Week 10 – Yet Another Humber Exclusive
In Association with Steven Bochenek
Today’s Lesson• Delivery systems, couriers, the Canadian Post, Couriers or household
drops, hand delivery, internet, cell phones etc. • What came in my mailbox• Next week’s assignment• In-class assignment
First – A Brain Stretcher!
Remember the limerick? (note the AA BB A structure):
There was this C.D. from T.O.Who reeked of cheap booze and B.O.But we all kissed his rearUnctuous smiles, ear to earWhen we heard that he’d won a Clio
First – A Brain Stretcher!
Complete this limerick (completing the AA BB A structure). Watch your meter!
There was a young scribe from Humber
You have 3 minutes.
First – A Brain Stretcher!
Here’s mine:“There was a young scribe from HumberWhose pitiful life went asunderShe kept skipping dinnerGetting thinner and thinner,Her guts always rumbling from hunger”
Shall we give her a choco?
Delivery systems
Q: Which media deliver Direct Response messages?
Anyone?
Bueller?
Delivery systems
• That’s right! Canada Post!
They deliver addressed and unaddressed mail
Canada PostLook what came in the mail last week! Pardon the tear along the side.
QUICK SIDETRACK!NB: A seasoned direct marketer will tell you that creativity exists to get the envelope opened. Period.
QUICK SIDETRACKHow gauche. What about your brand? Nonetheless, the first impression is paramount. You must entice them into the piece or all efforts are wasted.
Canada PostSo: pardon the tear along the top. Or is that a tear along the side? Let’s tear the whole thing apart, starting with its clumsy sideways orientation.
Canada PostWhy make your reader go sideways? Pick a format, landscape or portrait, and stick with it. This is awkward art direction. And when you see all that comes afterwards, you’ll wonder why they cheaped out here at the very grand opening. Front: portrait orientation Back: landscape
Canada PostTargeting?Why have they collapsed my daughters’ names into a single person? Why have they targeted unemployed teens?
QUICK SIDETRACKTargeting?Big companies sell your information to other big companies who want to sell you stuff.
Remember: in Direct Response, we know more about our audience.
Or at least we think we do.
Canada PostThe list is an expensive gamble: purchased from ‘Our Canada’ readership.
My uncle bought them both this single membership and completed the BRC by hand: Olivia and Justine Bochenek. But my uncle is old and blind. The data entry clerk, who earns minimum wage is bored and human, removed the ‘and’ from the BRC.
BTW, what’s a ‘BRC’?
And what’s an ‘app’?(Hint: it’s not that.)
And how expensive a gamble?
Canada PostThe list is an expensive gamble: purchased from ‘Our Canada’ readership.
This is the magazine my uncle bought my daughters as a gift. They don’t read it but would never insult their great uncle by refusing the gesture.
So how expensive a gamble?
Where’s AIDA? Attention
These are the readers of this magazine.
Where’s AIDA? Attention
These are the recipients of this expensive piece of mail.
How expensive? Let’s open it and learn more.
Canada PostInside, it’s smorgasbord of excessive production!
Canada PostHere’s how it looks if you open it from the side with your name on.
Where’s AIDA?
Let’s start with A.
A stands for the ‘hey mArthA’ effect
Where’s AIDA? Attention
“Hey, Martha! It’s for our kids but if they was just one person.”
Could be here.
Where’s AIDA? Attention
Really here.
Slightly dimensional device fits in standard mail package but is very hard to ignore. That gimmick got your attention.
But is it a gimmick? Not really – it’s a relevant seasonal message.
Where’s AIDA? Attention
“Hey Martha, it a tree decoration sent to us from the Princess Margaret Hospital. I wonders why. Heck, let us open it and divine its message.”
Where’s AIDA? Attention
AN INVOLVEMENT DEVICE MADE, PERHAPS, OF REAL GOLD!!
Cheesy? To you, maybe.
Where’s AIDA? Attention
To readers of this magazine? Probably not.
Where’s AIDA? Attention
To them it’s a message of hope.
The decoration is attached to the card which bears the headline: “Let hope fly.”
QUICK SIDETRACK
“Let hope fly.”
Dissect and discus this headline.
QUICK SIDETRACK
Discus?
No, no, discuss, “Let hope fly.”
Lesson: Always, read your work. Spellcheck is for businessmen who wear golf shirts with Disney characters on Fridays.
QUICK SIDETRACK
Let hope fly.
A command (aka call to action). Direct and simple. Yet relevant, given that pigeon made of what may be solid gold.
