Mad 4 Blog

We talk a lot about the importance of visually appealing logos for your business – but what about another classic element to branding, the catchy jingle?

A short, brief, original spurt of music that complements your commercial is known as a jingle. Their popularity is often associated with ads on the airwaves in the ‘50s and ‘60s, though the idea of using lyrical harmony to hold hearers’ attention is much, much older than radio itself. Before the first half of the 20^th century, this concept can be noted in reference to such concepts as barkers in marketplaces who sang slogans and sales in order to grab buyers’ attention from their competitors.

We apologize in advance if you’re about to get one of these caught in your head all day, but a few famous jingles you may immediately recognize are:

1. “I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.” (1971)

2. “You deserve a break today, so get up and get away to McDonald’s.” (1971)

3. “I am stuck on Band-Aids brand cause germs don’t stick on me!” (1988)

4. “Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar!” (1991)

5. “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.” (1999)

Interestingly enough, the most popular jingles that people recall are also associated with visual commercials from the 70s-90s rather than radio advertising – even though the likability factor has nothing to do with what was happening onscreen in these ads.

Mad 4 Marketing is a huge advocate of using 360-degree campaigns to reach audiences from multiple points of impact. In that same sense, we’re strong supporters of advertising that elicits a response from all five of the senses, truly ingraining your brand into a person’s memory. We haven’t quite mastered the art of smell advertising – although with the mouthwatering aroma of hot dogs on the grill, it’s definitely something to look into for our newest client, National Deli!

But one thing that we can’t emphasize enough is the importance of strong sound in your advertisements, from addictive music to crystal-clear sound bytes. Come back next week to learn more about The Importance of Catchy Jingles!

Have you checked out the latest series on the Independent Film Channel? It’s called “Rhett and Link: Commercial Kings,” in which two old childhood pals named (you guessed it), Rhett (McLaughlin) and Link (Neal) set out to provide local businesses with professional commercials they might not otherwise have been able to afford.

The hook is that Rhett and Link specialize in guerilla videos that are meant to have a slight humor and noticeable edge that will make them viable candidates for viral exposure. Once the commercials hit the air … and then the Net … they’re primed for sharing with others to get a good laugh and enjoy – while, of course, learning all about the deserving business in the region that’s being featured.

Two businesses in a chosen community are highlighted each episode. In the premiere, the duo visits two community pet businesses in need of a pick-me-up in terms of clientele. One is Super Shmuttle, a van which transports dogs to the bark to run and play while their owners are at work. The other is the Holiday Hotel for Cats, an unconventional boarding locale for cats where they’re indulged all day long with room to nap and climb and explore – and, importantly, given social attention from caring humans rather than being locked up in kennels while their owners are away. Benefiting lonely pets in the Los Angeles region, is it any wonder these were the two similarly themed businesses to which the commercial-making crew loaned their pro bono talents?

The TV series is based on the Web hit, “I Love Local Commercials.” For a limited time, you can check out clips and the first full episode of the series for free on Hulu.com. After you watch, be sure to come back and comment to let us know what you think!

Looking for a smart, affordable guerilla marketing campaign? What about an infectious and funny viral video? <u>Contact Us.</u>

Meat (er… ‘meet’) Nat Deliman, the newest client of Mad 4 Marketing. He’s what you would call a standup guy, a real go-getter who loves to be involved in his community and make new friends. From our very first meeting, he was an instant hit with the entire staff – whetting our appetite with his creativity and enthusiasm. What we love the most, though, is how he’s always direct, honest and focused – to say the least, he’s Frank.

We can’t help but covet his unique fashion sense, with snappy blue sneakers, a sporty baseball cap, gloves that represent his obviously high-quality taste – and let’s not forget that bold splash of mustard yellow that really brings out his eyes. Now when he comes by, we always know to wear our favorite outfits to show off our personal style.

And we’re not the only ones who hit it off with him instantly; at a recent visit to the Miami Children’s Hospital, Nat Deliman was met with arms wide open and bright grins on children’s and parents’ faces. Exchanging hugs and good cheer really makes our client feel good. The best part of his work is his ability to bridge ages, genders and circumstance to bring people together and make them happy with one thing in common – the love of a good hot dog. Plus, everyone knows he’s just so much doggone fun!

There are a few small problems we’ve had to embrace, though. First of all, with his height of 6’2”, we have to worry about all of the low doorways around the office. Then, it’s hard to find chairs to fit his ample buns – but we’ve come up with a new conference room arrangement that should be suitable for when he comes to visit. And what do you serve the prestigious Nat Deliman when he comes by? Is it wrong to serve…pigs in a blanket? (He assures us that with gluten-free, non-artificial contents, there’s no wrong time, place or audience for a National Deli hot dog in any form.)

Wonder what he’s like in the office? Check out a video.

Want to get to know Mr. Deliman? You can check out his Facebook page (don’t forget to ‘like’ it!) or look for him (and his friends) in the deli aisle at Publix locations across Florida. You can also contact us to learn more. Not to brag, but we’re sort of close personal friends. Okay, maybe we’re bragging – a little. He’s a VIHD (that’s ‘very important hot dog’) who’s worth getting to know – and then sharing with others!

Just because you want to take your business to the top of the charts as soon as possible doesn’t mean you need to spend a small fortune to do so. But as is the case in most situations, saving money may require some forethought and preparation. Here are a few tips for keeping your marketing efforts affordable while still getting a big ROI:

1. Know your needs. Marketers are traditionally creative-minded, so the sky’s the limit with the ideas that might be pitched your way if you have no idea what you want before you seek an advertising team. Naturally, any strong marketing team (ahem, ahem) is happy to help you figure out what those needs are before any kind of proposal is drafted. But having an idea of what you’re looking for before you begin shopping around can help you conserve time and energy – as well as costs – in the consultation phase of a campaign. Do you want to advertise on the radio or TV, and what are the reasons for that? Or are you looking to target online crowds to drive your message home? Maybe your needs are a little more specific to a time frame or locale. Consider what will make you happy in order to help marketers deliver it to you – trust us, we want to!

2. Assign a budget. This one might go without saying, but having even a loose idea of what you’re willing to spend on marketing can be helpful during preliminary meetings. Any trustworthy marketing firm will be extremely transparent about the costs involved in any strategies that are pitched. Ultimately, it’s up to you to know how much you want to invest. No matter the amount, we can help you figure out how to put that money to best use.

3. Identify your expectations. Sometimes you need to spend money to make money; but then again, sometimes you can throw good money after bad. From the outset, you should have an idea about the kind of return on investment that you’re expecting. Obviously, a great (and sometimes higher priced) marketing campaign can pay for itself, so you may want to consider that dollar conservation for the sake of it can hurt your business in the long run. Ideally you should create a timeline and expense sheet to figure out where you want to draw lines with profit margins before you kick off any new marketing endeavor. Don’t hesitate to ask your marketing agents about the best ways to track and measure viewership, perception and overall outcomes.

Ask Mad 4 Marketing how we can help you spread the word about your business without breaking the bank; as a small business ourselves, we take pride in working with companies of all sizes with every level of marketing need.