Glad you could make me part of your day.

Is your history hurting your future?

Do you want to try something new, but worried that what you remember isn’t the way it is now? We have talked about testing your media.

Gradually bringing change along to see how it works. That does not mean an immediate abandonment of traditional ways for new. But it doesn’t mean not trying something new to you because you have an altered perception of reality.

Earlier today, I had a challenge with one client who wants to utilize a couple of websites to specifically reach women age 35-40, and they had to spend equally between the English and French audiences.

Two inherent challenges: No woman out there will admit to being over age 35!! There is—to my knowledge—no website that caters to just one age.

There is typically a range of 18-24, maybe 25-30, or 35-54 etc., so to isolate a site to a specific age is nigh impossible. I did find a couple of extremely well targeted sites which fit the budget, timing, language, age range and gender with excellent precision.

The challenge came not from the empirical data which substantiated the strength of the sites, but from the antiquated perception this client has about one of the sites.

It is the online version of one of the most internationally successful and recognizable publishing brands around the globe, and has been for nearly a century. It’s readers are loyal, affluent audiences who are exactly who this client is targeting.

But the stigma of using a brand which has a dated image in the client’s mind is preventing her from realizing just how refreshed and modern and relevant this site is. Perhaps that is the important challenge and strength I bring to my role. To the best of my ability, I’m wanting each media recommendation I make for you to be able to stand on it’s own numerical merit.

Not just, I think, or I believe, but rather hard, independent data- preferably third party, which objectively and dispassionately displays the integrity of the chosen media and allows me to recommend media for their own sake and not because of my emotional attachment.

Are there favourites? Naturally.  But there are many occasions when a publication, radio station, or website is bumped from a plan because it does not meet the necessary criteria. It may otherwise be a fine choice but unless it can stand up to its competitors on it’s own merit, it will be replaced.

Our own reluctance for change, and for the recognition that the things we remember have changed, can often be our largest obstacles. My client was carrying the vestiges of seeing this magazine in her youth, surmising it was an ‘old person’s magazine.' Now that she’s grown up, she still has that perception and is hesitant to use their new incarnations – both print and online.

What she’s wrestling is the challenge of empirical data substantiating this vehicle in print and online versions, is refreshed and more vibrant than ever, against her memories of this being an old person’s magazine and can’t be comfortable appearing where she thinks is outdated.

I certainly have every respect for the emotional attachments- good or bad- that we all have to certain events or media in our history. As nice as those may be, the objectivity has to rule the day. If it can be demonstrated that this refreshed vehicle is the best ticket for you, then use it for all it’s worth.

If it can continue to be relevant and reach and influence the desired target audience efficiently and effectively, then keep using it if it ain’t broke.

Stay tuned.

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca


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