Cut the Fat – Not the Budget

In a continuation of last week’s “guest post” – we’d like to feature another post by one of our leading cost-cutting consultants, Adam Tabas.  Adam specializes in working with our clients to find potential areas for cost savings where there are seemingly none.

“Cut the Fat – Not the Budget” – Adam Tabas, Senior Savings Consultant

In a marketing world filled with constant innovation, information flow, instant satisfaction, and measurable results, there are inconsistencies and inefficiencies when it comes to advertising for the local level.  Let’s think about what happens during a typical production & approval cycle for localized marketing, and the subsequent adverse effects that are inevitably absorbed by your company.

For our example, lets assume an ad campaign being versioned for 3 separate retail locations of a certain brand, and includes the following media channels: 2 different newspapers (quarter-page & half-page), 1 magazine (full page), and an online banner.

1. Creative Director arranges the creative elements and strategy that will act as the foundation of the ads’ theme.
($200/hr. x 3hrs = $600)

2. Production studio interprets these creative ideas in the form of layout arrangement and configuration—and this process must be repeated over and over again, for EACH ad, EACH location (since local information varies), and EACH outlet (since each outlet requires a different format).

Retail Outlet 1 Customized Ad
Newspaper Quarter-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr. = $150)
Newspaper Half-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
Magazine Full-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
Banner Ad Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)

Retail Outlet 2 Customized Ad
Newspaper Quarter-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr. = $150)
Newspaper Half-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
Magazine Full-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
Banner Ad Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)

Retail Outlet 3 Customized Ad
Newspaper Quarter-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr. = $150)
Newspaper Half-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
Magazine Full-Page Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)

Banner Ad Configuration ($150/hr x 1hr = $150)
($600 per outlet x 3 outlets = $1800)

3. The “rough draft” version of each ad is channeled up the corporate ladder to Brand-level managers and lawyers, who manually check each one for legal compliances, brand consistencies, and other corporate standards.  And, again, since these managers and lawyers have respective MBA and JD degrees attached to their names, the resulting hours and fees add up—big time.  Let’s assume that for each round of approvals, 1 lawyer and 1 brand manager must each proof the ads:

Lawyer
($200/hr x 1 hr = $200)

Brand Manager
($50/hr x 1 hr = $50)
($1st Approval Round = $250)

4. Once the edits are made, the newly adjusted proofs are sent BACK to the production studios:

Retail Outlet 1 Revisions
($150/hr. x 1hr = $150)
Retail Outlet 2 Revisions
($150/hr. x 1hr = $150)
Retail Outlet 3 Revisions
($150/hr. x 1hr = $150)
($150 per outlet x 3 outlets = $450)

5. Back up the ladder they go to the managers & lawyers for another round of approvals:

Lawyer
($200/hr x ½ hr = $100)
Brand Manager
($50/hr x ½ hr = $25)
(2nd approval round = $125)

6. Not perfect yet, still need some minor “tweaks”:
Retail Outlet 1 Tweaks
($150/hr. x ½ hr = $75)
Retail Outlet 2 Tweaks
($150/hr. x ½ hr = $75)
Retail Outlet 3 Tweaks
($150/hr. x ½ hr = $75)
($75 per outlet x 3 outlets = $225)

7. One final approval:

Lawyer
($200/hr x ¼ hr = $50)
Brand Manager
($50/hr x ½ hr = $25)
(3rd approval round = $75)

TOTAL: $600 + $1800 + $250 + $450 + $125 + $225 + $75 = $3525
(*Note- this total is BEFORE media buying)

I know this is a lot of math, but for a world in which computers are integrated into nearly every business process, the advertising process remains nearly untouched from the years of David Ogilvy – and the math adds up quickly!  Advertisers are saddled with huge fees that nobody seems to be able to get a handle on because they do not know where the fat is hiding.  With a thorough investigation of what time and money is spent on your advertising, huge savings can be realized with a few small steps to integrate technology into this cumbersome and expensive process.

Adam can be reached at atabas@LiveTechnology.com

Mobile Marketing

At LiveTechnology we have a number of talented individuals focused on working with our clients to advise them on the latest technologies available across all media forms.  One of these individuals is Chris Dabroski, one of our senior leads on helping our clients understand mobile media and how mobile can provide big results to advertisers.

Look for more “Guest Posts” from Chris in the coming weeks:

Mobile advertising is increasing exponentially throughout the United States.  Over 270 million Americans (90% of the population) are easily and directly accessible via cellular communications.  Reaching your target consumer by means of cell phone will be your primary vehicle to close a sale.

As an advertiser you want to provide brand information, drive consumer traffic into your stores, and incentivize brand loyalty.  How can a cell phone accomplish these three goals?  Quick Response Codes (QR code for short) will revolutionize how you provide consumers information. QR codes are two dimensional bar codes; they are black and white blocky images anyone can generate and use to distribute information to cell phones.  The image is read by software in conjunction with your camera function on any phone and provides a text message or a URL.

So how can I use QR Codes to drive consumers to my stores or incentivize brand loyalty?

First you need to create the message you want to be received and generate the code.  Next, your code needs to be distributed on every advertisement the message is targeted for. Providing brand information is effortless.

Attach the specific information you want to attach to the code.  If you manipulate what information you’re attaching you can open up new avenues to reach your consumer.  Attach a QR code with a link to the “find your local store” section of the website and you have a vehicle to drive consumers into your store. It’s as simple as seeing a clever advertisement and generating curiosity in your consumers head.

Next they receive the message and in a few steps they know exactly where to buy the product.  The same manipulation can be used to provide exclusive deals, coupons, and promotions.

These are a few quick uses for QR Codes and as with all new technologies there are some drawbacks.  This media  only works if you have the pre existing software on your phone and recognizes the QR Code.  However, like a tsunami miles off the coast, advertisers will have no idea of the power of this new medium until after it has landed ashore.

Chris Dabroski can be reached at cdabroski@LiveTechnology.com