Mad 4 Blog

On this season of “Mad Men,” Don Draper and the rest of our favorite television ad execs have made some interesting choices in order to boost their business. We particularly found some of the themes about women in the workplace, industry competitiveness and internal sacrifice thrilling to watch – and, of course, we thanked the heavens Mad 4 Marketing is a skosh less dramatic than Sterling Cooper Draper Price!

First we saw the agency trying to prank and put down its competitors in order to help make their own business look good by comparison. There was some backlash when they placed an ad in the newspaper to make fun of their fellow advertisers’ recent setbacks and ill repute. This inadvertently led to the company hiring its first non-white member of the staff and making them seem forward-thinking … a role that we would get to watch them start to grow into through subsequent episodes, albeit slowly.

We also saw Peggy wrestling with interoffice competitiveness when she needed to hire a new copywriter. She wanted to get someone to work with who would be the best for the company, but she was criticized by her peers for not hiring someone less talented who would make her look good by comparison. Her decision to hire a male counterpart who was also strongly talented in her area did wind up causing her some jealousy and remorse later in the season – and this was underscored by watching her one genuine protégé quit the business just when Peggy thought she had found an ally. Thankfully, the results of choosing what was best for the company one too many times ultimately pushed Peggy to make a choice that was best for her instead the next time the opportunity arose.

Of course, the pressure to establish their burgeoning company and turn a profit caused more than a little conflict among the agency’s partners. While debating whether they’d earned enough to give out bonuses and expand their office space, they were forced to push harder than they’d ever had to before to land pitches. Joan is asked to make unseemly sacrifices for the sake of helping court new business as the agency tries to land its first car account, Jaguar. And CFO Lane goes so far as to steal from the company when money is tight, which turns out to be a debt he can never repay.

In the finale this weekend, we’ll see how the ramifications of these pressures and choices are playing out. All of our favorite characters pause to assess their lives and look ahead to try and see what it means for their respective and collective futures.

Given all that’s happened on this crazy, up-and-down season, what do you think lies ahead for our favorite fictional advertising agency?

Between its fourth and fifth seasons, “Mad Men” took an unprecedented 17-month hiatus. The finale of Season 4 ran in October 2010, and the Season 5 debut just finally aired last night at 9 p.m. on AMC.

For most shows, disappearing for that long would be a death knell. But missing this smash hit only made fans more ravenous, and the buildup toward its return sparked intense speculation and anticipation. In fact, creator Matthew Weiner said the move was, in fact, actually a vote of confidence – both in “Mad Men” and the people that love it. He reported that a scheduling crunch demanded at least one of the network’s series being pushed back. And AMC believed this show was popular enough to hold off, whereas other shows would surely flounder. Many people believed that financial obligations contract negotiations factored into the dispute. Other cited reasons including plot and story arc conflicts.

Regardless, the hiatus gave the “Mad Men” cast, crew and creative team the time necessary to completely write, film and wrap the entire fifth season. Weiner also said that it was a first, and he feels content that they’ve got a complete and refined finished product thanks to the yearlong-plus break. At Mad 4 Marketing, we have to wonder what advertising and content partners thought about that tradeoff, considering that “Mad Men” was known for formerly breaking ground with its impressive partnerships with brands that tied into its retro-classic aesthetic and also wove neatly into the show’s storylines.

Last night, in a special two-hour premiere, “Mad Men” returned to our airwaves. The four-time Emmy-winning TV triumph about the marketing executives on Madison Avenue in the 1960s didn’t just pick up where it left off, either. We join enigmatic ad man Don Draper just in time to catch his 40th birthday party in 1966. And yes, he’s now married to his former secretary, Megan.

Looking forward, scheduling should hopefully be a lot less shaky. The team is now locked in for the next two seasons. If the show gets extended beyond that, there are widely affirmed speculations that it would conclude with Season 7. But now isn’t a time to worry about the eventuality of the show’s end – for now, fans can simply sit back and finally enjoy the return of “Mad Men.”

What do you think? Was the season premiere worth the wait?

