Wasted Advertising

Have you seen BP’s commercials about the oil spill? On one, a middle management guy says that he is from the Gulf area, he’s in charge of distributing the clean up funds, and he won’t rest until BP takes care of everyone who deserves to get money. On the other, a senior executive says that he was raised in the Gulf area and will see that everything is put back to where it was before the oil spill. Both commercials have a similar theme of the spokesperson being from the Gulf Coast and assuring the viewer that BP will make it right; he will see to it.

In addition to these commercials, desperate tourism businesses are airing commercials which invite vacationers to come there and play in the warm, white sand. Relax on the beautiful beaches. Enjoy the fresh, delicious seafood. Have fun at the Gulf Coast. I’ve seen these commercials a couple of times in the evening but not on a major network. I suspect the businesses don’t have much budget to air these; I’m surprised that they have any budget at all.

A week ago, I saw one of these commercials in the evening, and the first news story that I saw the next morning was of oil washing up in a new location on a Gulf Coast beach. One or two ads in the evening were easily trumped in the morning with one statement by a news reporter, “Oil is washing up on the Mississippi coast.”

Why is BP running these ads?

Beats me. I am totally perplexed. They appear to think that advertising will restore their good name. They seem to think that commercials will convince viewers that everything is all right in the Gulf. They are certain that if they just run these commercials with enough frequency that they will change Americans’ minds about the tragedy.

Evidently BP management or their marketing team missed the lesson on publicity versus advertising. Of the two, publicity is by far and away more credible, more noticed, and more trusted. When Americans see a report on the news about the oil spill, read an article in the paper, or talk to their friends and relatives about the situation, they internalize and remember what they saw, read, or discussed. That information forms the basis for their opinion on the subject. Their opinion determines if they even notice the commercials. If they do notice them, chances are that they dismiss them as more BP propaganda.

What the public knows that BP doesn’t is that you can’t trump publicity with advertising. It’s a waste of effort and money. Obviously, the desperate Gulf Coast businesses don’t know that, either. However I can understand their advertising. When you are desperate, you are willing to try anything.

I am sharing this with you today to reinforce to you that advertising cannot trump publicity. If your customers have formed an opinion due to news or word of mouth, advertising will not change their opinion. Advertising can maintain their opinion, but it cannot change it. Many businesses use advertising in an attempt to educate or convince customers. That is the wrong use for advertising. Advertising maintains; it does not initiate.

Are you using your advertising to maintain your position with customers?