Villing Advertising Articles
Pure Michigan: To Everything There is a Season — Including the Use of Broadcast Advertising
Thom Villing (August 16, 2010)
The Pure Michigan campaign is a compelling reminder of what broadcast advertising can do when the medium matches the message.
Haste Makes Waste or Paralysis Through Analysis: Finding the Middle Ground
Lesley Langfeldt (August 11, 2010)
If your marketing moves too quickly, your work could hurt your brand image. However, there are also consequences for not moving fast enough.
Don't Forget Those Boomers, Baby.
Thom Villing (August 4, 2010)
Boomers spend 40% of consumer packaged goods dollars, but only 5% of ad dollars are directed at them. What's wrong with this picture?
Will Consumers Respond to User-Generated Advertising?
Nathan DeSelm (July 28, 2010)
We've seen the stratospheric rise of user-generated content. Is user-generated advertising the next logical step? Or will users rebel against sponsored tweets, videos and blog posts from their friends?
Early Adopters: Could they play a larger role in the success of your new products?
Lesley Langfeldt (July 14, 2010)
They may only make up 13.5 percent of the market share, but they will likely influence around half of your new product’s sales. So, are you paying attention to them?
Unskippable DVD Previews and How You Too Can Ruin Effective Advertising
Nathan DeSelm (June 30, 2010)
Over the past couple years, I've noticed many of my DVDs contain unskippable previews and studio animations. This is a classic example of how heavy-handed, force-fed advertising can turn off otherwise engaged consumers.
Making an Emotional Connection: Two Brands Doing Just That
Lesley Langfeldt (June 21, 2010)
Are you making an emotional connection with your audience through your advertising? In my opinion, here are two brands doing just that.
Advertising vs. Subscription Fees: Striking the Delicate Balance
Scott Tingwald (May 10, 2010)
It's interesting to watch online news and entertainment sources trying to make it on advertising revenue alone before replacing, or supplementing, that model with subscription fees - sometimes at the risk of taking money out of their own pockets.
Utility is the New Persuasion: Why Apps Make More Sense Than Ads
Thom Villing (April 21, 2010)
Consumers are now the loudest voice in the media. Today's savvy marketers need to optimize how customers experience their brands by putting more effort toward helping rather than selling to customers.
Just Do It (Even If It Doesn't Feel Right): Nike & Domino's
Thom Villing (April 12, 2010)
I saw the new Tiger Woods Nike spot last night. From a marketing standpoint, it could be a stroke of genius. From a personal standpoint, it just doesn't feel right.
Tackling the Question of the Best 2010 Super Bowl Ads
Thom Villing (February 9, 2010)
On Super Bowl Sunday, it's tough being in marketing and a sports nut at the same time. If I leave the room during commercial breaks, I might miss one of the year's iconic TV spots.
It's a Wrap: Generational Marketing
Lesley Langfeldt (February 1, 2010)
Now that I've covered each generation individually, it's time to wrap things up. View a chart that compares Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomers.
Free Speech or Free-For-All: Supreme Court Decision on Political Advertising Will Pose Challenges to Media and Marketers Alike
Thom Villing (January 26, 2010)
What are the marketing ramifications of the Supreme Court decision that lifted the political advertising restrictions on corporations, trade unions and similar organizations?
Sausage Strategies: Marketing Gambles by Dominos and Oscar Meyer
Thom Villing (January 18, 2010)
Both Domino's and Oscar Meyer have recently gained attention for some moves they've made in the advertising world. Will it be worth the risk?
Long Live Outdoor: Why This Traditional Medium Will Be Around for the Long Haul
Scott Tingwald (January 13, 2010)
It's nice to see one of the old standbys, outdoor advertising (or out-of-home marketing as the genre is sometimes called), still as relevant today as it was twenty years ago - perhaps even more so.
Baby Boomers: Experiences Matter
Lesley Langfeldt (December 22, 2009)
The Baby Boomers are the largest and wealthiest demographic segment in America. Because of this, it is critical that marketers understand how to effectively communicate with them.
Reader Reply: Are Traditional Marketing Methods Relevant?
Scott Howard (December 18, 2009)
In response to this week's Point/Counterpoint article, our first guest author provides a little more information and an alternate perspective about the controversial future of traditional marketing methods.
