Branding Vs. Direct Response Advertising

by Barbara A. Alba, President

WellStar Marketing, Inc.

Advertising – like people – comes in all shapes, sizes and personalities.  Think of the difference between a full page ad touting a liquidation sale at a furniture store, screaming out its “Low, Low Prices!!!” and putting out an urgent call to ACT NOW since “Prices Like These Won’t Last!!!!”  Then, think of an ad with a silhouette of Tiger Woods at the peak of his perfect swing, with the Nike “swoosh” in the bottom right corner and the simple line, “Congratulations on Your 50th Major, Tiger.”   Vastly different approaches….and a dramatic comparison of direct response (the furniture store) versus brand advertising (Nike).

It’s important for businesses to understand the difference between these two classic approaches.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and both can be successfully employed by a variety of professions, provided they are done tastefully and proficiently.

Brand Advertising: “Getting to Know You”

A brand is a memorable combination of a name, symbol, logo, tagline and graphic approach that leaves an indelible image in the consumer's mind.  It’s your business “personality.”  For a brand to be successful it has to be used consistently every time the name of your business appears:  on signage, stationery, business cards, website and of course, in all external marketing and advertising.

You want your potential customers to not only know you, but like you, based on the impression they derive from the look and feel of your brand. Regardless of the image you are going for, the consistency factor is key.  This can be difficult to achieve if you have multiple outside organizations handing the different aspects of your marketing mix, like your website, your collateral materials (brochures, etc.), your advertising, etc.  I’ve seen businesses with a muddled brand image because they have too many cooks in the marketing kitchen. 

The purpose of brand advertising is to build a memorable image over time.  It typically focuses on what makes your business unique; it builds trust and it always has a “feel good” element to it.  Brand advertising is “pretty” and creative.  In its pure form, it doesn’t include offers, special pricing, promotions or elements that ask the audience to “Act Now.”

The downside of branding is that it requires frequency and continuity.  In other words, to burn your brand image in a potential customer’s mind, they have to be exposed to you often and continually.   Pure branding requires patience and deep pockets which may be in short supply for many small to medium-sized businesses.

Direct Response:  “Getting Your Phone to Ring”

Pure direct response advertising is an entirely different animal.  Its primary goal is to promote immediate action by making an offer (like a discounted price) for a limited period of time.  It is highly measurable and is designed to generate short-term results. 

 

 

“What could be better than that?” you might ask. Take the example of healthcare professionals marketing themselves. In this transitional period when the public is still getting used to the concept of doctors and dentists “advertising,” hard core direct response tactics can seem inappropriate.  Yes, a healthcare practice might be able to generate phone calls, but would they be coming from the type of patient they’d desire for their practice? Plus, what kind of impact would this approach have on the general image (i.e., brand) of the practice?

Healthcare professionals who chose to advertise via direct response based on price (especially for major elective procedures) should be careful to balance their marketing. Important themes like training, board certification, years of experience, etc. must be incorporated in an effort to educate the public about smart healthcare decision-making. 

Bridging the Gap

Many companies and businesses are generally more comfortable with the look and feel of brand-oriented advertising.  The catch is that they expect it to act like direct response advertising (i.e., make the phone ring the moment it is published or aired). 

The key is to incorporate the best of both forms of advertising to create a positive professional image, but include elements that can help generate response. 

One example of this is to develop a strong brand-oriented ad which includes a response element that does not center on price, but rather on an event, seminar, open house, etc. which will bring you potential customers. There should be strong incentives to attend and the approach needs to be as “non-commercial” as possible so that people don’t feel as if they are being drawn into a sales pitch.

The key here is to be sure the offer doesn’t overwhelm the image you are trying to convey. A good marketing or graphic design firm should be able to strike the appropriate balance for you. 

A Broader View

Keep in mind that branding and direct response are not just about print advertising…you can incorporate elements of both in other marketing tactics such as direct mail, internet marketing, sponsorships, broadcast advertising (radio, television) or special events. Any promotional technique that encourages customers to call, visit your website, mail a card, be added to your mailing list, request new information, etc., can be considered direct response.  It is then your responsibility to turn these responses into new customers.

The bottom line:  Be careful not to sacrifice the professional nature of your image in order to generate instant results from your advertising.  Stay true to your brand image and be patient with the fickled nature of the advertising cycle.  To borrow from the classic fairy tale, a consistent, sustained advertising campaign (think “tortoise”) will always generate better results in the long run than a short, aggressive ad series (think “hare”).