Effective Advertising Says Something Important

By John Malmo

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-935526.mp3

Effective Advertising Says Something Important, by John Malmo

Memphis, TN – Who would ever single out the U.S. Postal Service as an example of great marketing? I nominate myself to be the first. Watching TV the other night, my wife commented about a commercial for the postal service.

"Those are really good ads," she said.

"I agree," said I.

They're more than good. The current USPS campaign on behalf of its new policy to accept certain shipping boxes for flat rates regardless of weight appears to be a highly competitive move. And, of course, the reason the TV commercials are so effective is that, unlike most commercials, these have something important to say.

And it's the "something-important-to-say" that is the perfect example of good marketing. The good marketing is in the basic pricing concept. The concept that if it fits, you can cram an anvil into a box and ship it for the same rate as the box full of lace doilies. The concept not only has price appeal, but it also has appeal in company mail rooms that ship daily dozens, even hundreds, of packages, each of which had to be weighed individually.

What a great marketing coup. And a great example of the simple fact that effective advertising is the result of having something important to say. And having something important to say is the result of good marketing. Simply amazing.

John Malmo is a marketing consultant who concentrates on helping business owners grow their businesses with effective marketing. To reach Mr. Malmo, hear and read more of his commentaries, or ask him a direct question, go to askmalmo.com.