Mad Men and The REAL World of Advertising

by Christopher Pinto,
Creative Director
Engelhardt & Partners Advertising

When I tell people I'm the Creative Director of a national advertising agency, they often (jokingly) ask me if my job is anything like Don Draper's from Mad Men. I (jokingly) respond, "Not much, except for the minibar."

The Mad Men series, now in its fourth season, has given us a glimpse into the lives and work of ad execs during the golden age of cocktails and Manhattan advertising firms, in the days when all the best ideas hadn't yet been conjured up and media was limited to TV, radio, print and outdoor. In those days the Creative Director was the idea man; with his workforce of copy writers, art directors and graphic designers he oversaw the creation of fantastic advertising which grabbed attention and practically forced the reader to want to know more. It was from this era that some of the most fascinating and most powerful campaigns emerged, campaigns that are still recognizable today.

If Don Draper were frozen in 1964 and awakened now, he would be amazed at the changes that have developed in advertising over the last 50 years. Things started to really move in the 1980s as the desktop computer began to replace the art desk. Copy writing became more streamlined as ad space prices escalated. Cable television meant instead of three or four channels to advertise on, dozens, then hundreds became available, splitting people's attention and therefore each commercial's reach. As technology advanced in the 1990s, brighter, slicker, more extremely-stylized ads began to take the place of traditional photos and copy.

Then the World Wide Web sprung up. At first no one except a few handfuls of computer-savvy tech heads thought anything of it. It was slow, it was dull. No photos. No video. Just pages of copy, with the occasional flashing star or bright red headline in Helvetica Bold. Advertising agencies didn't give it a second thought. Makes you wonder if an old-timer like Draper would have embraced this technology, or would he have just wrote it off as an insignificant trend?

By 1999 it was clear that the Web was going to destroy everything that ad men and women had worked on for 50 years. The dull, lifeless pages began to look more like magazine pages with photos, clip art, and animation. People could see an ad for a product and buy it right on line. Then the technology really took off, and suddenly it seemed science fiction was becoming real. You could log on to the Web and check the weather, look up information on encyclopedia sites, watch small but interesting video, view slide shows of photos and post on social sites. And, most of all, you could advertise on these sites.

Somehow many ad agencies didn't see the potential here. By 2005 most agencies had missed the boat on Internet advertising, with the spoils going to Web Masters, Internet service providers and software developers. If you wanted a banner ad on the net, you called a web guy, not an ad agency. I think this is the point where Draper would finally see the potential, as portions of his ad budgets started getting siphoned away for the Web.

Luckily a few ad agencies (including ours) picked up on this trend. Some became completely digital, meaning they invested all of their efforts into online advertising. Some opened Web departments, others incorporated their Web advertising into existing creative departments. At Engelhardt and Partners Advertising we saw this coming a long time ago, and laid the groundwork for integrating Web along with traditional forms of media in order to brand our clients with a strong, cohesive message across the board.

Now, in 2010, we've conquered the change necessary to keep up with today's ever-changing technology. Our creative department has learned to think about campaigns that not only work in TV, radio and print, but on the net as well. Everything works together synergistically to exploit our clients' opportunities. Our ePulse Total Internet Package is unique in the industry as it incorporates all media together, concentrating on the media that works best for each client. And Creative is still considered the most important part of the process, as we know that no matter how much money you spend on advertising, if no one looks at it, it's all in vain.

If Draper were real, Engelhardt and Partners is exactly the kind of agency he would want to work at. I just wouldn't let him yell at the customers ;)

Engelhardt & Partners Automotive Advertising
www.EPADV.com

Our New Website Is Live

The greatest thing about the Internet is that it is constantly changing, growing, evolving.

Our website has evolved several times over the years to meet the demands of our clients and potential clients. Our newest generation stresses the importance of Synergy - integration of traditional advertising media with hot new web & digital avenues.

We've included a lot of useful information on our site, not just for automotive advertising clients but for anyone who wants to market their business successfully in our changing world.

Check it out at http://www.epadv.com

Toyota Recall and the Used Car Business

This post is by Guest Blogger Tommy Gibbs, President of Tommy Gibbs & Associates specializing in Leadership Skills and Used Vehicle Management. Tommy Gibbs has over 23 years experience as a New Car Dealer. Today, Tommy focuses on increasing dealers' used car business through unique and proven methods.

Never in our history have we seen a deal like this Toyota thing. It proves the point that I’ve been trying to make that you cannot hang your hat on your new car franchise and you cannot stock primarily your own brand. Any Toyota dealer that has mostly used Toyotas in stock has a tough hill to climb right now.