Television advertising is far from dead. Although viral marketing via website banners and streaming video is the new bandwagon in media placement, a well-executed TV commercial is still a guaranteed way to increase your company’s sales while expanding brand awareness. But only if you do it right. Here are five tips for successful television advertising:

1) Entertainment is essential. Let’s face it, no matter how smart and practical your products or services are, when people are facing the television screen, they’re expecting some form of entertainment. This doesn’t mean comedy; serious spots work just as well. But from start to finish, it’s important to keep a viewer engaged so that they’ll remember your message and absorb all of the information your commercial is seeking to convey.

2) Be brief. Televised ads traditionally average 30 seconds in length. Identify a key message or a few main points and make sure that your advertisement explicitly features these elements. Because television ads aren’t something that prospective customers can reference at their leisure, your message must be clear-cut and easy to understand on the first viewing. Clouding your message with too many other details or off-topic iconography can strongly undercut your ROI. However, even the most concise commercials may take several impressions per viewer to create a lasting, measurable impact, so be patient rather than worry that your message didn’t take hold.

3) Visuals are vital. While print advertising allows you to outline facts about your business, and radio focuses on speaking directly to the potential buyer, television is about conveying a message primarily through pictures. Your goal is to create visual impact that enforces your key messaging and leaves a strong impression with the viewer. Advertising agencies that specialize in storyboarding and graphic messaging will help elevate your commercial content; you’ll also want a knowledgeable director on your set when filming.

4) Call to action is critical. Give your captive audience a valid reason to call or visit your website to make further contact and begin developing a relationship. Provide viewers with a strong impression of your brand and let them know what sets you apart from the competition—this will serve as a reminder when they’re ready to commit or seek more information. Remember, if a television viewer goes to bed humming your theme song but doesn’t know what you do or how to reach you in the future, then even the biggest blockbuster commercial won’t actually improve your bottom line over time.

5) Seek out specialists. Consult with an experienced media buyer to help you ascertain the correct locales, stations and times for airing your ad within your budget. Media buyers have access to comparative data about viewer demographics and reactivity, and they can offer valuable insight to the logistics and statistics of when and where your ad would make the greatest impact. Then, of course, they can help you purchase those time slates. Working with a comprehensive advertising agency that has plenty of experience with purchasing, designing, creating and tracking commercials is the best way to ensure that you’re on the most surefire path to successfully advertising on television.

Whether it’s the primary purpose or just an opportunistic afterthought, virtually every website you open is selling something to somebody (or trying to). How successful the solicitation pretty much comes down to one factor: the website’s call to action. If you can enhance your website’s call to action to its maximum efficiency, you’re going to see remunerative results. The difference is all in the marketing, which begins with the creativity and accuracy of your call to action choices. As an advertising agency with over ten years’ experience in viral marketing, Mad4Marketing has some tips to share about how to improve call to action on your website.

The trick lies in finding the perfect balance when addressing your demographic: you have to assume that they want to locate your call to action link as quickly as possible, without pandering to them by creating obtrusive, in-your-face buttons that may dissuade business.

As a graphic advertising business, we love the idea of having an icon accompany your call to action. The image may be humorous or subversive, or even a literal example of the button or banner’s path. For example, if you’re a retailer, a shopping cart icon is an easily recognizable image to help readers locate check-out in seconds. And of course it has to be mentioned that a universal image will go a long way on the Internet, where consumers come from a variety of language backgrounds.

On the subject of language, it has to be mentioned that the verbiage used to instigate the proverbial click is absolutely vital. While a phrase such as “Buy Now” or “Contact Us” may be recognizable, it’s also so ubiquitous that a reader may gloss over the invitation. Especially deterrent are the commonly used phrases “Click Here” and “Read More.” This is where creative copywriting comes in. Find a unique way to help your reader complete a basic transaction. A concise catchphrase will capture their attention and inspire sales. Just be careful that your call to action says exactly what it means to do, such as sign up for “Free Marketing Insights” with the Mad4Marketing newsletter. Grandiose claims—like “Triple Your Profits!”–might get some traffic and follow-through clicks, but we assure you, you’re not going to close the sale, much less generate long-term business.

