In the Spotlight
Choosing products for ad campaigns
Choosing a featured product for your advertising isn't as
easy as picking a pretty picture. Greg Jones, vice president of
marketing at Nova Marketing, a retail promotion agency in Quincy,
Massachusetts, says that smart retailers first look at trends,
previous success stories and current inventory.
Jones believes every business should create an identifiable look
for its advertising (think Target's bull's-eye pattern).
That way, even if you have to use the manufacturer's
plain-vanilla product photos, you'll still stand out. Jones
also says:
- Be original. Feature
products that are not available from the competition or from large
chain stores.
- Test yourself. Test
different products when your advertising budget allows. If one
approach is not working, try another.
- Take stock. Be sure you
have enough of the featured product on hand to satisfy demand.
"You need to be sure that you can deliver what you promise in
your advertising," says Jones.
When a discount menswear store opened across the street from
upscale retailer Braddock's in Eatontown, New Jersey, partner
Steven Brudner, 45, used strategic product placement as damage
control. By creating a billboard campaign that featured lower-end
suits, he cultivated a new customer base before the
competition's grand opening.
Content Continues Below
Brudner was pleased with the stealth product placement: "We
sold more lower-end suits, and they didn't open up with such a
bang."