One common thread has been consistent throughout Asher's 50-year history: our laser focus on client service.
3 Advertising Success Stories
I often claim I am immune to consumer advertising. My husband and I do not own a TV, and I rarely listen to commercial radio. Although I realize I’m being targeted with messages 24/7, I believe I can tune them out when they’re not relevant. Imagine my surprise, then, when I realized that in the past year I did make several purchases—one large and two modest—that were completely ad-driven.
Purchase 1
One project on our home-improvement list was a new roof. We admired the attractive, durable metal roofs sprouting in our neighborhood, but the price made it easy to keep putting off. In the spring I began seeing billboards for a metal roof company located in a nearby town. On a whim one day I visited their website, watched the customer testimonials, viewed their Facebook page and emailed for a free consultation/estimate. Within hours I had received a reply and scheduled an appointment. At our house, the estimator described the steel product, walked us through the installation process, explained the financing options, then provided a quote. After picking our jaws up from the floor we bit the bullet and signed a contract. Three months later, a sleek green metal roof was installed over the old asphalt shingles on our house and garage.
Moral of story: “Traditional” forms of advertising such as billboards can be effective, especially when people are captive in their cars and (hopefully) not swiping their smartphones.
Purchase 2
I tend to dislike ads that interfere with my mindless scrolling of Instagram, but I was intrigued by the near-constant ads I was served for funny-looking shoes made of wool called Allbirds. They bill their “runners” (lace-up sneakers) as the world’s most comfortable shoes, and also “light on your feet, easy on the planet,” which appealed to my environmental leanings. I was interested, but not enough to spend $100, much higher than my normal shoe budget. But then I spotted a friend wearing them, tried them on and discovered for myself how comfy and lightweight they were. I received a pair for Mother’s Day and became an instant convert. A co-worker later tried mine on and ordered a pair, then recommended them to her sister. I continued my mini-influencer status by posting photos of my Allbirds adventures on Instagram, where other friends saw them and the cycle continues!
Moral of story: Digital ads that follow users on their favorite social media platform can eventually lead to sales and create loyal groupies for the brand.
Purchase 3
In the fall, my husband’s well-worn watch finally died, and he needed a replacement. But how to narrow the thousands of possibilities, with every combination of features and in every price point? So I asked him to suggest several brands/styles he might like for a birthday gift. He turned to one of his longtime favorite magazines, Outside, whose print ads reflect rugged, adventure-oriented sportswear, gear and equipment that has been field-tested by expert users. He took the time to research dozens of brands that advertised in the magazine and ultimately chose a waterproof military-inspired Citizen Eco-Drive (no battery required).
Moral of story: Print ads, although much scarcer than 50 years ago, still play a role in a product’s media mix.
Now that I’ve discovered just how susceptible to advertising I am, I wonder what ads will influence me in 2020. Perhaps I will spring for the colorful wool Bombas socks that I see at the top of every day’s New York Times online version. (Appealing to my altruism, they note that for every pair purchased, one pair is donated to a person in need.) Or maybe I will travel to the Caribbean eco-resort whose lovely images appear on my Facebook feed. It’s fun to imagine how I might surprise myself!
More of our thoughts
What is all this recent "WordPress drama", and what does it mean for Asher and our clients?
Did you know websites are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and must meet specific criteria to be compliant?