First, I don’t think there is going to be a run on the bank so to speak with Toyota owners wanting to dump/trade their Toyotas. Even if you’re a Toyota dealer you’re not going to see a lot of these people showing up at your door step. If they bought a new Toyota recently they may show up wanting the dealer to buy it back and that may be the biggest can of worms for the dealers to deal with.

Dealers who don’t have a Toyota franchise will not see these people piling up at the front door either. Most Toyota owners are going to sit tight. Overall they are happy with their product and just want to see Toyota get this thing handled quickly. They are a loyal bunch.
So, what to do if one of the recall vehicles shows up at your front door to be traded? “Walk softly, but be not afraid.”

Sure, any dealer should protect themselves a bit by hitting a used Toyota a little low, but this problem will get fixed and then new and used Toyotas will come back strong. It has been said that Toyota is rich in cash. If that’s true they can advertise and rebate to a point that they grab lost market share back. They have the power to convince the public that all is well.

I think the biggest problem for a non-Toyota dealer is that if they trade a “recall vehicle” then they may be at the end of the line for getting the vehicle fixed.

Do you remember when the sky was falling on SUVs and Pickup Trucks and gas prices went to $4.00 a gallon? Don’t you remember what happened after the panic wore off and gas prices settled down? I advised dealers not to panic and not to dump those SUVS and Trucks in the wholesale market even if it meant letting some of them sit past the 45-60 day mark. I think dealers may have to take this approach with used Toyotas that might be sitting on their lots. In other words, don’t panic.

Dealers have to be careful that they don’t let this recall thing affect their thinking on the entire Toyota brand. Dealers need to get the exact list of the recalled vehicles and make sure their managers know which units are affected.

If I had owned a Toyota store today I would let the public know that their used Toyota is still welcome at my store. If I were a non-Toyota dealer I would do the same thing but, would walk softly on promoting this as you don’t want to offend anyone by putting this Toyota thing in their face. I would probably hit most Toyotas I appraise a bit back of book realizing it may have to sit a bit until this thing gets sorted out.

Ok, that’s my take. Hope to see you at the NADA convention. I'll be hanging out at the vAuto booth, #1631. If you stop by and say hello I'll give you a free copy of my little book titled "The Little Used Car Book." It's full of tips and ideas that will help your used car business.
-Tommy Gibbs for Engelhardt & Partners Automotive Advertising

Party in the Workplace: 10 Rules for using Social Media with Your Business

Posted by Christopher Pinto

If you’re reading this, you’re one of the millions of people who enjoy interacting with people on the internet in this ‘new’ phenomenon of Social Media.

But SMN (Social Media Networking) is nothing new. It’s the same kind of networking we’ve done for decades, at cocktail parties and meet & greets, at seminars and workshops. It has simply become easier, more accessible, and a lot more informal.

Where yesterday’s networking events were strictly business (usually attended by people in business attire seriously looking to promote their products and services) online Social Media sites combine business life with personal life…and that, in many instances, can be bad.

There is a reason we have a “work face” and a “home face”. Most of us do things at home or with our friends that we would never think of doing at work. This is called “professionalism”, something too many people are lacking when it comes their online persona. For example, posting pix of last weekend’s hot date at the trendy club might be great for your friends, but your boss and clients might find your antics a little unsettling.

This is why it’s very important to be careful how you connect your personal social networks to anything that has to do with work. If you’re going to use social networking for work purposes, you’ve almost always got to keep it separate from your personal life.

How do you do that online? Not quite as easy as it sounds.

Because of the way everything is linked (the whole purpose of social networking), chances are your personal life and your professional life are going to cross paths. The only true way to protect yourself from having potentially damaging personal information broadcast to clients and co-workers is to not have any personal networking at all. Since this is nearly impossible for anyone who enjoys online social networks, the next best thing is to follow some simple rules that should keep you out of trouble, and keep you looking professional in the eyes of your clients and bosses.

Here are some basic guidelines to follow that will help you keep your online persona both fun and professional:

1. Limit your exposure.

2. Take control of your social networks.

3. Never post derogatory or inflammatory content.

4. Keep your political and religious views and opinions to yourself.

5. Keep your posts upbeat, well-written and professional.

6. Let your personality, not your personal business, shine through.

7. Don’t junk up your social network with ads and pitches.

8. Don’t let your social networking get in the way of real work.

9. Post relevant and interesting content.

10. K.I.S.S. -->Keep it simple, stupid.

Read on for explanations of each topic…

1. Limit your exposure. Depending on your job, there are a lot of things you might not want your co-workers or clients to be aware of. Partying with co-workers might be fun, but can result in some very embarrassing photos. Stay away from the camera. Have fun, but don’t do anything too foolish, and keep your drinking under control. If partying means more to you than your job, then by all means live it up. If you’re serious about your career, keep it cool.

