Ad Placement - What To Do When The Public Complains

Our country provides everyone the right to express themselves via freedom of speech, etc.  You’re going to find, like minded groups who won’t be happy with your media placement.  These groups typically spam Executives or the Marketing Team, with canned emails expressing their displeasure with the advertising and asking (or demanding) that you change your media schedule based on this “controversial programming.”  Some might include:

• Sexual specific programming
• Gay or lesbian programming
• Questionable family values
• Actors/Actresses within a program which might have controversy surrounding them
• Politically based programming
• News programming — too liberal, too conservative
• Basically about anything someone will complain about
• Ethnic based programming

I used to get thousands of emails when these groups would target their displeasure.  I even had a media company threatened me if I didn’t run advertising with their publication.  So I was getting hammered by consumers and the advertising media at the same time.  

At first I was appalled… well pissed is probably the best word to describe someone telling me what and where I could advertise.  But after calming myself I came to accept that everyone has their opinion, they can express it and I needed to deal with it.  So I came up with some general rules of the road.

1. Respect the opinions of these groups/people.
2. Have a drawer statement ready and pre plan for these types of events.
3. Communicate your decision in a professional manner.  You don’t need to give your reason - if you do, you’ll get into a war of ideals, which you’ll never win.
4. Determine if your advertising actually ran on the wrong show… if you’re doing direct advertising, you might have been plugged into a show which might have been inappropriate.  Sometimes mistakes happen.
5. Does the show represent your brand values?  If so, no worries.
6. How many GRP’s is the program in question pulling?  Determine if it’s worth the stomach acid to run in the program.
7. If you have events, etc. which surround the program target audience this should be considered.  Sunk costs without any promotion aren’t going to generate revenue
8. Don’t fall on the sword for a show… if your management isn’t happy and wants you to move the media, do it… don’t argue…it will only create turmoil later.
9. But, don’t let any group tell you what to do.  Stick to your plan if it’s the right place to advertise, do it.  Don’t be swayed by detractors…this too shall pass.
10. Document, document, document… if it gets nasty you’ll need the facts.
11. Have your tech group stop the emails from reaching your email box and other executives email boxes.
12. Notify legal AND security of the situation in the case you start getting protestors out the front door, or the situation escalates further.  Keep your eyes open for any suspicious activities. 

Don’t be paranoid, but also stay vigilant.  

Scott

Exorcism -- The Live TV Event

Exorcism …. the word conjures up visions of pea soup being vomited across the room.  Last night the live broadcast #Exorcism aired on Destination America.  So I watched this live train wreck of a show.  I mean who the hell doesn’t like to see a good exorcism every once in a while.   Frankly, I could care less of whether the boogie man exists, if a house is possessed or whether the dead can talk beyond the grave.

Actually, what intrigued me the most was who would advertise or potentially sponsor such a program.  It’s not everyday you can say “proudly sponsored by …” on a show which might have some guys head doing a 360 degree turn while demons escape from his body.

My gut told me the advertisers would be company’s which tend to be direct response oriented… low priced/high volume of spots with possibly some local stuff thrown in — car dealers pushing end of the month sales, etc. 

Drum roll… those which were advertising included:  Geico, Jimmy Dean, Bass Pro Shops, US Army, Reese Peanut Butter Cups, Fiat, Select Life Insurance, Proactiv,  Sylvania Car Light Bulbs, Pampers, Little Caesars, Thermo Spas, Dish Network, Subaru, etc. etc.

My thoughts… great placement for the high volume/low cost spot providers — Insurance, US Army, Caesars, Dish, Proactiv, etc.  The content was crazy appealing (to the right demo), kept people glued to the TV to see what the whole exorcism would entail.

What I questioned were Fiat and Pampers.  The brands don’t seem to fit the programming.. there big brands, targeted niche markets, etc.  The only thing I could think of is with Pampers you could make the leap to “crapping in your pants” from being so scared.

The show was a total bust, but honestly I think the brands who advertised got their money’s worth.

Scott