Birch Hill Media Productions

Something I don't normally do... I just had to write about some commercials that I absolutely hate.  I know there are people who think that any publicity is good publicity, but that only goes so far in my opinion.  First, i want to target the McDonald's 'Fish" commercial.  I know that people are talking about it and that is good, but I just can't bring myself to watch the whole commercial.  In fact, I have never seen the end of it.  I'm probably in the minority, but this kind of commercial will cause me to stop buying just as a form of protest.  Another time I recall feeling this strong is when one of the battery companies hired some Australian sports star with white spikey hair. 

Ok, so the other commercial I wanted to target is a radio commercial for donating your car for kids charity.  They have a jingle that is so bad, that if I had made the spot, I would never admit it.   Most likely, the production people just executed what the client wanted to do, but that doesn't make it any easier to do.  When this spot comes on, I switch the radio station.  Program Directors are probably battling sales managers on this one.  The sales team wants the revenue, but the spot sucks the ratings down the drain, which isn't good for anyone.

There.  I've spoken my mind.  Thanks for listening.  I promise to look at spots I like next time!

With the economy in it's toughest stretch in quite a while, many companies are cutting back.  One thing that is frequently one of the first things cut is advertising/marketing.  So, let's take a look at this... During a downturn, what happens?  Sales are probably either flat or going down.  More sales are needed.  Why wouldn't you take the opportunity to reach out to more potential customers to increase sales?  There's a potential positive amid all the negativity.  While many of your competitors may be contemplating cutting back their public presence, this creates the perfect opportunity to stand out from the crowd.  It could lead to a bigger piece of the pie.  It's the difference between looking at advertising as an investment as opposed to an expense.

One thing that's always been important in advertising is consistency.  If a company's ads disappear from their usual places, might they also risk disapperaing from the audience's minds?  One method of measuring advertising is through "impressions".  The absence of a company from the public eye can create a very unintended impression.

Maybe the same tried and true methods aren't the answer, or are only part of the answer.  Find new ways to stand out.  Make your message unavoidable and memorable.  Invest in your company's future.

It's been a while, and I apologize.  We've been pretty busy, which is a good thing. 

I was talking with a colleague the other day and we both lamented about how there are certain things that always seem to get in the way of the creative process.  Words that we used were "baloney", "veneer" , "ego" and more.  What it came down to is that there are just some people who need to prop themselves up and keep others in their place.  I'm not sure if their making up for some shortcomings when they do this, but it doesn't really help anybody.  Most people can see right through this and choose to avoid these situations.  Anyone who has worked with Birch Hill knows that we have always been honest and upfront and will only work toward a successful completion of the project.  Our goal is not to try and accumulate awards, but to have strong relationships with clients we hav helped.  We will also not be "using" your project to help bankroll a bigger project that we're working on.  Our focus is on your project.

Hello and welcome to the web site and blog for Birch Hill.  In this space, I will discuss topics pertinent to advertising/creative and even current events.  Please feel free to contact me to discuss any issues further or if you have any questions about our capabilities.

The first issue that I wanted to address is that of keeping things simple.  I am a big proponent of avoiding unnecessary complication.  In advertising, you aften have just one opportunity to make an impression.  Don't miss your chance!  Too many times, I've seen advertisers want to emulate businesses like Jordan's Furniture or McDonald's.  What they fail to realize is that, unlike these larger companies, the smaller companies are striving for brand recognition.  Everyone already knows who Jordan's and McDonald's are, so they don't really need to tell you what they sell.  They need to remind you that people like you use their products in hopes you will feel the need, or just to remind you that they are there.

I've had a few clients who refuse to admit this and use a far too esoteric approach in their advertising.  This, of course has very limited effect and the client usually blames the failure on the medium.  When a company is still in the informing stage, the concept of a campaign should be attention getting without sacrificing the "meat and potatoes" of what they have to offer the consumer and what makes them different from the competition.  It may not be the exciting thing to do, but it generally has a better chance of driving more business. 

Once the business has been adequately branded, then you can spend more time and space on conceptual advertising.