CommunicationsSeedstock EDGE | “For the Record” | “The Pinnacle” | |
| Seedstock EDGE Seedstock EDGE main | Seedstock EDGE archives Advertising rates/deadlines | Mail dates Subscribe today! | Seedstock EDGE staff |
Drive Your Message Home
By Christy Couch Lee
A mysterious messenger left a small piece of paper on my desk a few weeks ago. Its message really struck a chord with me. It tells of a livestock producer who didn’t believe in advertising.
Every morning, he drank advertised coffee, drove to the farm in his advertised vehicle, ate at an advertised restaurant and watched an advertised television show before bed.
Unfortunately, he came upon some hard times, and business took a turn for the worse.
But he didn’t believe that he could afford to spend money on advertising to help him get out of the red.
Things never did get better.
He finally took out that advertisement – to promote his dispersal sale.
Obviously, as you hold this September Showpig issue of Seedstock EDGE in your hands, you can see that the National Swine Registry does have members who believe in the power of advertising.
This year’s issue is a whopping 260 pages – the largest ever.
You’ve certainly been keeping us busy, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Why? Because it signifies that you have the same belief that we do: promotion is the surest way to steer your course to profitability in business.
And we’re certainly not alone.
According to Anthony E. Gallo with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American food manufacturers spent $7 billion on advertising in 1997 – and that’s only a drop in the bucket compared to the $73-billion mass media advertising market of the same year.
Business thrives on promotion.
Regardless of the product being promoted – soda, a multi-million dollar blockbuster movie, or your hog operation – a few key advertising theories set the best apart from the rest.
1. Accuracy. It may be a cliché, but truth in advertising does matter. Ensure that you have the correct pedigree information for your hogs that you promote. Know the registered names. Know the ear notches. Know their awards and honors. Accurate information gives your business the credibility you deserve.
2. Photo quality. Breeders make their choices from what they see. Take the time to get the great shots of your animals. Try to take the photo in an area with an uncluttered background. If the photo is too “busy,” the viewer can be distracted from what you want them to see – your animal. Send the original prints from negative, un-cropped, to be scanned for your ad – reproducing a photo lessens the quality of the image. Also, write on the back of your photos with a felt-tip marker or pen. Using a ball-point pen can create creases in the photo, which can transfer to the scanned image.
3. Less can be more. Think about the ads that draw your attention as you flip through a magazine. I ’d be willing to bet that in many cases, it’s the ads that have one large image, graphic or headline that catches your attention. In these ads, additional supporting photos and information reinforce the main message. Sometimes, too much text can be overwhelming, and can cause a reader to flip right past a page. Focusing on one central theme reduces confusion and sends one strong message – the message that potential customers need when they make their buying decisions.
3. Meet your deadlines. When you meet your deadline, it helps us meet ours with the printer. More importantly, however, it gives the staff the time needed to ensure you have the best ad possible. We want you to have the advertisement that you believe will promote your business in the best possible way. Give us the time to make it happen.
Let’s face it – in today’s world, advertising drives fast-paced business.
Turn some heads behind the wheel of the cleanest, most-powerful vehicle on the roads.
