About Brad Sugars

Tide created a memorable billboard ad that sent a visible message about its product.

Any Business Coach who joins ActionCOACH goes through an intensive training session. Besides learning about how to coach a business and how to help someone overcome even daunting challenges and goals, new Business Coaches also learn how to leverage themselves and their new business and career as a Business Coach.

Advertising a business can be done in several different ways: networking, direct mail, e-mail, cold calling, magazine/newspaper ads and billboard ads. But you can’t just put up your business’ name (or, for Business Coaches, their name), a picture and list what they do. They need to put something up there that does all that AND will stick in potential customers’ heads.

This requires outside-the-box thinking, because the best ads are the ones that have never been done before. And when someone looks at an ad, not only do you want them to think your ad is cool, clever and different, you’ll want them to think that your company is better than the rest – because it came up with that ad.

Take these ads that are beyond outside the box:

-When it comes to billboards, some agencies think they should do something big, loud and eye-catching to make a statement. But Tide took a different approach and proved its point much better. On the side of a busy road, Tide put what appeared to be all white boards up, but there were cut-outs of clothing made of cotton with self-cleaner on there, too; after a few weeks, the boards got dirtier, but the clothing cut-outs stayed white, demonstrating the long-lasting whiteness of Tide detergent. This sent a powerful message to everyone driving by that Tide keeps whites white.

-Clear Wireless recently launched a campaign that saw them climb inside the box to think outside the box. As a mobile internet service provider, Clear wanted to demonstrate their wireless network will work absolutely anywhere. So they got a truck with clear sides and set up an office complete with desk, computer and lounging area with a television. Then they hired someone to sit at that desk and “work” while the driver travels the streets of major metropolitan areas. It’s a novel approach that definitely attracts attention as people wonder just what the heck that is that just pulled up next to them at the stoplight.

-Visual metaphors also project powerful messages. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter knew this, and created a print ad that demonstrated what they did as a company through a metaphorical ad: a photo of a guy bungee jumping over a vast cliff over a stream. It also had two arrows; one that read “you,” pointing to the guy, and one that read “us,” pointing to the bungee cord. The message was, loud and clear, that the company will save you during times of risk – just like the bungee cord tied to the guy’s ankles…the only thing keeping him from plunging into the water below.

These ads go to show that in marketing, if you step outside the box and think about how these techniques may be used to deliver your message, you’ll ultimately improve your bottom line.