Friday, October 23, 2009

Experience the Talent

Did you know that in my previous jobs...
  • I helped launch marketing campaigns for the 19th most admired company in the U.S.
  • Using my PowerPoint presentation skills, I helped land new accounts, including some for Fortune 500 companies, by developing engaging and effective proposals and capabilities presentations
  • I helped gain new business by editing and publishing a daily blog and pitching stories to the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age
  • I used my unique blend of strategic and creative thinking to analyze and interpret customer satisfaction research data and presented my insights to senior management
  • I wrote, produced, directed and edited a short film
  • I became an expert presenter and communicator, having been trained by the National Speaker's Association and Toastmasters
And as a college student...
  • I won a prestigious internship at one of the most respected ad agencies in the country
  • My team won 3rd place in the country in the 2002 National Student Advertising Competition and I presented the campaign and branding strategy to Bank of America executives
These are just some of my most memorable professional experiences and accomplishments. To experience the talent, contact me for my resume! I can be reached by email at jonnyringo100 (at) gmail.com or 612.21.RINGO.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Bad Billboard Ad or Great One?

Studying effective advertising headlines helps me be a better writer.

Unlike slogans, like "It's Miller Time" or "Drivers Wanted," advertising headlines, like in a magazine or newspaper ad, are meant to get you to read the body copy, which ultimately has some sort of call to action.

It's really important to know your target market.

It's not going to seem like it at first, but this is an example of understanding your target market. First, mad props to Joshua Steimle for creating the Bad Billboard Project, a forum to complain about bad billboards. Thanks Joshua.

This "bad billboard" is featured on Joshua's site.

Joshua says that...

Billboards are like big print ads. There needs to be a headline that resonates with the target market. But there isn't a clear headline here. Would you be able to digest 30 words, a phone number and a URL (yeah, that little thing in the bottom-right) in 3.5 seconds without rear-ending the car in front of you?

You don't have to be a genius to know that ads, especially highway billboards, need to have a one big idea and a call to action.

Whoa, wait a second!

Is your name Judge Blockman? The guy whose name is on the billboard:

It turns out that the strategy for this campaign was to get some press coverage and to get Judge Blockman to see the message on the billboard. If your name was up there, you'd notice. Turned out the billboard did it's trick.

This is a lesson in keeping in mind your target market...always. If a message doesn't resonate with you, it probably wasn't meant for you.