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| When Clever Ads are a Waste. Dear Melinda: We are a famous landmark hotel in a big city. I want our advertising to convey what makes our property special. Our ad agency keeps presenting very creative ads but I’m starting to feel they’re just not doing the job. Any thoughts? I recently saw an ad for a famous landmark hotel in New York. It was a full-page shot of the revolving door at the entrance to the hotel. That’s it. Just the door. Not even an inset shot of this gorgeous property. The headline made some clever statement about making a grand entrance. I’m sorry, but a majestic hotel should have a majestic looking ad that gives a feeling for the property. Instead, as happens all too often, the hotel’s ad agency issued another one-shot ad hoping to “break through the clutter” with something unusual and clever, like a shot of the door! There wasn’t even anything special about this door! I can hear the agency trying to sell this ad. “No one’s ever used a door to represent the whole hotel. And no, I don’t think we need an inset shot of the hotel. That’s predictable, and it would take away from the uniqueness of the ad.” What a crock of self-serving baloney! What’s lacking in so much hospitality advertising today is a sense of place. And no, the solution isn’t just showing a shot of your hotel. Think of all the wonderful elements that went into creating that landmark hotel, the stunning architectural touches, the rich décor. Everything was so carefully designed and representative of a bygone era. An ad campaign for a hotel should have the same careful sense of design. Design isn’t just something for your brochures and menus. It’s something that can be incorporated into your advertising to better define your property. You can still have a “creative” ad, even a clever one, but it’s wrapped into a beautifully designed look that’s representative of your property. This becomes your signature look and helps you to build equity in your brand. Call me anytime. 407.694.5210 |
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