Advertising Won't Work Here
A radio station saleswoman, hair pulled back, suit well
tailored, portfolio carried with a PDA peeking out, walks in and
greets the store owner with a firm handshake, and announces that
she wants to talk about his advertising. She is polite and on
his side.
The shopkeep says there is no point. Advertising doesn't work.
He tried it. It failed. We don't do ads here.
She is sympathetic and points out the ways in which advertising
does work. He is steadfast. He tried and failed. No more
advertising here. End of story.
The saleswoman, in an attempt to show the store owner another
perspective, agrees to give him a free commercial. It will cost
him nothing. He's intrigued. The word free holds some intrigue,
sometimes. The spot will begin running tomorrow morning and will
make the following offer: Everything in the store, Free. All
service calls, Free. The businessman protests immediately. He'll
be ruined. Hundreds, if not thousands of people will flock to
his store and pick it clean. The radio lady wonders how this can
be, because they have clearly established that advertising
doesn't work.
After some discussion, it is agreed that advertising does work,
but the message has to be just right and delivered to the right
audience at the right time.