Advertising and Public Relations – Raising the Bar

We tend to be acutely aware that the quality of so much of the “stuff” we have in our lives is deteriorating.  As I’ve written in connection with the wonderful series The Story of Stuff, this is due in large measure to planned obsolescence; manufacturers go to great pains to build things that will fall apart, but not so  soon that customers will become so furious as to never buy from them again.  I’ve come to learn that this is a modern-day art-form.

On the other hand, since I’ve promised to put on a happier face, let me point out that the quality of other things in our lives is actually going through the roof. The example most people might think of first in this connection is technology, especially health care and communications. We live longer, healthier, and far more connected lives than anytime in the past.

But another good, though often overlooked area of improvement is the quality of the messages we receive. Here in the U.S., it’s time for the baseball playoffs. Though I’m not a huge fan, it’s one of the few times a year that I watch a bit of commercial television – including the advertisements. I can’t believe how well they’re made. Here’s an ad for Chevy Trucks  that brought a tear to my eyes! That doesn’t happen often, I can assure you.

What’s the reason for this increase in the quality of messaging? Necessity. People have become tough to reach — and even tougher to impress — and only the best messages have any chance of making an effect upon their intended recipients. 20 years ago, I ran a marketing services company with, at one point, over 200 employees. My people could call into a Fortune-sized company, ask a live receptionist for the Chief Information Officer, CFO, or whatever, and have a decent chance of getting him on the phone. Today, you won’t even get a name, or a transfer of your call to one of a phalanx of administrators that guard him.

In response, advertisers and PR professionals have raised their standards, communicating at a deeper, more personal, high-impact level. This whole phenomenon has certainly forced me to step up my game when I write an article, a business plan, or a white paper. Casual blog posts (like this) may go out in a hurry, but I really sweat over the content I write for clients. It’s the only way I can compete against the people who made that Chevy commercial, I can assure you.  If you’re watching the playoffs, you know what I mean.