And no, an exclamation point is not your solution. We don’t think we’re the only ones who are over exclamations. And we advise staying away from mass capitalization. No one will respond to a message screaming at them to LEARN MORE! or BUY TODAY! Your readers will appreciate not being ordered to act. You don’t want to yell at them, excite them, or add pressure to their visit. A call to action is about transforming a reader into a customer; it is about enticement and invitation. Treat them as a valued consumer, and they’re far more likely to respond as one.

Keeping the text on a button or banner short and sweet is paramount, but when your call to action is embedded in the text, experts recommend a seven- to fourteen-word link. This gives you more opportunity to explain exactly what clicking on your link is about to do for the reader. It will not only let you describe where your link will take them, and how it can benefit them. It will also ensure that the people who land on your action page are the people who want your services. Unlike website traffic in general, you don’t just want as many people as possible to find your call to action landing page; you want a concentration of dedicated users and consumers. Get people where they want to go, don’t just command them to go there. They won’t return to your website if it’s just a series of redirections and links to your sales page. They will if they get what they came for.

Remember, your consumers are smart. One of the most important lessons in online marketing is that if you pander to the lowest common denominator, than that is what you’ll get. When targeting your demographic, it’s vital to be sure your call to action acknowledges their awareness. Big, giant, neon buttons with arrows and blinking and sound tags insult your reader’s intelligence—and harm the integrity of your page. Your call to action can stand apart from the rest of the site’s design, but sometimes one that blends in with the body of your message is going to have the most profound, targeted effect. Choosing which option works best for your site is up to you, but remember to assume that you’re helping someone of your intelligence and experience locate something they’re already looking for in the most efficient way possible. When you look at your call to action not as a sales pitch, but as customer service, we know you’ll land on the most constructive way to get your readers to click their way into business with you.

It’s that time of year again, when chocolate and wine sales hit the roof and all spare shelves and counter tops of the Mad 4 Marketing agency are adorned with various love-related decorations and trinkets.

Since there is no getting away from love hearts in shop windows and the multiple commercials for red roses that we see and hear everyday leading up to February 14th, we at Mad 4 Marketing succumbed to the Valentines trend and injected some romance into this week’s blog.

Admittedly, advertising isn’t the most romantic of industries and the blog committee was hard-pressed to find any kind of romance-linked topic until they considered what they do everyday and for whom they do it.

As in any successful and fulfilling romantic relationship, there are certain essential elements that make it what it is and most of these can be found in our everyday working relationships. One of the most important of these is Trust.

As an advertising agency, we trust our clients to trust us. We trust that they believe we will do a good job and that we will put them and their company’s success first. Our clients must trust in our advice to them even if their first instincts are to be unsure. Without trust, we wouldn’t get very far.

At Mad 4 Marketing, we work hard to meet deadlines, we offer solutions to problems, we believe collaboration is key and that’s why we call it a partnership.

We embark on client relationships just as we would embark on any other relationship in life; by establishing each other’s goals and by respecting each other’s objectives. We learn about our partners and apply that knowledge to sustain our liaison and help make them better. We might do this with contracts and conference reports rather than love notes and marriage certificates, but we do it all the same.

Rather than seeking immediate short-term gratification and reward, we listen to them and try to invest our time and resources wisely, in order to achieve long-term results and future benefits for our clients and their businesses. We believe in mutual respect for an effective and harmonious working relationship, treating their business as if it were our own.

We don’t write poetry, but we do write press releases. We don’t rub their feet when they’ve had a rough day, but we do try to take the burden of achieving results off their shoulders. Long walks on the beach? Certainly, if they involve market research.

In romance, both sides work at building a mutually supportive, mutually beneficial relationship. They work hard to create a sense of togetherness, and they benefit because of this. That’s what we strive for.

As in any relationship, the day-to-day minutia can be hard work. There are good days and there are bad days but, if both parties want the same thing and aim to achieve it together, they can’t go wrong.

So, our overblown romantic gesture to our clients this Saturday, and everyday, is to keep their business thriving so we can keep their business.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… C: wait… SD: wait…