Tulsa Marketing Dude

I was able to break away from a creative spasm long enough to read an article in AdAge.  The title caught my attention because as a Tulsa based Media Buyer, I am always concerned for my clients and what I can do to give them more ROI.  The article discussed what might happen as a result of a slowing economy, retailers fearing less profits, and how Cable may come to the rescue!  “Cable could represent one way to spark the market”.

Might?  May?  Could?

Has! Did! Will!

I was involved in a couple high impact jewelry liquidations for retailers in Bonita Springs, Florida and 4 stores in Las Vegas, Nevada. What happened in those situations confirmed to me a strategy I have used for years, cable has made an impact!  Not only as a media that could come first, bought at a bargain and even expose greedy, profit driven agencies.

The major networks are still demanding higher cost per thousands even though viewers are down.  For whatever reason they continue to do this, I can only speculate.  The retailers I worked with had enjoyed what they thought were “the best prices” on all their media buys.  “Oh no, Tom, we get the best price”.  That’s fine, I love to hear that retailers are happy and can focus on doing what they do best, merchandising and selling.  Unfortunately, many have their heads in the sand about what media deals are available to them.

I challenged both jewelry retailers and submitted Cable media buys to counter others that had been presented to them by their “Agencies”.  In Florida and in Vegas, the cable media buy I submitted, offered the same net cost, twice as many spots and used networks that would most likely reach their target demo – a customer looking for, and can afford expensive Designer Jewelry.  The other agencies were selling what they could to make the retailer feel good about the buy; after all, they have done a great job before, right?

Ok, this is how the 2 cases worked out, and then back to why cable is first.  In Florida, the jewelry retailer was excited, my media consultant and I became local heroes because we were able to come in their market and buy the media at half the cost.  Those dollars were reinvested and sales soared for the remaining 8 weeks of the sale.  Cable was a win; win for my client and his company.

In Vegas, however, there was a different response to our ability to crush his long-standing agency’s media buy.  Disbelief.  Anger.  In disbelief he called his agency and it was serious CYA from there on.  He immediately became an ostrich.  He chose to continue buying overpriced media from his trusted agency even though we had documentation that proved the cable company we were dealing with would have accepted our buy.  Our time and diligence was not rewarded except to have a story to tell.  The sad thing is that if he does not shake the sand from his head, but continues to burrow deeper into the ground, so goes his business.

Be bold!  Demand your portion of the savings in broadcast media!

Truth is that deal making is out there now!  Bargains on cable are there to be had if retailers are willing to demand more from their media buyers.  Retailers who are really concerned about making deals should not let their agency swing in the marketing hammock sipping on a Pinot just because something has worked before or the price was easy to stomach.  Challenge your media buyers to give more, make better buys and sharpen their skills to benefit you, not them.

Seriously, you would have thought after many major media buys for 2009 were cancelled or severely shaved back do to the economy, media buyers would have made a better effort to buy right, for the benefit of the client.

I definitely look to cable first!  Why?  Because most retailers I have worked with are focused and concerned at a local level.  That is where it all happens.  Cable is ready to deal.  Know it and take advantage.

Read Original AdAge Article