Advertising Advice

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited February 19, 2009 in Mind Your Own Business
One of my photos has been selected for the cover of an upcoming issue of the quarterly publication of the DC Metro chapter of the professional association to which about 75% of my clients belong. The circulation is 100% to my target market.

I thought I'd jump on the opportunity and place an ad in the issue, using the cover shot in my ad.

I have a little time to work on it, so thought I'd throw it up for some criticism/advice. Here's what I have in mind:

476327998_zArgh-XL.jpg
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

Comments

  • afmdmcafmdmc Registered Users Posts: 62 Big grins
    edited February 18, 2009
    For what it's worth i like it. but that's not saying much. if nothing else maybe it will get someone else to comment.

    Dave.
    http://afmdmc.smugmug.com/

    My Tomestone Will Read : I spent most of my money on Cold Beer, Loose Women, And Fast Bikes, the rest I just Wasted !!!!

    Dave.
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 18, 2009
    Is you site under construction? Other than that, overall it looks okay. A little busy on the bottom.
    I would personally lose the email, the phone number, and the tag line. This is information that visitors will get on the website.
    When advertising, it is best to always keep it simple. Too much info can be confusing.
    Steve

    Website
  • The MackThe Mack Registered Users Posts: 602 Major grins
    edited February 18, 2009
    less is more.
    eric-mack.com
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    I would keep whats up top, and get rid of everything but your website URL at the bottom, and have your URL centered.

    also I would figure out why typing in portfoliofotos.com doesn't work and www.portfoliofotos.com does. without www it takes us to a This site is currently under construction page, which you dont want, because most people dont take the time to type in www.
    Jer
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    Dave, Thanks. Glad you approve.

    Steve, Thanks for your comments. I'm not sure I understand your question about my site being under construction. This ad is not going on my website, but into a printed publication. I get most of my initial contacts from clients by phone calls, not emails. The inclusion of my e-mail address was admittedly an afterthought, but the phone number is vital in a print ad, IMO. The background image in the ad is made from the same photo that will be the magazine's cover. One cool benefit to this publication is that they DO publish it on the organizations website. Anyone perusing the magazine on-line can just click on any advertisement, and instantly link to the website of that advertiser. THAT I like. I still think I need the phone number in the ad though, because most of the members of the organization are (still) more print oriented than web oriented.

    Eric, Ah yes, Mr. Mies van der Rohe. A agree with the principle 100%. There was a great line however, in the movie Amadeus, when King Friedrich (der Grosse) complained to Mozart that a particular piece had "too many notes" Mozart replied, "Which ones should I leave out?" Guess ya had to have been there . . .

    Jeremy, I see what you're getting at with respect to the simplicity of the ad, but given what I know about the folks who constitute my market, I think I need the contact info in the ad, even at the expense of a bit of clutter. Maybe I could lose the tag line, like Steve advised. I'll have to look into the "www" thing. That never occurred to me, since I always type "www." AHAH! Now I know what Steve was referring to!

    OK, let me stew over your advice and see what happens.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote:
    also I would figure out why typing in portfoliofotos.com doesn't work and www.portfoliofotos.com does. without www it takes us to a This site is currently under construction page, which you dont want, because most people dont take the time to type in www.

    I tried the www and sure enough it worked. Weird. I don't believe that I have ever seen that before.
    Steve

    Website
  • AngeloAngelo Super Moderators Posts: 8,937 moderator
    edited February 19, 2009
    Cygnus Studios wrote:
    Is you site under construction? Other than that, overall it looks okay. A little busy on the bottom.
    I would personally lose the email, the phone number, and the tag line. This is information that visitors will get on the website.
    When advertising, it is best to always keep it simple. Too much info can be confusing.


    absolutely 15524779-Ti.gif 100%


    and the URL worked fine for me without typing "www." first
    www.angelo.smugmug.com

    Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    Revision
    OK . Is this better? I ditched the tag line but, for reasons I've set out above, kept the other info.

    476793000_GYTsj-XL.jpg
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    The email address seems like overkill. Anyone who will use the computer will hit the site.
    I understand the phone listing, and if that works by all means keep it.

    It looks better. With the font color so close to the color of the floor you may have to keep an eye on that. Keep in mind that magazines, newspapers, and websites have a habit of butchering photos. Not that they intend to, it just happens. If they aren't paying attention, your web address may bleed into the floor and be lost.
    If you get some input into the process you will be able to see the proof prior to publication.

    btw, Congrats on the cover..It is a very nice image
    Steve

    Website
  • xrisxris Registered Users Posts: 546 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    Great idea. Two points:

    1/ I do hope you've passed this by the publication. Using their cover shot in your ad in the same issue could be considered of questionable business practice. The pub may not mind, but you should at least ask.

    2/ If the pub does okay it, perhaps they will provide a scaled-down version of the actual cover for use in your add? (Your shot with the publication's banner and cover copy in place.) That way readers would have no choice but to associate you with the cover.

    On top of that. you'll have a digital copy for the cover for your portfolio!
    thumb.gif
    X www.thepicturetaker.ca
  • entropysedgeentropysedge Registered Users Posts: 190 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    ^^^ I agree with xris, the publication miight not want you to use the exact same image ... is there another from the same shoot that you can use just in case?

    Personally, I'd keep the email address in the ad, there are people out there who may not be able to access your website but can still send emails asking for information.
    L. St.Romain
    www.fastcatstudio.com
    www.fastcatstudio.net - blog
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    xris wrote:
    Great idea. Two points:

    1/ I do hope you've passed this by the publication.

    [I]- Good point. They are well aware of my plan.[/I]

    2/ If the pub does okay it, perhaps they will provide a scaled-down version of the actual cover for use in your add? (Your shot with the publication's banner and cover copy in place.) That way readers would have no choice but to associate you with the cover.

    [I]- I don't like this idea. No telling what their actual cover will look like, and I want my ad to look the way I want it. Any way they do the cover, my ad would end up looking really busy.[/I]

    On top of that. you'll have a digital copy for the cover for your portfolio!
    thumb.gif

    [I]- Oh, believe me, my scanner does great. mwink.gif Probably better for my use than a CMYK file the publisher would give me.[/I]

    I really appreciate the time you spent.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited February 19, 2009
    entropysedge wrote:
    ^^^ I agree with xris, the publication miight not want you to use the exact same image ... is there another from the same shoot that you can use just in case?

    Actually, my plan is to use one of the shots in the article for a second ad in the next issue.

    Personally, I'd keep the email address in the ad, there are people out there who may not be able to access your website but can still send emails asking for information.

    I think I tend to agree with you on this but, as you see, other folks disagree. I have a few days to think on it. headscratch.gif

    Many thanks!
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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