Kahlia Hannah

Hard-sell Commercials vs. Identity Commercials

There is a man who owns a locally based chain of used computer
stores in the city where I live. It is my personal opinion that
he should be presented with an award for producing the most
annoying television commercials in history. That award probably
wouldn’t mean much to him, as he is now a rich man who couldn’t
care less if his commercials are ridiculous. After all, those
commercials made him the rich man he is today.

This man I speak of was a pioneer in the world of hard-sell
commercials. His commercials were tacky, irritating, obvious and
brass. They were also fact-based, convincing, high-energy and
memorable.

Your hard-sell commercial does not need to encompass the entire
range of adjectives I used to describe those particular hard-sell
commercials.

The hard-sell commercial has a few common identifying traits that
have nothing to do with being annoying.
* They often include prices.
* They show as much merchandise as possible.
* They often tell of a promotional offer or sale.
* The company or product name is usually on the screen through
the entire commercial.

These four traits are common for one reason; they increase sales.
This is why:

* The advertiser should include the price if it is exceptionally
low. Low priced items get customers off the couch and into the
store.
* Show potential customers some merchandise and they will often
see something they want. You will also give people a sense of
how much selection you offer.
* Using promotional advertising creates a sense of urgency.
People will have to buy your product within the allotted amount
of time.
* If you keep your name on the screen during the entire
commercial, people will see the name even if they mute their
television during the commercials. They also become familiar
with the font, logo and color scheme you use, and will recognize
it when they see it again.

Now, you may be wondering, if hard-sell commercials work so well,
why don’t all the Coca Colas and McDonalds and Volkswagens use
them? Because they are more concerned with selling an image.
When companies try to sell an image instead of an identity, their
marketing is not fact based. They often sell the intangible
benefits: you will be cool, you will be sophisticated, and your
entire well-being will be improved by using our product.
Creating an image can sometimes become a game of who looks
better, instead of who is better.

We all like to dream, but most of us are grounded in reality. We
may occasionally be taken in by the model with flowing, auburn
hair who only spent five dollars on a box of store dye to achieve
it, or the car full of partying teenagers who love their car
so much they would rather remain in it than attend a party, but
we will never believe it.

The reason hard-sell commercials work so well is that they
promote the tangible, rational benefits of a product. It is
difficult to promote the practical value of perfume or beer.

So when you decide to market using television commercials,
remember who your audience is: people who have jobs and kids and
responsibilities. In other words, real people who live in the
real world.

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