Marketing-eeze needs a swift kick in the pants

:Sherrie Perkovich

Ok marketers, especially B2B marketers and those in the professional services industry, many of you need a fast lesson on what is acceptable and unacceptable use of typical business imagery. I was exposed to many offenders today…whether online, in magazines or in presentations.

Case in point…typical marketing lingo/buzzword paired with the imagery used in marketing and/or advertising materials:

* Speed to market = someone crossing a finish line, arms in the air, ribbon around their chest
* Unique thinking = a light bulb, usually illuminated
* Collaboration = shaking hands, lately, woman and a man’s hand…have to be PC of course
* Competition = running a race, occasionally seen with baton passing or hurdles
* Unique value proposition = a red umbrella in a sea of black ones
* Productivity = a smiling executive at their computer, or also seen with the ear of their glasses in their mouth

By this standard, does retention = water weight gain? Enough is enough. Marketers, please please please, do not attempt to be creative on your own, especially with advertising. Leave that to the advertising experts. There are many agencies out there with thousands of creative teams to help you. I recommend you seek their advice before blending into the ho-hum non-unique selling proposition of looking like everyone else that doesn’t know what they’re doing.

For a bit more on my rants, this one specific to professional services and in particular the real estate industry, read my blog, “I am good-looking and therefore trustworthy.”