Under the heading “Advertising is more effective is pr” Resumé offers conclusions from Sara Rosengren’s thesis on how the advertising noise affects communication. According to the article research proves that ads are more effective than publicity. Since initiatives from researchers are at risk of becoming the truth, I want to defy this logic.
1. The definition of advertising and promotion is wrong.
Advertising is not synonymous with advertising and pr with publicity. All industry representatives – Resumé in particular - share the responsibility to stop maintaining this outdated approach to communications and its disciplines. The award Guldägget, category pr, was this year given to a advertising agency, and an increasing number of market managers hires a public relations agency.
2. The return must be placed in relation to investment
Trp, share of voice… It is tragic to think of how much time is wasted in all these unilateral spins that have no connection to the client’s sales.
Increasing numbers of successful entrepreneurs flaunts how they succeed without advertising. Cheap Monday is one such example as H & M recently bought just for their ability to build their brand. Fact is- not a single company from the list of the world’s ten largest ad buyers (Adage) qualify for the list of the world’s top ten brands (Millward Brown).
3. Advertising Fatigue is a growing industry
I do not know Sara Rosengren’s methods. According to the article, respondents have been asked to read the articles and ads to then tell which brand they remember. It sounds very unreal.
The problem is that people do not read ads. We instead get means to defend ourselves. Anyone who has ever heard of PVR boxes, NIX records, pop-up blockers or “no advertising, thanks” signs will wonder.
It would be interesting to know how the relationship between the recipient and sender comes into play when we choose what we pay attention. When Swedish TV super star Ernst Kirchsteiger whipped up a lemon sorbet of lemoncurd and yogurt, all lemoncurd in (all) the stores where I live disappeared within a few hours.
I doubt that the effect would have been the same with an ad. Continue reading Resumé debate