THE GURU'S LECTURE: The international signal for distress "SOS" was used by the Titanic before it sank. It meant "Save Our Ship."

I would like to give the term SOS a new meaning in advertising: "Selling Obvious Stuff." I believe Selling Obvious Stuff leads to failure.

Here are some examples.

A local casino advertises the joy of being rich. Doesn't everyone want to be rich? Why spend time selling the obvious?

A weight loss program advertises the joy of being thin. Americans are already obsessed with their weight. Why spend time selling the obvious?

A cosmetic surgeon advertises the joy of looking ten years younger. We live in a culture obsessed with looking young. Why spend time selling the obvious?

What we sell in our ads is severely limited by time. We usually work with 30 second spots, so any time devoted to Selling Obvious Stuff is really time wasted.

We want to use our ad to sell reasons why a viewer should go see our client. Selling the specific advantages of our client should occupy our 30 seconds of airtime.

"This pictogram above depicts a home builder who is selling the joys of home ownership

 

His advertising tells people in apartments owning a nice home in the country is a better idea. He is spending most of his TV time selling the obvious."

"Ah So!

The question becomes: why should I buy from this guy? Home ownership is such an obvious desire we really should sell the joys of purchasing from our client who is running the ads."

"How about - No volcano's in your backyard, or earthquake free zone!"

"Wonderful suggestions.

Why do ads which Sell Obvious Stuff get on the air to fail"

"It is our fault. We are like sheep waiting to be prodded by our client masters. We put the obvious stuff in ads because the client wants it there.

We obey their whims and walk, talk, and eat like sheep!"

"We all know what awaits the sheep; the slaughterhouse of failure.

How can we intervene to avoid Selling Obvious Stuff on TV?"

"If a patient visits the doctor believing they have a brain tumor, does the doctor immediately schedule surgery?

No. The place of the doctor is to question, to examine, and to give professional advice. Perhaps the patient has just been bitten on the head by a Chinese Fire Ant.

So too must we be the professionals who give solid advice. The best way to do this is with truth. It is our job to let client's know Selling Obvious Stuff is a waste of their time and money."

Let us examine a case in point.