Who’s saying this? And who are they targeting?
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
Interest? Wuzzat?
The next steps in the conversation.
Involvement devices, stories and sell.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
An orgy of production to bring the reader in. AKA involvement devices.
Die-cut dove! Perf it out and return it in BRE, and they’ll hang it in the Princess Margaret Hospital.
A ‘seasonal card’ you can send to loved ones with sparkly stuff a la fairy dust on the dove.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
Interest? Wuzzat?
Involvement devices, stories and sell. Now that you have their attention, it’s time to take ‘em to school.
For the copywriter, it’s where you shine as a artisan, weaving your magic with unctuous nuance, removing their reasons to say no. Simply, subtly at first. It’s a seduction, like Salomé’s dance of the seven veils.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
And you call it ‘junk mail’?
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
And you call it ‘junk mail’?
Where’s your imagination?! Your self-respect! Sell dammit! Sell!!
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
An orgy of production to bring the reader in. AKA involvement devices.
Die-cut dove! Perf it out and return it in BRE, and they’ll hang it in the Princess Margaret Hospital.
A ‘seasonal card’ you can send to loved ones with sparkly stuff a la fairy dust on the dove.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
An orgy of production to bring the reader in. AKA involvement devices.
Die-cut card you can send to loved ones? They really went all out.
NB: Is that where my donations go? Discus.
And, of course envelopes for those cards.
Would they IOEs? (We need some new jargon. Somebody call the account people.)
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
And that’s not all!
Die-cut card? Get outta here!
Front on left.
Inside on right.
4-page double-sided, colour lasered, personalised letter.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
MASTER CLASS IN COPY WRITING!
IT GOES IMMEDIATELY FOR THE JUGULAR!
Dear Ms. Bochenek,
“I would love to see Ryan and Erin get married.” That’s what our daughter Lindsay said when asked if there was one thing she wanted more than anything else while she was battling cancer.”
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
MASTER CLASS IN COPY WRITING GOES IMMEDIATELY FOR THE JUGULAR!
Dear Ms. Bochenek,
“I would love to see Ryan and Erin get married.” That’s what our daughter Lindsay said when asked if there was one thing she wanted more than anything else while she was battling cancer.”
1. Opens in media res. Works like a soap opera: “What happens next?” So you’re immediately hooked.
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
MASTER CLASS IN COPY WRITING GOES IMMEDIATELY FOR THE JUGULAR!
Dear Ms. Bochenek,
“I would love to see Ryan and Erin get married.” That’s what our daughter Lindsay said when asked if there was one thing she wanted more than anything else while she was battling cancer.”
1. Opens in media res. Works like a soap opera: “What happens next?” So you’re immediately hooked.
2. ‘get married.’ David Ogilvy’s list of what people are interested in. (Borrowed interest among the most popular attention getting techniques.)
Where’s AIDA? Interest?
MASTER CLASS IN COPY WRITING GOES IMMEDIATELY FOR THE JUGULAR!
Dear Ms. Bochenek,
“I would love to see Ryan and Erin get married.” That’s what our daughter Lindsay said when asked if there was one thing she wanted more than anything else while she was battling cancer.”
1. Opens in media res. Works like a soap opera: “What happens next?” So you’re immediately hooked.
2. ‘get married.’ David Ogilvy’s list of what people are interested in. (Borrowed interest among the most popular attention getting techniques.)
3. “our daughter … battling cancer.” Every parent’s deepest fear. English doesn’t even have a word for a parent who’s child has died.
Where’s AIDA?
Desire: the sweetener; a time-limited special offer
Desire = Offer
“The offer should seal the deal, not BE the deal.” -S Bochenek, circa 2000, on the problems with direct marketing in Marketing Mag
Where’s AIDA?
Simplybrilliant
Harder to give a dollars-and-cents offer in fundraising work but in the PPS…
“You are invited to the Wings of Hope dedication ceremony on Wed, Dec 15… be sure to send in your dove by December 1st so that it can be displayed…”
Why?
Where’s AIDA?
That’s why it’s simply brilliant
“You are invited to the Wings of Hope dedication ceremony on Wed, Dec 15… be sure to send in your dove by December 1st so that it can be displayed…”
The opening appeals to their sympathy.
The close appeals to their vanity.
Brilliant but a waste, sadly.
These are the recipients of this expensive piece of mail.
Delivery systems
That’s just Canada Post.
Can you name any others?
Delivery systems
Others?• Couriers and household drops by specially hired delivery companies
But what else delivers Direct Response messages?
