New email research: Only 28% of messages contain relevant content

That was the subject line that greeted me from one of my favorite and most trusted marketing information sources. I suppose I really shouldn’t be surprised, based on the email I receive on a daily basis. Here are just a few of the subject lines from the last couple of days:

    “Cyber Monday Deals | NORTON SECURITY SOFTWARE”

     I never showed any interest in this or similar products from this particular retailer.

     “The CyberMonday FREE SHIPPING Event! (All Day…3+ Bottles Ship Free!)”

     I do like wine, but I live in a state that by law doesn’t allow alcohol through mail order.

5 All-Time Great Ads

There have been scores of great ads over the years. Ads that inspire. Ads that sell. Ads that innovate. These are five of the very best and most important. 

I want to hear from you. What ads would you include that didn't make this list?

Move beyond benefits for better results

Most people with a basic understanding of marketing know that you should turn features into benefits. But if you’re stopping there you’re severely limiting the persuasive power of your promotion. To take your copy to the next level, translate those benefits into motivations.

Features are attributes of a product or service. Benefits are what those features do for people. Motivations are what the benefits mean personally and emotionally to the prospect. Here’s an example.

Advertising has gone to the dogs

Seriously. Nestle Purina PetCare is releasing a commercial aimed not just at dog owners, but also at the pets themselves. The ad for Beneful dog food, which will run in Austria, includes a series of squeaks and high-frequency tones that take advantage of a dog’s sharp hearing. You can read the article about it here.

All of this brings up some interesting questions.

Will graphic warning labels breathe new life into anti-smoking efforts?

The FDA recently unveiled new graphic warning labels that will appear on cigarette packs starting in September 2012. They are essentially advertisements designed to prevent children from smoking and encourage adults to quit.

Bearing images such as rotting teeth, diseased lungs and someone smoking through a tracheotomy opening, these new warning labels are certainly attention getting. But will they work?

Sometimes it’s better to blend in than stand out

Standing out is a mantra among advertisers and marketers. And with all the clutter in the marketplace it’s easy to understand why. Consumers are bombarded with way more advertising messages than they can process. They’re everywhere, from TV and radio to the Internet, to outdoor advertising. And they’re coming from more brands than ever before.

In this atmosphere, differentiation is absolutely essential to any brand’s survival. But that doesn’t mean your ad has to be crazy or clever to be effective. Those approaches can work. But it can be a double-edged sword. The more your ad stands out from its environment, the easier it is for people to filter it out. They know immediately, “That’s an ad, so I can pass over it.”

When trying to do more accomplishes less

First let me say that I have nothing against Citizens Bank, its employees or the people who create their marketing and advertising. But the postcard effort I received from them the other day leaves me scratching my head.

It starts off well enough with a headline on the address side that reads, “Open your first FREE Green Checking® or a qualifying personal checking account and get up to $220 CASH”

Then, however, instead of expanding on the headline or directing readers to the other side to learn more, they introduce a second offer. This one is for a “Catalog of Fall Offers,” whatever that is. There’s no explanation as to what type of offers they are or if they relate in any way to the checking account.