Way Too Clever

Beware the jabberwocky known as the advertising series. Too often what seems like a good campaign idea ends up in muddled ads forced to fit a particular mold.

The advertiser and agency agree on the overall theme, and then the agency creatives crank out a number of expressions. But somewhere along the line they lose touch with the real world. They miss out on a chance for clear, effective advertising because it doesn’t fit the agreed-upon approach.

I’ve never read a rationale for ad series because so little is written at all today about what constitutes good advertising. We can safely assume it goes something like this: Each ad in the series adds another brushstroke to the consumer’s image of the brand, gradually completing and strengthening it over time.

It has been calculated — Lord knows how — that we’re all exposed or subjected to an average of 1,600 ad messages each day. Only a powerful (and expensive) campaign can fight through such clutter and accomplish the desired cumulative effect.

Geico spends $500 million a year on that lovable little lizard who keeps popping up to remind us that “Fifteen minutes can save you 15% a year on your car insurance.”

Ideally, each ad in a series should stand alone and do an effective sales job whether the reader sees or remembers other ads in the series or not. But too often this isn’t the case.

These musings were prompted by the State Farm auto insurance ad you see here. In some previous columns I’ve selected an ad for makeover only to discover later on that it was part of a series and by itself told an incomplete story. And I was forced to guess what the campaign’s aim had been.

In this case I was able to find out the series’ objective, as expressed by a State Farm marketing executive: “The campaign is based on extensive consumer research and will allow the company to go broad and deep to showcase how its products and services can help consumers no matter what life intersection they find themselves.

“The new campaign uniquely articulates and elevates the State Farm value proposition in a more contemporary and relevant way. It gives fresh meaning to the idea of State Farm being there for its customers by placing the company squarely in the intersection of what consumers need (great rates and savings) and what they want (quality service and the right coverage). It transforms State Farm’s “thereness” from a term primarily relevant at the moment of need (filing a claim) to one that’s more universal, a moment of want (shopping/purchase).

“The ads focus on State Farm being able to save you money without compromising coverage, service or convenience, in addition to highlighting the company’s second-to-none agency and catastrophe services.

“Ever find yourself at the intersection of ‘I need a new car’ and ‘College is just around the corner?’ How about where ‘Time for a new home’ meets ‘Saving for retirement?’ I’m There.

“State Farm is there to help at all the intersections of your life. That’s the idea behind our new ad campaign, Intersections. Since 1971 we’ve been saying, ‘Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.’ This new campaign contemporizes what we mean by ‘there.’ Our goal is to put State Farm squarely in the ‘intersection’ of what you need and what you want.”

OK, this has the makings of a good ad or series of ads. Now let’s see how it was applied in the ad shown here.

The market niche being addressed is apparently fun-loving young women who habitually travel to Las Vegas to play blackjack. Seems like a pretty slim sliver of the total market to me, but this kind of pinpointing is what the series demands. And the pitch does position State Farm as very contemporary, not stodgy and old-fashioned.

Most of the page is devoted to a close-up photo of a young woman lying in bed (we think) and smiling exultantly. At first I thought she was holding a telephone to her ear, but apparently she’s clutching her pillow.

A small headline at the top asks, Ever been to the intersection of ROAD TRIP WITH THE GIRLS and ALL THAT MONEY I BROUGHT TO VEGAS STAYED IN VEGAS? Then there’s a red push button: I’M THERE™.

This took a little figuring out. And as readers of this column know, I’m opposed to ads that have to be figured out.

I finally decided she’s smiling broadly because she’s reminiscing about her road trip to Las Vegas with her girlfriends and giggling over the fun they had losing all their money playing blackjack. (Huh?)

The “intersection” part of the headline isn’t clear, though. Exactly what intersects with what? Losing money playing blackjack intersects (interferes with) playing blackjack? If losing money at blackjack intersected with the need for money to pay her latest monthly utility bills, that would make more sense.

The body copy does make sense, but its tiny white lettering is lost in her hair. It says: We can’t help you win at blackjack, but we can help you make up for some of your losses. You can save an average of $369 just by letting State Farm take care of your auto insurance. Call, click or visit a State Farm Agent now and get a quote, because Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

So part of the problem is not the copy, but simply an ambiguous illustration and uninviting typography.

In my makeover, I decided to…

• Do a better job of attracting the target reader’s attention. Is the ad talking to young women who like to go to Las Vegas to play blackjack with their girlfriends? The picture should reinforce the words.

• Say what the advertiser is trying to say, and don’t force the reader to figure it out. That’s what my headline and subhead do, clearly stating the campaign’s theme and the specific life situation it applies to.

• Spell out with the labeled up and down arrows what the reader’s conflicting needs are.

• Provide a little more “smorgasbord” copy — persuasive selling details from which readers can take as little or as much as they need.

• Beef up the reasons for click response: “Log on now for instant quotes, a nearby agent and helpful information on all your insurance needs.”

I believe this approach, rendered somewhat more stylishly than I have done without loss of clarity, would further the campaign’s long-term image-building aim while yielding more immediate results.

Find more Makeover Maven columns at http://directmag.com/opinions-columnists/makeovermaven/.

THOMAS L. COLLINS ([email protected]) has been a direct marketing copywriter, ad maker, agency creative director and co-author of four books on marketing. He is currently an independent creative and marketingconsultant based in Portland, OR.