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Got Milk?
-- by Lisa
Ann Schreier
No, this week's column is not about good nutrition, although having seen too many timeshare
salespeople's diets, it could be.
No, today, I'm going to ask a simple question of you, my dear readers with the knowledge that someone from ARDA
is reading and paying attention.
I've talked previously about truth in advertising, and why it's so important. We, as timeshare professionals also
know that there is a lot of bad talk on the streets about our industry and many, many misinformed consumers.
So, why doesn't ARDA come up with a national advertising campaign to educate people about timeshare? Yes, ARDA
is there to serve us in the industry, but as the governing body, shouldn't they bear some responsibility for saying
good things about us to the vast numbers of people who don't know anything about timeshare? A web site is a nice
adjunct to an advertising campaign, but who exactly is hitting the web site? My (very) educated guess is that the
people who access the ARDA web site don't need to be sold on the timesharing concept.
Just as the National Dairy Board developed their wonderful "Got Milk?" campaign, ARDA can and should
do the same thing. Something quick to remember, something catchy, something to make people smile.
I can see everyone scrambling around right now, pen and paper in hand trying to come up with award winning campaign.
STOP. YES, STOP, RIGHT NOW. The idea is NOT to come up with something that is going to win awards. The idea is
to come up with something useful, educational and memorable. After many years in advertising, I've discovered one
simple truth…if you try to create something award-winning; you will miss the boat. If you stick to KISS-Keep It
Simple Stupid and think as consumers do, you (may) succeed!
That attitude of trying to come up with an award-winning slogan, ad, commercial, brochure, etc. is where so many
advertising agencies and their clients fail. The client, whether it's ARDA or an individual resort will almost
always hire a top name agency with an award winning portfolio. There is nothing wrong with awards. But that should
not be the first criteria for hiring an agency.
Frankly, I believe that ARDA's best way to go is to hire a small shop (GRQ Enterprises has a nice ring to it),
but one with a nice blend of advertising and timeshare know-how. Timeshares can not be treated like any other consumer
item. People decide to purchase timeshares for much different reasons than choosing to purchase anything else.
And of course, they choose NOT to purchase for much different reasons than say, not purchasing a new set of tires.
One day on any sales line will convince you of that.
The campaign needs to be carefully thought out, simple, easy to remember, and most of all informative without giving
away too much…after all, we salespeople have to make a living. ARDA needs to concentrate on selling the concept,
or more specifically, un-selling the negative concept which then puts consumers more at ease.
Now, this writer was not born yesterday, so I am not going to simply give out potentially award winning ideas here.
But here are some seeds of ideas:
- · comparing 1975 to 2000 and beyond (this admits that certain, ahem, "mistakes" were made
by certain, ahem, less than scrupulous people, which the public already knows…let's admit it, get over it and move
onto better times)
· comparing hotels and the "surprise" factor with the timeshare resorts and "rest assured"
factor
· showing people where they can be vacationing in the year 2015 (i.e. their backyard, on the roof of a high-rise,
etc.) vs. where they can be vacationing using timeshare
Rest assured that I have plenty of ideas for both ARDA and individual resorts…and you all know where to find
me (GRQ1@aol.com in case you've forgotten!). But just for fun, let's throw it open to all you readers and explore
some possibilities. What would you like ARDA's slogan or campaign to be? Take a minute and e-mail me your wonderful
ideas. Next week, we'll share the fun with everyone and declare a winner. And the winner will receive a lovely
faded aqua cozy cup, compliments of the first resort that I worked for! Yes, that's a nod to everyone who read
last week's column!
Keep writing…and ARDA…I have some WONDERFUL ideas about your consumer advertising campaign and some compelling
reasons for starting it today.
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