Advertising Strategy

Advertising is much like war, minus the physical casualties. Or much, if you prefer,
like a game of chess. We are usually out to capture others’ citadels or
garner others’ trade.

We must have skill and knowledge. We must have training and experience,
also right equipment. We must have proper ammunition, and enough. We
dare not underestimate opponents. Our intelligence department is a vital
factor, as told in the previous chapter. We need alliances with dealers,
as another chapter tells. We also need strategy of the ablest sort, to
multiply the value of our forces.

Sometimes in new campaigns comes the question of a name. That may be
most important. Often the right name is an advertisement in itself. It
may tell a fairly complete story, like Shredded Wheat, Cream of Wheat,
Puffed Rice, Spearmint Gum, Palmolive Soap, etc.

That may be a great advantage. The name is usually conspicuously
displayed. Many a name has proved to be the greatest factor in an
article’s success. Other names prove a distinct disadvantage–Toasted
Corn Flakes, for instance. Too many others may share a demand with the
man who builds it up.

Many coined names without meaning have succeeded. Kodak, Karo, Mazda,
etc., are examples. They are exclusive. The advertiser who gives them
meaning never needs to share his advantage. But a significant name which
helps to impress a dominant claim is certainly a great advantage. Names
which tell stories have been worth millions of dollars. So a great deal
of research often precedes the selection of a name.

Sometimes a price must be decided. A high price creates resistance. It
tends to limit one’s field. The cost of getting an added profit may be
more than the profit.

It is a well-known fact that the greatest profits are made on great
volume at small profit. Campbell’s Soups, Palmolive Soap, Karo Syrup and
Ford cars are conspicuous examples. A price which appeals only to–say
10 per cent–multiplies the cost of selling.

But on other lines high price is unimportant. High profit is essential.
The line may have small sale per customer. One hardly cares what he pays
for a corn remedy because he uses little. The maker must have a large
margin because of small consumption.

On other lines a higher price may be even an inducement. Such lines are
judged largely by price. A product which costs more than the ordinary is
considered above the ordinary. So the price question is always a very
big factor in strategy.

Competition must be considered. What are the forces against you? What
have they in price or quality or claims to weigh against your appeal?
What have you to win trade against them? What have you to hold trade
against them when you get it?

How strongly are your rivals entrenched? There are some fields which are
almost impregnable. They are usually lines which created a new habit or
custom and which typify that custom with consumers. They so dominate a
field that one can hardly hope to invade it. They have the volume, the
profit to make a tremendous fight.

Such fields are being constantly invaded. But it is done through some
convincing advantage, or through very superior salesmanship-in-print.

Other lines are only less difficult. A new shaving soap, as an example.
About every possible customer is using some rival soap. Most of them are
satisfied with it. Many are wedded to it. The appeal must be strong
enough to win those people from long established favor.

Such things are not accomplished by haphazard efforts. Not by
considering people in the mass and making blind stabs for their favors.
We must consider individuals, typical people who are using rival brands.
A man on a Pullman, for instance, using his favorite soap. What could
you say to him in person to get him to change to yours? We cannot go
after thousands of men until we learn how to win one.

The maker may say that he has no distinctions. He is making a good
product, but much like others. He deserves a share of the trade, but he
has nothing exclusive to offer. However, there is nearly always
something impressive which others have not told. We must discover it. We
must have a seeming advantage. People don’t quit habits without reason.

There is the problem of substitution and how to head it off. That often
steals much of one’s trade. This must be considered in one’s original
plan. One must have the foresight to see all eventualities, and the
wisdom to establish his defenses in advance.

Many pioneers in a line establish large demands. Then, through some
fault in their foundations, lose a large share of the harvest. Theirs is
a mere brand, for instance, where it might have stood for an exclusive
product.

Vaseline is an example. That product established a new demand, then
almost monopolized that demand through wisdom at the start. To have
called it some brand of petroleum jelly might have made a difference of
millions in results.

Jell-O, Postum, Victrola, Kodak, etc., established coined names which
came to typify a product. Some such names have been admitted to the
dictionary. They have become common names, though coined and exclusive.

Royal Baking Powder and Toasted Corn Flakes, on the other hand, when
they pioneered their fields, left the way open to perpetual
substitution. So did Horlick’s Malted Milk.

The attitude of dealers must be considered. There is a growing
inclination to limit lines, to avoid duplicate lines, to lessen
inventories. If this applies to your line, how will dealers receive it?
If there is opposition, how can we circumvent it?

The problems of distribution are important and enormous. To advertise
something which few dealers supply is a waste of ammunition. Those
problems will be considered in a separate chapter.

These are samples of the problems which advertising men must solve.
These are some of the reasons why vast experience is necessary. One
oversight may cost the client millions in the end. One wrong piece of
strategy may prohibit success. Things done in one way may be twice as
easy, half as costly, as when done another way.

Advertising without this preparation is like a waterfall going to waste.
The power may be there, but it is not made effective. We must center the
force and direct it in a practical direction.

Advertising often looks very simple. Thousands of men claim ability to
do it. And there still is a wide impression that many men can. As a
result, much advertising goes by favor. But the men who know realize
that the problems are as many and as important as the problems in
building a skyscraper. And many of them lie in the foundations.

John Martin

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