Archive for December 1st, 2008

I’ll admit it. I used to write and direct ads for car dealers. It was an educational process. I went into the job, convinced that I could create ads that would sell better than the really annoying ones you hear, were the pitchman screams at you, with an urgent “BUY NOW!” message. Turns out, that particular subset (some would say “subculture”) of the industry has a name for such ads. “Hype ads,” they’re called. It’s bizarre. Car dealers are absolutely convinced that if you scream loudly enough at your customers, they’ll buy. In reality, what’s happening here is that people pretty much tune out most car ads, until they are in the market for a car. When their “CAR-DAR” is active, they pay attention to car ads. In a way, it’s kind of like Modern Bride Magazine – you have a limited window (presumably between the time you’re engaged and the time you get married, unless you’re obsessed with being a bride) to pitch your wares to the bride-to-be. So you better make the most of that window of opportunity. Unfortunately, car dealers thing hype ads work. In fact, there are a lot more effective ways to rise above the noise level and grab the attention of a potential customer. Hype ads may work sometimes, but they are not a panacea, and can alienate as often as they can work. 

That got me to thinking about hype the other day. Not “hype ads” in particular, but the way marketers use hyperbole on a regular basis in advertising. Heard this lately: Read the rest of this entry »