2. Take control of your social networks. Every networking site has email and/or text alerts that let you know when someone has posted content that pertains to you, including tagging you in photos. Make sure you monitor these alerts constantly, and check each one for embarrassing or otherwise unwanted content. Remove as necessary. If the content is on someone else’s page, nicely ask them to remove any reference to you from their post.

3. Never post derogatory or inflammatory content. This should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people think it’s ok to ‘talk trash’ about co-workers, clients, bosses, or even family members on social networking sites. “Venting” by posting how much you hate ‘Client A’ or think that ‘Boss B’ is working you too hard is an easy way to get canned. Unless you post to them directly, if you say something good about a client or co-worker, chances are they will never hear about it. Post something bad about someone and it will spread like wildfire. Use your head…never post anything you wouldn’t say directly to someone in person.

4. Keep your political and religious views and opinions to yourself. It’s very easy to get caught up in a discussion about God, guns, and government. Problem is, whatever stand you take, some of your clients and co-workers are going to be on the opposite side of the issue. This can be awkward with co-workers; it can be deadly with clients. Taking sides against a client on even the most inconsequential political or religious issue can cause them to drop you like a rock. Remember, if you’re using social networking for business, you want to build relationships, not destroy them.

5. Keep your posts upbeat, well-written and professional. This includes using correct grammar and punctuation. If language skills aren’t your strong point, get a co-worker to proof your tweets and posts before you make a fool of yourself. Don’t ever use street talk or slang, unless it fits your business. A bank branch manager posting “Yo, wat up yalls” is the equivalent of spitting on a customer. Also, never post anything negative. You may want to post how much you hate working overtime, and how tired and hungry you are, but it will probably come across as whiney and unproductive. Put a positive spin on everything.

6. Let your personality, not your personal business, shine through. The biggest mistake business people make on social networking sites is getting too personal about themselves with clients. Your clients want to know you; they’re interested in things you are doing and places you are going. What they don’t want to know is how depressing your life is. So posting about your trip to Disney World is great. Posting about your trip to the dentist to have an abscess removed is TMI.

7. Don’t junk up your social network with ads and pitches. This tip really falls under the heading of ‘how to market your business online’, but it can’t be stressed enough that social marketing is all about making relationships, not about pushing product. Your relationships will suffer and you’ll lose followers if you constantly barrage them with offers, commercials and products or services. Make friends. Be upbeat and positive. Let people know who you are and what you have to offer, the way you would in person. When they want a product you’re offering, they’ll remember you.

8. Don’t let your social networking get in the way of real work. So you’ve joined facebook™, you’re on twitter™, you’ve got a linkedin™ account and you’re digging™ everything you see. These networks take time to cultivate, and to maintain. Decide on a time limit each day, and stick to it. (Some businesses will decide this for you, and monitor your time on SMN sites). If you’re working on something important, turn off your SMN connections and software so you are not interrupted by incoming posts and messages. And keep your time on each site short…if your boss sees you on FB everytime he or she walks by, even if you’re sticking to your time limit, it’s not going to look good for you.

9. Post relevant and interesting content. It’s great to post videos of punk bands if you’re the manager of a Hot Topic. But if you’re a pre-owned Lexus sales manager in Boca Raton, that’s probably not a good idea. Make sure you understand the likes and dislikes of the people you are marketing to. Post content you think they will enjoy, and especially post things that are informational. The Hot Topic manager can post about where that band is playing, how to get tickets, and make suggestions on what to wear to the concert. The Lexus sales manager can post about the latest developments in hybrid cars, vehicle options, and when the new models will be out. It’s all relative to your customer base.

10. K.I.S.S. -->Keep it simple, stupid. Most people don’t have the time or the inclination to read long-winded articles (like this one) online. If it has to be long for informational purposes, bullet-point the major information at the beginning or the article (like this one) so that your readers can get a quick idea of what you are trying to communicate. If it’s something they’re interested in, they will read on. And remember to keep your writing interesting to keep your readers engaged. There’s nothing worse than reading through a post only to find you want to stop half-way through and grab a hamburger. Keep it light, keep it fun, keep it interesting, and your readers will thank you.

Comments always welcome!
Visit our automotive advertising website at www.epadv.com