On the surface, that seems like a rather simple question. However, the answer to that question often differs from business to business, and the answer has a tendency to change and evolve over time.
Yes, there are numerous reasons why a company chooses to advertise.
A company that just started will advertise to let potential customers know they exist.
Or perhaps a company has been around for years, yet some people still don't know they exist.
Perhaps it's because a company's competition advertises. "They" are trying to get their name out there, so we better try to get our name out there and "keep up with the Joneses."
A company may have a new, unique product or service to offer.
Earlier in Advertising Arguments, we referenced McDonald's restaurants. Just about everyone knows all about McDonald's and what they have to offer, but they still advertise - and maybe someone will walk through their doors if they see that the McRib is back for a limited time only...
So ... why do you advertise?
Alternatively, if you do not advertise, why not? Advertising that is done effectively is an investment.
When advertising in the pulp and paper industry, and this can apply to any industry, actually, it's often easy to fall into a, "We've always done it this way" mentality.
Over the years, I've seen this happen again and again. It's the easy way out, and requires little thinking. However, "Spinning the invoice printer" should be the marching orders of every business, and spinning it as fast and as efficiently as possible should be a priority.
When we take a moment to step back, how does "We've always done it this way" fit into that goal? I would say that in most cases, it doesn't.
So we ask one more time, why do you advertise, and we'll follow that up by asking, how satisfied are you with your advertising efforts in the pulp and paper industry?
Why do you advertise is a question we all need to think about, address on a regular basis, and mostly importantly, answer.
Helen Roush is Vice President, Communications Sciences at Paperitalo Publications.
For more information on Paperitalo Publications, feel free to contact:
Curt Gifford
cgifford@taii.com
770-367-4823
Helen Roush
helen.roush@taii.com
937-403-8602
Jim Thompson
jthompson@taii.com
678-206-6010
