Marketing for Dicks - A Lesson in Advertising

by tpw
22 replies
Yeah, I know what you are thinking.... Get your mind out of the damn gutter!!!

Didn't yo momma teach you better than that?!?

This is a really special story that really brings home an important point about marketing...

Don't fluff it up...



Let me ask you a question...

Every day, you drive down the street, and you see a political poster on the side of the road...

You see them, but do you ever read them?

Seriously...

Our general thoughts are, "Who gives a hoot who is running for local office?"

Right? Are you with me?

So there is this sign a block from my house, on the side of the road, next to the stop sign...

It is a yellow plastic sign...

There is nothing special about the sign, except for the words on it, and how they are arranged...

It is just standard black, on a yellow plastic backing...

It really is nothing special...

Except for the words on the sign, and how the words are arranged...


I noticed the sign two days ago...

I noticed it, and read it from beginning to end...

I know what the sign says...

I drove by the sign with my 10yo today...

He not only noticed the sign, and read it from beginning to end, but he also snickered about it for the next mile down the road...

LOL

When I asked him why he was doing his fake laugh, he said, "Dicks!!!"

ROFLOL

My kid doesn't know anything about marketing, but that sign GOT his attention too...

From 500 feet away, you can see the BIG WORD in the middle of the sign...

It says, "DICKS"...

You have to be about 40 feet away from the sign, before you can read what else it says...
















When you are close enough to read the entire sign, it reads:
MIKE

DICKS

for School Board

Whomever is doing the Marketing for Dicks is brilliant...

Had he had any other name, I would never have figured out what office he wanted to occupy in our local government.

Meet Michael Dicks:




See...

When I told you, "This is a really special story that really brings home an important point about marketing..." I bet you didn't believe me, did you?

LOL

The important lesson is that YOUR MARKETING MESSAGE must stand out in a sea of competition...

I think Michael Dicks got the job done...

p.s. He is running for re-election, so maybe he was as clever the first time around too...

Cheers!!!
#dicks #election #marketing #michael dicks #oklahoma #stillwater
  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hlatky
    pics plx

    errrm....


    I don't know if people are scared to post on this thread or what. But, you make an excellent point here. Marketing really comes down to a two step process:

    1. Get your ad/self/product etc. out there

    2. Once people come, make the sale(s)

    People always try to over complicate this process when there really isn't a reason for it. The most important part is getting yourself out there (although it kind of seems like the chicken and the egg.....). Because without any traffic or visitors or people knowing who you are or what you are offering, you have no way of making a sale.

    You can't just put up a website, submit 5 articles to Ezine, wait until they get approved, make a thread saying article marketing or using Ezine Articles is dead, and expect to make some money. It just doesn't work like that.
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  • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
    So you're saying you recommend us to create a billboard in our local communities that says "I Speak Well English. Will Write For Money. Penis"????

    I mean, I can do that if you think it will work.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    I was out of sunlight when I got home tonight. I will try to provide pix tomorrow.

    Honest Engine!!
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  • Profile picture of the author scrofford
    Seriously I used to know of a guy in the transportation industry I was in and he was called "Big Dick." He would answer the phone all the time "this is Big Dick (forgot his last name actually)" Everyone knew who he was mainly because of his name.

    I think that the first post makes excellent points about making your marketing message stand out. It's important.
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      This one still sets me to smiling when I think of it. Partly because of the joke and partly because the two men involved were great to work for.

      When I was secretary to the big bosses, one boss always came into the office with a story. He and the boss next door (situated directly behind my desk) would share those stories while standing in the 2 doorways. If the story was a bit too spicy, he'd close the door. Moments later, barrels of laughter would fill the air. And then the one boss would exit with a huge grin on his face.

      Here's that particular story:

      Boss was driving to work that day and became engrossed in a huge truck just ahead of him. He noticed the graphic image on the side, but couldn't quite make out the wording until he got closer. When he did, he almost drove his car into the darned truck. The slogan was:

      "If you can't get it up, call us!"

      If you haven't guessed, it was an erection service for raising and moving heavy objects.

      You really had to hear it the way the boss told it.

      Back to the OP...

      So, are you saying that we would do really well if we changed our names to something that gets attention, something that points your mind in an unexpected direction?

      I guess I could do something with DICKens.

