defeat those know-it-all marketers at their own game!