The Top Advertising Mistakes You Must Avoid!

When you're launching your campaign, it's only natural to have high hopes.

At the very least, you want to have some impact instead of nothing to show for your time, resources and money spent. With that in mind, take a look at some common advertising mistakes you need to avoid in your new marketing plan.

Not Thinking Things Through..

A good advertisement will engage the viewer, making them think or laugh, such as the popular "Most Interesting Man in the World" spots from beer brand Dos Equis. These clever ads connected to the main product while amusing the audience, and they were memorable.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have the disastrous ad campaign for Amazon's "Man in the High Castle," a series that explores an alternate reality in which Adolf Hitler won World War II. For the campaign, Amazon outfitted subway cars in New York City with Nazi insignias, which naturally confused and upset riders. It was memorable, but in not a good way.

When it comes to your ads, you've got to consider all the angles. Without any context, the "Man in the High Castle" ads were simply offensive, something that should have been realized before the campaign rolled out. This rule also applies to phrases, words and colors, since these can have different meanings in various places and cultures. It’s important to know who your buyer is before launching any advertising campaign.

Losing the Message

Everything from image to color placement plays a part in your ads. You want your ad to be creative and catch attention, but it still needs to get your main message across to your audience. If, at first glance, your message seems unclear or lost, it's time to rethink that ad.

Check out these helpful tips to help you consider your audience!

Where your ads go is another concern. Your message may not be lost, but it can be overshadowed if it's paired with something inappropriate. For example, an ad for "The Walking Dead" probably shouldn't be placed right next to a funeral home, but you'd be surprised how often things like that happen. When your ad goes viral, you probably want to be for a reason that isn't embarrassing.

No Spelling or Grammar Check

Poor grammar, misspelling, and jumping between title and sentence case are all things that can be off-putting to your audience.

You want your message to be professional and inspire credibility, and it won't if it looks hastily put together or just sloppy. Incorporating some slang or whatnot isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you will have to be careful there, too. Not all slang translates, so make sure you're saying exactly what you mean to your intended audience.

Borrowing Interest

If your business is computers, your ad probably shouldn't be dominated by puppies.

While people do love puppies, they're just not relevant in any way to your product and they probably won't help you sell it, either. What you are best at is what you should stick to in your ads, since that is exactly what you're selling.

As a Marketing Agency in Central Texas please contact us if you're stuck on your advertising campaign or are concerned about falling into any of the traps listed above. The right digital marketing agency can help your ads hit all the high notes and none of the low ones.