Marketing with a phone Number

I grew up knowing the theme song to Empire Carpets. I could recite that companies phone number just like I could sing the Big Mac jingle. Problem is, that you can't just use a a few letters and a name anymore in advertising a phone number. Why? because of technology. I have a Blackberry. (next year it will be an iphone) The keyboard on Blackberry's don't correspond to the same letters as a traditional phone. So once again, I'm driving and I see the billboard for the window company and their offer of buy one and get one. And sure enough, I get stuck at the light. Again. And I thought, maybe I'll just give the company a call to tell them about their grammar issue. I reach for my phone, and I can only make half the call.

Make it as clear as glass.

I was driving by a billboard the other day and something caught my eye. No, not the design, which was uninspiring, but the content. The ad claimed "By one window, get one." Of course if I bought one of something I would get one of something. Did they mean buy one get one free? Half off? I had no idea. But it's important when crafting your message that you make it clear.

Not everyone is a designer

While some people can sing, dance AND act, the majority of creatives who make a living doing something creative tend to focus and specialize in a particular field. And while yes, some people who design may be incredible photographers, as we market ourselves professionally or as a business, it's recommended to not be a jack of all trades. Perhaps then some actresses who may delve into singing may want to rethink revitalizing an entire fashion house. While it's interesting that a brand like Ungaro "used" Lindsay Lohan's fame and packaged that as a "muse" (and please stop me with the quote speak) I think it's a telling sign that sometimes bad publicity IS bad publicity. There are so many talented fashion designers out there who really deserve to show in Paris Fashion Week. And while money can buy you style, it doesn't mean you have taste.