If you watch TV this week, you will be encouraged to buy furniture. You will also be persuaded that it is the American thing to do.
Is it the American thing to do? Given that the offers are zero down pay later schemes I’d say yes, pretty American.
Is there a category more in need of a refresh? I know, it’s holiday-triggered retail price promotions, but where is it written that holiday-triggered retail price promotions must suck?
Someone step in and solve this.
Just when you think consumers are resistant to this type of old-school marketing, we get reminded that retail price/promotional campaigns are everywhere. Newspapers and radio/TV stations love them and encourage them because they’re cash cows. It’s a 5 cent idea with a $100,000 media buy behind them.
No one’s going to “step in and solve this” as long as these retailers believe that the campaigns work. Which means they probably do, on some level.
A five cent idea with a big media buy behind it is worth what exactly?
It upsets me that media companies work against the branding grain, but they do. Selling space is enough for them, but it’s never enough for the companies laying money on the line. First, you invest in something memorable to say and a compelling way to say it. Then you buy media. It’s a pretty straightforward formula, but one that is lost on many small to medium-sized businesses.