Our Afternoon at the BallPark

On Wednesday evening, the Felber team members received a text message from Rob saying our consolation prize for the Cavs losing game 5 was tickets to the Indians vs. Athletics game on Thursday afternoon. We are all huge sports fans, so this was a very exciting suprise for us.

Of course, being marketers, we surveyed the new Progressive Field's changes since last season. A few things are different including a women's only team shop and a business area in right field designated for business luncheons and group outings. They really have found a way to cater to all walks of life, hats off to them!

It was also interesting to note the obvious changes that have taken place in the park from its conversion to Progressive Field. When the field was named Jacob's Field, there were only a few places of the name labeled around the park - now, as Progressive Field, it is very apparent there has been a switch in the overall marketing appeal of the field. Before, Jacob's Field had minimal advertising around the field. Now, Progressive Field has replaced those empty areas with various advertisements of companies. Good idea or bad idea?


GO TRIBE!

-Katy

Free Food

A week after Papa John's infamous 23 cent pizza day, McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts are jumping on this idea of giving out free food. (I know, I know, Papa John's charged 23 cents, but it was basically free.) The restaurants are claiming rising food costs prevent the average consumer from trying new food and this is a way for them to try the new items without actually purchasing them.

Today from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, McDonald's is offering a free Southern Style biscuit (breakfast hours) or new Southern Style chicken sandwich (lunch and dinner hours) free to those consumers who buy a medium (or larger size) beverage. Also, Dunkin' Donuts is giving away their 16 oz. iced coffees from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. This is an attempt to showcase their new Berry Berry flavor.

Maybe this will encourage more restaurants to give away free food... or more!

-Katy

Crazy Advertising Overseas

This is a prime example of how different advertising can be overseas. Special thanks goes out to America Top Ten for this one.


BMW started the ad war:


Audi answered to BMW:


Subaru had their say:


Bentley had the last laugh:


I do, unfortunately, have to say the last ad wasn't actually real. (For my entertainment, I will pretend I never found that fact.)

What's the lesson from this series of ads? Be careful what you say, be mindful of your competitors and make sure you validate your sources before citing them.

-Katy

Our Favorite Blogs

Below are a few links to our favorite blogs. We will continue to post more links to new blogs as we discover them.

Business Bloggers
This is dedicated to how companies are jumping on the green bandwagon.

Birol's Blog
Andy Birol, Chief Growth Strategist and author of The Five Catalysts of 7 Figure Growth, shares his thoughts on small business operations and ways to overcome everyday business roadblocks.

A Better Dog Blog
Rachel Friedman shares her experiences on starting a business and her daily life.

On The Edge
Kristi Gustafson, Staff Writer for the Union Times out of New York, shares her style, beauty and dating advice here.

Seth Godin's Blog
Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. He is also an entrepreneur and agent of change.

Never Eat Alone Blog
Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone, is internationally known for his business and networking insight.

Guerrilla Consulting
Michael McLaughlin is the founder of MindShare Consulting LLC and co-author of Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants. He helps to provide innovative marketing, sales and operations solutions and strategies to professional service providers.

AAF - Cleveland
All about advertising, Cleveland and advertising in Cleveland.

- The Felber Team

Marketing – Don’t Treat me Like a Redheaded Stepchild

When you tell people you are a marketer, you either get the “that’s a cool job” reaction, or you get the “oh okay so you are trying to sell me something” reaction. I, of course, prefer the former reaction. Unfortunately, many people are uneducated about the marketing profession. Therefore, they assume marketers “scheme” and run those glorifying ads that make the juicy but bad for you hamburger so delicious that you must have one right now!

Why do people view us as schemers? As unethical, manipulative and persuasive? Are consumers so afraid of what their peers would think if they admitted they made a purchase because of an ad? I’m not ashamed to admit that I saw an ad and purchased a product. Why? Because I made an educated decision about the product, I know what features and benefits are available, I know where to purchase it and I know how/if I need it in my life.

We educate the consumer. Yes, I used the word educate. Why? We describe the product’s best benefits and features as well as educating those who need to know about it, know about it. That’s the most basic principal. Yes, advertising is everywhere and yes, what will we think of next? But admit it, you talk about it, you’re receptive to it and frankly if you weren’t too busy to watch our ads on television then we wouldn’t have to find another way to reach you!

In this information age, if you want to know about something, you “Google” it. The information wouldn’t be available if the marketer hadn’t strategically placed it where you could easily find it. How many times do you remember a car commercial? You probably never remember unless you are ready to buy a car and then your antenna is raised and you see car advertisements everywhere.

So we inform and carefully put advertisements where you would be the most receptive. There’s nothing ethically wrong with that. We help our clients get their message to the end-user or consumer. So, why all this bad rap against advertisers? For some reason the media giants like to run all these news stories about the inappropriate ad or the commercial that crossed the line. Guess what? Our clients may have championed for that inappropriate creative but the client is never blamed on the national news. Why? Because they ultimately pay the dollars so the news team can report.

Plus, it takes much sweat and approval to actually run a display ad or a commercial that it is impossible to hold the agency solely accountable. Not only does it take two (agency and client) to tango, but don’t forget all commercials on the basic networks get approved by the stations prior to airing – so if the media really does have problems, then have them go speak to the “board” down the hall who ultimately has the final decision to air, or not to air it.

We educate the consumer. Yes, I used the word educate. Why? All we do is describe the product’s best benefits and features as well as letting those who need to know about it, know about it. That’s the most basic principal. Sure we use target marketing and yes it sounds like we take an arrow and shoot it at certain groups of people, but all we really do is find those who really need the product and speak to them. Yes, some unethical people practice poor marketing “schemes” but the majority doesn’t practice in that manner.

I’m tired of being stereotyped when people ask me what I do for a living. It’s bad enough being labeled a redheaded stepchild, but even worse – I am a marketer. And there is nothing wrong with it!

"Grow It...Promote It!"

Speaker: Rob Felber and Andy Birol, Owner of Birol Growth Consulting

Group/organization: Open to All Business Owners

Topic: "Grow It...Promote It!"

Where: The Club At Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44114

When: 7:30 A.M., Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Registration information: Click here to register (613K PDF)

Cost: $35.00