Delivery systems
Others?
• That’s right! The Internet, via email and banner ads on sites you frequent.
Others?
Delivery systems
That’s right! Your phone! Text ads are pure DR.
Note the sender:Princess Margaret Hospital
Delivery systems
If you’ve ever responded to a text from your phonecarrier, you’re as much of a weenie as those sad old
people who open Direct mail.
Delivery systems
If you’ve ever responded to a text from your phonecarrier, you’re as much of a weenie as those sad old
people who open Direct mail.
Accept it.
Delivery systems
If you’ve ever responded to a text from your phonecarrier, you’re as much of a weenie!! as those sad
old people who open Direct mail.
Accept it.
It’s funny because it’s true.
Delivery systems
OTHERS?
Your radio: Let’s listen to Blue Cross campaign.
Aimed at Ontarians, mostly GTA, leaving the province. You could order it while in traffic (back when it was still legal).
Where’s AIDA?MUSIC: Bagpipes under.ANNCR: It’s easy to see why you need Blue Cross travel insurance when you travel.
Bad Scottish accent: Aye it’s ground with kidneys and the whole thing’s wrapped in a sheep’s stomach.
ANNCR: Now it’s also easy to buy. Just visit Use Blue dot com. You could be covered in minutes. It’s that easy. So whether you’re just visiting Buffalo for some wings or traveling overseas...
BSA: Y’kin boil it but most folk prefer it frried in faaaat.
ANNCR: Use Blue Cross travel insurance. For Canadians with a hunger for travel. Get it at Use Blue dot com.
Delivery systems
Others?
Delivery systems
That’s right! Your television.
New Zealand Bell long distance to Australia.
Delivery systems
Q: Which media deliver Direct Response messages?
Delivery systems
A: All of them.
Q: Which media deliver Direct Response messages?
Delivery systems
A: All of them.
This is not a mail department, it’s a way of life.
Q: Which media deliver Direct Response messages?
Delivery systems
Your Mission: Next week, bring a piece of mail, or other direct response piece, recorded or transcribed.
In class, we’ll identify and evaluate the effectiveness of the elements of AIDA.
Be prepared to present to the whole class.
Now – Your fourth assignment!Assignment # 4How do pharmaceutical companies keep diabetes sufferers loyal to their brand? By distributing blood sugar monitors for free, then selling the patients the blood-sugar testing strips which only work with that monitor. (Clever so-and-so’s.)
Same strategy as your parents’ home alarm. Free alarm, but they pay for monitoring. Do you think they’re suckers?
Same strategy as your phone. (“My Moto Razr was only $40 5 years ago when it was cool. My contract’s up next March! Think I’ll get the Nokia with the flash light built-in.”)
Your next assignment!Usually the companies also strive to make monitors that have a competitive edge (such as less of a prick {or ‘incision’, if you prefer}). With this in mind, do some research online and select a blood sugar monitor as your product, and then run a promotion through Shopper’s Drug Mart that targets moms of Type-1 diabetic kids.
You want them to trade in their old monitors (at Shoppers) and switch to yours for free. Think of all the things you could do to facilitate this response in moms, and hopefully build a long-term relationship with them (so they continue to use your monitor and buy your strips).
Consumer insight: Mom is terrified, protective and, consequently, information hungry. The kids feel like freaks (don’t we all?) because they can’t drink cola without sailing into anaphylactic shock.
What are you going to do to add value to your monitor for moms and/or kids? What offer will you make? What fun stuff can your monitor do for kids, or give them to help them like their monitors and not feel so different?
Your next assignment!
Your campaign must include: 2 In-store posters; 1 in-store brochure; 1 full-page DR ad for Shoppers’ weekly flier; the home page plus one child-page of microsite.
Extra media vehicles are also welcome if they are appropriate (add no more than one) as are product enhancements such as fun monitor cases to be used as your special offer.
Insight from a pro pharma writerAs this is a device, not a prescription med, the restrictions are less, well, restrictive.
The switch message is slightly tricky because you can’t overtly bash the competition. Also, you can’t suggest that the monitor is going to provide any clinical benefit like better control of hyperglycemia.
You CAN talk about ease of use benefits which may improve compliance and all the 'fun' stuff should be fine
Due at the beginning of class, hangovers and faulty printers be damned, on Friday, December 2.
In-Class assignment
•
• Use the supplied samples and talk about them with your friend. Be prepared to discuss them with the whole class.
Find AIDA