Less is More

"Ads to Go Leaner, Meaner in '09"
Wall Street Journal Online
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111923883152873.html

With the economy continuing to slip, ad spending is expected to drop by 6.2% this year in the U.S. Thus, companies are being forced to get their points across with less money. This means that ads will now use less glamor, less time, and more simplicity. As mentioned in the article, some businesses, such as Domino's Pizza, will create advertisements that will demonstrate how they are better than the competition. Their messages will be simplistic, shorter, and right to the point. Instead of using A-list celebrities, companies will be using average Joe Schmoes or unknown actors in their commercials. Businesses will also be trying to get as much out of their money as possible, by placing ads in places where more customers will see or pay attention to them, such as cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices. Another tactic is to place advertisements online and let consumers find them on their own, thus watching these ads for pleasure. Some learning institutions will also be endorsing products and industries in need. The article states how advertisers will have to be smarter and more efficient, and use the new possibilities with technological advances.

In my opinion, I feel as though the types of advertisements written about in the article are those that are most effective. Sure, I love watching humorous and entertaining commercials, but do I ever buy the products in these ads? Don't I usually forget what product the commercial is even for? How many times have I heard about a commercial from a friend, only for them to say, "well...I'm not sure what it was for...but it was hilarious!" We love to watch the clever advertisements that are brainstormed by the advertising giants and creative geniuses, but do we love to buy their products? I can say that I do not. I am more logical and I want to know why I should spend my money on a product. If I buy a product because of a commercial, it's because the commercial made a good point. Yes, why would I pay $40 for a sweater when I can get one at Old Navy on sale for $9.99? Or, why do I buy this product when the other is clinically proven to work better? The commercials that make me realize that I have a need for the product in question, define what the product is, or why it is a better deal are the ones I truly take seriously and will actually ACT on. If these are the ads that must be produced when budgets are low, then I'd say that perhaps advertising agencies could learn from economic crises.