Credible marketing messages

Most of us know and use scarcity to attract prospect/clients. A time limited offer is one option.

Dreams is holding Britain's largest ever bed sale which ends today - Monday! (09.02.09)

Last weekend (31.01.09 and 01.02.09) TV commercials told us that Dreams was holding Britain's largest bed sale every which must end that Monday (02.02.09)

The weekend before TV commercials told us that Dreams is holding Britain's largest bed sale every which must end that Monday (26.01.09)

Before that in the weekend of 17 and 18 January 2009 TV commercials announced Britain's largest bed sale ever by Dreams which must end that Monday (19.01.09)

If memory serves I saw a TV commercial the first weekend of 2009 - I guess you know what it was all about. Scarcity.

Would you hurry?

Comments

[Matt Harwood]

Oh the amount of times I've used these pointless adverts as examples! They are useless, aren't they? Save the fact that the time limited offer is transparently false, blindness to these ads also set in, not to mention a growing hatred for the brands using them.

What planet are their marketing depts. operating from?

Great post - as always!
Matt

[Karin H.]

Hi Matt

It's my guess (not really an educated one - I'm not a marketing expert anyway ;-)) those departments have heard about how limited the memory span is of most of their targeted prospects. Plus of course knowing how effective a time-limited offer can work.

Or perhaps - another uneducated guess - the first commercial brought in big rewards and they have learned to keep doing what works well? ;-)

Karin H

At 16:10 09/02/2009, you wrote:

[Matt Harwood]

Thanks for the reply, Karin!

I think you're guessing along the right lines! In relation to your second point, I have to conclude that the ads may do exactly what they want them to do! For one, they have us talking about them here right now - maybe there is a notion that if they keep the ads with the same amount of stupidity in them, people do remember the brands (even remembering negatively is better than no one knowing about them!).

Or maybe they only open Fri-Mon ;)

Thanks
Matt

[Karin H.]

LOL Matt

They only have one problem re the fact they are talked about: it's only those who might be in marketing themselves, not the targeted client/prospect group ;-)

Karin H