Mary Gillen co-founded Jacobs/Gillen, Inc. in 1981. Jacobs/Gillen specializes in traditional and new media design, as well as creative marketing ideas for businesses.
Mary can be reached by e-mail at jacgill@ idsonline.com or by phone at 703-339-7400.
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Mary Gillen
Jacobs/Gillen, Inc.
Co-Founder, creative marketing/advertising company"The most amazing marketing occurs when you 'successfully combine opposites."
What does that mean?
This thought occurred to me when I was looking through a book of Van Gogh's paintings. From a distance, Van Gogh's creations look soft, scenes and colors, approachable and warm. Yet when you get up close, each brush stroke looks like it was cut by a knife.
That's 'combining opposites'.
Look at IBM's successful 'Tramp' campaign, using a Charlie Chaplain look-alike to sell the original PC. Who would have linked a warm character like 'The Tramp' with a cold piece of machinery?
A smart marketing mind, that's who.
One of the most successful direct mail campaigns we ever conducted for Jacobs/Gillen, Inc. was our 'airplane' campaign. It consisted of a simple red airplane that had information and text printed in one color. Targeting small and medium-sized corporations and health care companies, we hand-folded the 8-inch-wide by 9-inch-deep airplanes, placed our business card inside and mailed it off to prospects in our standard #10 business envelopes. The only text that appeared on the outside of the airplane was our name. This was done on purpose, so the prospect would unfold the airplane to find out who we were. The message was:'If you're having trouble getting off the ground with your company's advertising, copywriting and graphics, Jacobs/Gillen can get you locked on to the right compass heading. We will stay on budget and get you right to the center-line of your promotional efforts. If you don't need any additional customers, you know what you can do with this little piece! If you would like to keep the cost of your advertising, copywriting and graphics from soaring into the stratosphere, give us a call today. We'll keep your budget on the ground.'
Who in their right mind would send a paper airplane to 'serious' prospects?
Tag! We're it!
We got a 7% response and 5 new clients.
The phone started ringing! People were making 'airplane sounds', moving the plane about in their hands as they told us how much they loved it. 'I used to make these when I was a kid,' they told us. Ah-ha! We had hit a nerve!
And we had also successfully combined opposites. The kid with the adult. The serious professional with the goofball. The individual who for one minute forgot all responsibilities and had a little fun.
When you market, have the courage to look for the opposites. It will serve you well.
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