There’s a couple of ad campaigns I’ve seen lately while watching my Red Sox and Patriots beat up on the competition, both of which knock Google w/o mentioning the competition. I think they’re both pretty effective.
The first is for Ask.com, that other search engine. The basic premise is "Can your search engine do this?" with the not-so-subtle hint that "your" search engine is Google and that 10 blue text results are so last year. For those of you who haven’t seen the campaign, here it is.
Maybe effective isn’t the right word, as a week later I still haven’t used Ask.com, but it gets me thinking at least. It also effectively compares what it’s offering–a seemingly more robust search–at the same price as Google…free.
The second ad is for WebMD, which seems to be spending a lot of money on a traditional advertising blitz right now. (Couldn’t find it at YouTube or anywhere else after a quick search. Hmmm…maybe I should try Ask.com. Nope, nothing there either.)
What I liked about this ad was the line, "I don’t need a million answers, I just need one good one." I’m paraphrasing. That seemed to be to be a direct attack on Google, that provides way too much information when you’re scrambling to find information on asthma, diabetes, or childhood allergies. It’s good positioning: you don’t need to worry about all the kooks out there on the Web with a Web site or blog; we’ve culled the information down to something manageable. We’ve even had professionals review it so you can rest assure it’s right.
When you’re concerned–and who visiting WebMD.com isn’t going there for a concern–you don’t want conflicting advice, or having to vet opposing opinions. You just want answers.
So, why should you care? Well, if you’re competing against a larger competitor (which could include a company or public ignorance), you need to show how you’re different. Sure, some people may want simple blue text links or millions of results for "bipolar disorder", but many people would prefer the alternative.
If you’ve got the alternative, make sure that it’s in your message, whether that’s your elevator pitch, your slogan, or your advertising.
Rich Brooks
Web Marketing for Small Business
