Architectural Record publishes these tips:
Successful advertising gets attention, whets architects’ appetites for more information, and leads them deeper into your sales and marketing program. Over and over again.
1. What’s the One Message you want Architects to Hear?
Choose one main message, or drive home a few key points... which readers will remember.
2. Tell the Story.
Immerse the audience in the experience and bring the product to life. But don’t try to tell the whole story. Use only your most important, differentiating details for the ad, and invite architects to learn more.
3. Get Technical.
Support any campaign claims with technical data that represent key measures of your service or product line. Use charts, graphs or schematics to lend impact to a credible technical claim. The text should be succinct, clear, valuable – and honest.
4. Use Simple, Strong and Memorable Images.
Architects are visual people and respond better to dynamic images. To be remembered, you must first catch the architect's eye.
5. Use White Space.
Strategically use white (open) space to allow important images and words to pop. Keep the color palette limited, and the layout clean and open – with room for thought.
6. Show the Product.
Architects love to see products “in action,” proving that they work as claimed. In conventional settings or unexpected places, help architects see your product in ways that inspire imagination and creativity.
7. Show the Project.
If your product is in a noteworthy project, use it as a testimonial in your ad. Show the project, identify it, and credit the architect behind the design... even a great project by an unsung architect can work.
8. Consistency.
Words and pictures common to all of your marketing communications may include logos or corporate signatures, phone numbers, street addresses, key contacts and website address. Put them in the same place every time.
9. Call to Action.
You got their attention. You educated them about your products. What do you want them to do next? Call, write, visit? If you have an incentive to offer, your ad is the place to put it.
10. Think Young.
Architectural magazine readers tend to skew younger, while older and more accomplished architects tend to think young. You should think young too, building campaigns that appeal to the youthful, optimistic minds of today’s architects.
Generalizations such as these do not apply in all instances. However, some of the most effective ads Chusid Associates has produced followed these rules.
(Download pdf)
Successful advertising gets attention, whets architects’ appetites for more information, and leads them deeper into your sales and marketing program. Over and over again.
1. What’s the One Message you want Architects to Hear?
Choose one main message, or drive home a few key points... which readers will remember.
2. Tell the Story.
Immerse the audience in the experience and bring the product to life. But don’t try to tell the whole story. Use only your most important, differentiating details for the ad, and invite architects to learn more.
3. Get Technical.
Support any campaign claims with technical data that represent key measures of your service or product line. Use charts, graphs or schematics to lend impact to a credible technical claim. The text should be succinct, clear, valuable – and honest.
4. Use Simple, Strong and Memorable Images.
Architects are visual people and respond better to dynamic images. To be remembered, you must first catch the architect's eye.
5. Use White Space.
Strategically use white (open) space to allow important images and words to pop. Keep the color palette limited, and the layout clean and open – with room for thought.
6. Show the Product.
Architects love to see products “in action,” proving that they work as claimed. In conventional settings or unexpected places, help architects see your product in ways that inspire imagination and creativity.
7. Show the Project.
If your product is in a noteworthy project, use it as a testimonial in your ad. Show the project, identify it, and credit the architect behind the design... even a great project by an unsung architect can work.
8. Consistency.
Words and pictures common to all of your marketing communications may include logos or corporate signatures, phone numbers, street addresses, key contacts and website address. Put them in the same place every time.
9. Call to Action.
You got their attention. You educated them about your products. What do you want them to do next? Call, write, visit? If you have an incentive to offer, your ad is the place to put it.
10. Think Young.
Architectural magazine readers tend to skew younger, while older and more accomplished architects tend to think young. You should think young too, building campaigns that appeal to the youthful, optimistic minds of today’s architects.
Generalizations such as these do not apply in all instances. However, some of the most effective ads Chusid Associates has produced followed these rules.
(Download pdf)