Telling the right story to the right audience is critical in order to meet the marketing objectives of a successful promotional campaign. Every advertising message has one main purpose—to be remembered. Merely printing logos on products isn't enough anymore. A promotional campaign is more memorable with graphic elements. In this session, attendees will learn why and how to use themed graphics to focus on the marketing objective.

1. Jay Busselle, Affinity Express
jbusselle@affinityexpress.com

2. 1. Establish that it’s critical to tell the right story to the
right audience in order to meet the marketing
objectives of a given promotional campaign.
2. Adding graphical elements to a promotional campaign
and repositioning it as an event is more memorable
than simply printing logos on products.
3. See examples of themed graphics and visual literacy to
help put the focus on the marketing objective and get
results… aka more orders.
TODAY’S FOCUS POINTS

3. Help you stand out, be different & prove to your
clients that you are special and unique!!
1. Sales leaders in our industry use this technique and
create complete event campaigns using graphical
elements and themes.
2. This is your invitation to use part or all of this
technique and begin to redefine your Unique Selling
Position (USP).
MY PRIMARY GOAL

4. Part of your new USP is to stand out, be different &
prove to your clients that you are special and
unique!!
1. Logos on Stuff = good (warning: commodities!)
2. Complete Campaigns = better
3. Themed Promotional Events = BEST
GOOD, BETTER, BEST!

5. LOGOS-ON-STUFF

6. How do you measure up? How would you know?
1. In order to really know the answer to this question you
must first know the expectations.
2. What is the purpose of what we do? What’s the point?
3. Tell the right story to the right audience in order to
meet defined marketing objectives.
DEFINE YOUR SUCCESS

7. What do your clients and prospects expect from you
as an advertising executive?
1. Increase overall awareness of their company
2. Influence, inspire or create a call to action
3. Announce new services and new products
4. Create a positive lasting memory
WHAT’S YOUR ROLE?

8. “Know your audience; wear your guests' shoes, that
is, don't forget the human factor. Create a ‘wienie.’
That was Walt Disney's somewhat inelegant term for
what we might call a visual magnet. Communicate
with visual literacy, create turn-on’s, avoid
contradictions, build themes and tell stories.”
Marty Sklar, former president of Disney’s Imagineering Division
WHAT IS VISUAL LITERACY?

9. THIS IS A LOGO

10. THIS IS VISUAL LITERACY

11. THIS IS A LOGO

12. GRAPHICS CAN TELL A STORY

13. ANOTHER POPULAR LOGO

14. TELLING THE RIGHT STORY…
TO THE RIGHT AUDIENCE

15. MARKET SEGMENTS = MULTIPLE BUYERS

16. MARKET SEGMENTS = MORE SALES

17. WHO IS THE TARGET?

18. I have specifically shown you MAJOR corporations
who employ BIG TIME advertising agencies who
execute these strategies and tactics:
1. Home Depot! What were they selling? (choice)
2. Coca-Cola! What story were they telling? (fun)
3. Mini Cooper! What was the car doing? (lifestyle)
4. NFL! Who was the star of that ad? (pets are family)
5. Chicago Bulls & Adidas! Market segments
WERE YOU PAYING ATTENTION!

19. MAJOR corporations employ BIG TIME advertising
agencies and spend BIG TIME $$ to build lasting
themes which often use Visual Literacy. They can
become our research departments!
WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
RIP OFF & DUPLICATE

20. Using a theme gives a face to your objective and
that face is something you customers can recognize
and remember.
1. Themes help tell the right story to the right audience
2. Well executed themes get results
3. Themes engage our emotions
4. Themes create a positive, lasting memory
WHY USE THEMES?

21. LOGOS ON STUFF… OR STORYTELLING

22. CORPORATE IDENTITY & CONSISTENCY

23. CONSISTENT CAMPAIGNS

24. WHAT WAS THE THEME
OF THE LAST CAMPAIGN?

25. POSSIBLE THEMES
Your homework is to add to this list!
1. Space (blast off, rockets, into the future…)
2. Sports (home run, slam dunk, finish line… )
3. Western (cowboys, geographical = TX , NM or AZ… )
4. Tropical (the beach, catch a wave, relax… )
5. Holidays (Halloween, Valentines Day… )
6. The 50’s (Happy Days, Diners, juke box, cat eye glasses… )
7. Entertainment (Hollywood, Movies, celebrities… )
Remember… themes are graphical - not just tag lines!

26. DOES THIS REALLY WORK?
What you really want to know is…
“will this work for me” RIGHT?

28. You will find your most creative and effective
work at the intersection of
Marketing Objectives, Target Audiences,
Graphical Themes and Promotional Products.
LET’S LOOK AT THE FORMULA!

29. Category of
Business
Method of
Decoration
Type of
Product
Purpose for
Promotion
How to
Measure
Success
Increase visibility (branding)
Client acquisition (sales)
Internal communications
Increase credibility
Lead generation
Employee recognition
Client retention program
Reputation management
Announcing new products & services
Raising funds & awareness for causes
MARKETING OBJECTIVES

30. POSSIBLE TARGET AUDIENCES
Who is the Prospect or Prime Suspect? What is the
Demographic Profile? The key is to be specific!
• Prospects in a specific geographic location
• All clients, all active clients, all new clients in the last 6 months, all
clients who spend $5,000 + per year … etc
• Men ages 18-24, Women over 30, Seniors, children… etc
• All female insurance agents in the state of Nevada
• Frequent flyers who fly more than 20 round trips per year
• Seminar attendees who participate in continuing education and
attend Jay’s workshop also known as extremely gifted!

32. INSTRUCTIONS
It’s time to apply what we have learned!
• You are proposing a new themed campaign for Aqua Water Supply.
• AWS installs home water treatment systems. Average sale is $2500.
• AWS is budgeting $5,000 / month for this year long campaign.
• They plan to add 5 new stores in Nevada this year.
• Women ages 45-65 are the prime buyers of their products.
• AWS is planning to exhibit at the county fair and 3 home shows.
• You need to propose 2 promo items and 1 decorated apparel item.
• There must be a defined theme for all products and apparel.
• Explain why you are using your specific theme.
• Describe what the graphics will look like (fonts, styles, colors,
imprint locations… etc)