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Article Archive |
“WHAT’S
THE MESSAGE?”
Good advertising.
It’s an interesting phrase.
To some it is an oxymoron. That is, a contradiction of meanings.
Much of the debate centres on the adjective, the word “good”.
It can be hard to be objective about an adjective. The noun,
advertising, merits an academic treatise in its own right.
For local government entities and associations, elected officers
and professional appointed people often engage in considerable
discourse on who exactly is the target audience. The term stakeholder
can be all embracing. However, by its very nature any generalisation
about whom one is communicating with, compromises the impact
among and the relevance to the selected audience or limited
audiences.
ADDRESSING NEEDS:
Good advertising has a sharp focus, a discrete target audience
and a captivating message.
There is widespread, but often reluctant acceptance of the need
to advertise and promote the virtues, roles and true nature
of local government. Dispelling negative, stereotypical images
of those in local government networks is a real need, a significant
challenge and a compelling undertaking.
Advertising alone will seldom achieve the desired and aspired
goal or goals. Contributions are necessary from public relations,
promotions and merchandising, which can and should precede,
complement, supplement and reinforce the expenditure invested
in “good advertising”.
Public relations, for example, is an appropriate tactic to project
and establish a positive predisposition about the subject of
the advertising. This is becoming an increasingly important
input for an integrated communication strategy. With our over-communicated
society and busy lifestyles the process of “selective
perception” screens out, filters or impedes many essential
messages.
Likewise, promotional activity can and often does create a sense
of urgency, which increases the relevance of an advertising
message to a specific audience at a particular point in time.
In short, such initiatives influence the agenda among those
in the target audience which in turn enhances the reception
of the advertising, regardless of medium used.
Merchandising is an imperative for effective, efficient “good
advertising”. Without a strong call-to-action and the
capacity to convert latent potential into real, beneficial outcomes,
advertising dissolves into a well-meaning but superfluous undertaking.
No matter how well the feel-good aspects of an institutional
advertising campaign are executed with emotional, personal and
local imagery, it amounts to nothing if those who are in the
target audience take assertive action in response to the message
only to be confronted by ignorance, indifference and dismissal
among local government officers.
For example, as the effects of the economic turmoil spread throughout
society and employment centres, the appeal and allure of the
security, convenience and corporate cultural attractions of
local government will resonate with more people than was the
case over the past five years of a “boom”, resources
driven working environment.
Imagine the dismay and disappointment of the respondent to “good
advertising” which declares that members of the public
should “consider a career in local government”,
when making contact with his or her local government entity
only to be told that they are not hiring at present, or that
their needs for new staff members require specific training,
qualifications and experience.
As a consequence the good money expended on good advertising
is wasted or, at best, enjoys limited return or dividends.
Appropriate advertising must necessarily nominate a point of
contact, a name, a telephone number, an email or mailing address
and the specific features, benefits and advantages of what is
being offered.
Too often the “good advertising” of local government
entities and associations falter on the altar of good intentions.
SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS:
· What is the specific target audience?
· What are the key points of the message?
· What are the tangible and intangible benefits and advantages”
· What actions are desired from the target audience?
· Is contact with particular responsive people detailed
and made easy?
· What use has been made of public relations, promotions
and merchandising to complement the advertising?
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