Point/Counterpoint: Are Traditional Marketing Methods Still Relevant?
Nathan DeSelm & Thom Villing (December 16, 2009)
Most people agree that marketing and the media used to disseminate marketing messages are changing. In this special "point/counterpoint" post, we debate the extent and nature of this change.
Gen X: Adaptable, Flexible & Reachable
Lesley Langfeldt (November 18, 2009)
As a follow up to my article on Generation Y, this article describes Generation X and even provides a comparison between these two somewhat similar generations.
Why Gen Y? Attracting Them, Speaking Their Language, Telling It Like It Is
Lesley Langfeldt (October 28, 2009)
Most Gen Y-ers have never known a world without video games and computers. Therefore, they have different expectations than any other generation before them. Knowing a little about them can help you become a successful marketer to them.
Who Says 18-34 is the Most Coveted Marketing Demographic?
Thom Villing (September 25, 2009)
When I first got into the business, everyone said 18-34 was the most sought after demographic for advertisers. Does that still hold true today?
Slow Down and Appreciate Life
Mathew Siecker (July 24, 2009)
People mention every day how fast time goes and how there is just never enough time. However, if you learn to slow down and appreciate the little things, it may just help you connect with your target audience.
O-ver-ra-ted (clap, clap,...clap, clap, clap)
Thom Villing (July 1, 2009)
The relative success of McDonald's versus Burger King reignites the debate over the value of creativity.
Sometimes the Medium is the Message
Thom Villing (June 8, 2009)
Recently I've noticed full-page ads in local newspapers attempting to reinforce the medium's continuing relevance. I have to wonder if they are simply preaching to the choir.
When the Fish Get Finicky...
Thom Villing (February 25, 2009)
TV still works. It just works better with better creative.
If I Had a Million Dollars: Is Super Bowl Advertising a Good Investment?
Thom Villing (February 6, 2009)
So, who won the Super Bowl? Not the game. The game within the game. The advertising. It depends on whom you ask.
Attack with Caution
Thom Villing (October 13, 2008)
Marketers are taking a page from the political advertising playbook. It’s an interesting strategy, but not without risks.
Truth in Advertising
Thom Villing (October 3, 2008)
Truth in advertising laws are extremely strict and hold marketers to a high degree of accountability. So why can political advertising say just about anything?
Tech Tip: The Three-Month Google AdWords Trial
Lesley Langfeldt (August 29, 2008)
Learn more about Villing & Company's three-month Google Adwords trial and why we are going to continue the program.
Media overkill: Where has the wear-out factor gone?
Thom Villing (April 17, 2008)
In advertising's wonder years, there was an expression you don't hear much any more. The term was "wear-out factor". It referred to the point of repetition at which an ad has been seen so frequently, it no longer communicates effectively.
Negativity works — or does it?
Thom Villing (November 9, 2007)
Conventional wisdom holds that negative political advertising works. At least, that's what we hear from the media and the self-appointed parsons of political strategy.
The Dark Side (and the Bright Side) of Pay-Per-Click
Sara Beckwith (November 1, 2007)
Pay per click advertising, when done right, can be a very useful and effective advertising tool. However, companies often don't have a clue as to how to make PPC advertising work for them.
What's All the Shouting About?
Thom Villing (September 24, 2007)
One of the first things fishermen tell their kids is the importance of not scaring away the fish by talking too loud or making too much noise. A lot of local advertisers would do well to heed that advice.
Tell a Good Story and Your Marketing Will Live Happily Ever After.
Kent Kauffman (September 17, 2007)
As marketers in this modern day world, I believe it's still very important to tell a story to help sell the products and services we represent.
Doing Well By Doing Good
Scott Tingwald (July 30, 2007)
Although cause marketing is a concept that's been around for many years, it seemed to pick up steam as a marketing buzz word in the early 1980s.
You Gotta Fish Where the Fish Are
Sara Beckwith (July 26, 2007)
My father loved fishing. When I was little, he sometimes took me with him. I wasn't very good at it. Maybe because I didn't like baiting the hook or getting up in the wee hours of the morning.
Nobody Reads Advertising.
Thom Villing (June 20, 2007)
Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear someone say something like, "That's too many words. Nobody will read it." Words are like calories. All too often, they are empty and just make us feel full.