      Sylvia
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    • This reminded me of a 1990 movie called "Crazy People"...
      Here are some billboard and TV ad copies from the movie:

      "Metamucil: We Help You Go to the Toilet So You Wont Get Cancer and Die"...
      "Sony -- Caucasians are Just Too Damn Tall"...
      "Porsche -- It's a Little Too Small to Get Laid IN, But You Get Laid the Minute You Get Out"...

      "AT&T -- We're Tired of Taking Your Crap"
      You may think phone service stinks since deregulation, but don't mess with us, because we're all you've got. In fact, if we fold, you'll have no damn phones.

      "Paramount Pictures presents: "The Freak" -- This Movie Won't Just Scare You -- It Will F**k You Up for Life"...
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      • Profile picture of the author Sam England
        Seriously folks get your mind outta the gutter!

        I have seen billboards on the interstate that use similar tactics to get your attention...now when it gets a 10 year old's attention, that's saying something...

        I know that the only way you can get a kid's attention is if they want food or money...what did you say? say what!

        Let's all cast our VOTES!

        Peace Out!
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        • Profile picture of the author Ralph Moore
          You just reminded me of the name of our high school phys, ed. teacher (and coach).

          His name was Richard Head.

          You think we didn't have fun with that?

          ~
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          • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
            Originally Posted by eagle View Post

            You just reminded me of the name of our high school phys, ed. teacher (and coach).

            His name was Richard Head.

            You think we didn't have fun with that?

            ~
            Ha. Yeah, I'm sure a bunch of high school kids with a teacher that had that name never made a peep about it!

            I kid you not, we had a guy in the phone book back when I was in high school named "Dewitt Quick". My friends and I found that name in the phone book and would call him up and go "so how quick are you?" (that's hysterical when you're 16!). He eventually changed his phone number and got an unlisted name. I don't even remember how we found the name. I think we were just looking for a random person to call up and tell our lame "Jack-in-the-box" joke to ("hi there, we're calling from Jack-in-The-Box with a contest. If you can guess how many jacks are in this box, you will win $50!" "I'll guess 20" "oh, I'm sorry, it was actually 21. You're just one Jack off!")

            Ah, the good 'ol days! What I would give to be 16 again!
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        • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
          Does anyone know the back story behind the Fed-Ex logo?

          Although I haven't officially 'verified' this, a friend of mine told me that the "E" and the "X" make a natural forward arrow that is renown for being identified by children. It is a "grown-up" company, with services appealing to grown-ups, however, when it comes to shipping, it has a natural subtle appeal to children.

          Originally Posted by Hambonz43 View Post

          Seriously folks get your mind outta the gutter!

          I have seen billboards on the interstate that use similar tactics to get your attention...now when it gets a 10 year old's attention, that's saying something...

          I know that the only way you can get a kid's attention is if they want food or money...what did you say? say what!

          Let's all cast our VOTES!

          Peace Out!
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Great post... I would have voted for him just for that!

    Another story is about a guy in the military, last name DICK.... started as private dick, and this guy is NOT very smart at all but came up through the ranks, and I think it is because of his name... captain dick... major dick, general dick! He is a general right now, and I think it is absolutely hilarious.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nick Brighton
    so does that mean you've got to be a DICK to run a successful WSO these days?

    I can do that.
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  • Profile picture of the author officer_iron
    Haha. Love the story. Great example as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author InvestedSuccess
    Wow, hahaha what a crazy story! Genius if I don't say so myself. Very entertaining yet educational post, thanks!

    All The Best,
    Andrew Michie
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  • Profile picture of the author NateRivers
    Yeah I believe this is right inline with one of Shoemoney's videos where he points out that by just using a picture of a girl with big boobs in ads, you'll see CTR rocket through the roof. Doesn't have to be a slutty pic, she can be wearing a turtleneck... but big boobs=clicks. Same with the word DICK i guess.
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  • Profile picture of the author tommygadget
    I saw something similar once before, wish I could remember it. Yes, very clever ads get noticed. Like the Geico cavemen. Like the Old Spice guy. Like the Allstate mayhem guy. Do something original and people will take notice.

    TomG.
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
      Bill,

      Does this mean you'll be changing your name from your present diminutive of William to a six letter diminutive beginning with 'W'?


      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
    Things like "Dicks" in Marketing do work, as long as they turn out to be true.

    If you try to get attention by using this as a trick, your customers will stay away in droves, but if you somehow can find a joke or something that pulls attention within the products name, you got it made.
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  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    You're becoming a serial thread starter, man.

    But this one is funny, ha ha.

    I think the real message here is...

    Just be a Dick and you will get ahead in business.
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