These odd things we call “Clichés”

by AdvertisingMarketingPersonal InterestPublic RelationsUncategorized

Despite being etymologically rooted in French, clichés have become integral both to written and spoken English. “Think outside the box,” “low-hanging fruit,” “read between the lines,” and my favorite, “break a leg,” are popular examples of the thousands of clichés populating – or polluting – the world’s most flexible, widely-used language.

 

While expressing common, even universal experiences, clichés impact our language in a way that’s decidedly mixed. Certainly, they’re responsible for encouraging lazy, unimaginative communication. Common clichés will inevitably slip into nearly everyone’s vocabulary, but too many of us fall back on them at the expense of more descriptive, nuanced usage. While helping ensure a degree of understanding, clichés also rob our exchanges of insight and vibrancy.

 

I’m addressing this topic because today, November 3, is Cliché Day. As a longtime communication professional with a specialty in public relations, I’ve spent decades excising clichés from my writing … while occasionally employing them for humor or intentional overemphasis. If this sounds like me balancing atop a figurative fence, it is — clichés are odd constructs. The degree to which they’re sometimes valuable and sometimes absurd seems to increase as our language evolves.

 

To me, the most compelling aspect of clichés is how they serve as a microcosm for the tasks my public relations, advertising, and marketing colleagues perform for our clients. Just as clichés provide familiarity, the tactics and content we employ must be easily understood by all intended audiences. Confusion about meaning would counter our strategic goals, yet we need to avoid boredom-triggering mundanity. Our content and means of deploying it must be imbued with cleverness and originality – with unexpected sparks that make eyes open wider.

 

It’s not easy. As with the use of clichés, we’re walking a tightrope … it’s a fine line. But it is what it is, and at the end of the day, it’s no walk in the park. So, we keep our eyes on the prize, aware that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and eventually get ourselves over the hump.

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Boosting Recruitment: How SCG Advertising and PR is Helping the Philadelphia Police Department Attract New Officers

by In The News

For the past 12 months, SCG Advertising and PR has been working with the Philadelphia Police Department in their recruitment efforts to hire more officers to protect the City of Philadelphia. During our last campaign in January of 2024, SCG partnered with Audacy, Hugh Douglas, and Merril Reese. This led to several radio and streaming audio spots featuring live reads from both local sports personalities highlighting the benefits of becoming a Philadelphia Police Officer. This had a great impact on the local sports audience who were targets of the campaign.

In continuing our current and next campaign efforts, last week our Haddonfield team visited Audacy’s studios, on Polygraph Day – an exciting promotional event to help the Philadelphia Police Department hire more police officers.

SCG collaborated with the agency team from Audacy from concept to client buy-in, and execution of this exciting promotional event. Two lie detector experts and Captain John Walker of the Philadelphia PD spoke on air about career opportunities with the PPD and put WIP 94.1 sports radio personalities, former pro players, and fans on the spot about “truths” related to the local sports teams. Our team had the opportunity to watch the tests live in action, listen to on-air broadcasts, and tour the studio. SCG will be using footage from this event in the upcoming police recruitment campaign beginning 9/30/24.

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Driving Recruitment Success: SCG Teams Up with New Jersey State Police at BetRivers 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series

by In The News

SCG had the honor of collaborating with the New Jersey State Police and vendors at the Dover Motor Speedway at the BetRivers 200 @NASCAR Xfinity Series on April 27th, 2024. This was an extremely rewarding and exciting experience, considering we have been working with the NJSP since 2016!

When we began working for the NJSP in Recruitment Advertising the force struggled to recruit new members. There had been a decline for the past few years, and the events of Covid 19 and George Floyd only generated more apprehension for potential recruits. With the number of applicants steadily declining, we had an opportunity to use our experience in Recruitment Advertising to bolster the NJSP back to what it once was.

Over the past few years, we have created a blend of media to advertise the NJSP including radio, billboard, Meta, Indeed, and non-traditional media. We have seen numbers climb higher than we could have ever expected and people from all backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, and education levels are applying to be a part of the NJSP.

So naturally when the sponsorship was approved for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race we went straight to work in designing the billboards and artwork for the car wrap. As driver, Dawson Cram, raced around the home of the Monster Mile we couldn’t be more proud to see the vehicle covered in the NJSP logo.

After the race, NJSP recruiters stationed at the Fan Zone near Miles The Monster to educate attendees about the NJ State Troopers and their application process.

It was a great day for racing and recruitment, and we are grateful to all who allowed us to participate in the event.

To read more on our work with law enforcement, check out our other blog and news article on police recruitment 

Advertising during March Madness

March Madness or Advertisement Heaven?

by AdvertisingMarketingSocial Media

 

Advertising during March Madness

March is here! To some, that might indicate Saint Patrick’s Day is near or even Palm Sunday. Yet there is a specific group of people that only care about March for one reason. March Madness. As a fan of March Madness, and a former collegiate athlete, I can appreciate the passion brought by fans each year. It’s inspiring to root for young adults who are particularly great at what they do. 

Despite the excitement it brings to fans, it also fills the pockets of athletes everywhere. Two major components factor in when talking about how much an athlete can make. First is a traditional endorsement. Sponsorships with major brands lead to an athlete being asked to model a product or post about it.  In turn, these brands hope to influence people to buy their products. 

The second, and fairly new way, is the NIL. It stands for “name, image, likeness” and allows collegiate athletes to cash in on their popularity. Brands will strike a deal with a player and it allows them to use their “name, image, likeness” in just about anything.

For instance, a college athlete might see his or her face in a popular video game. A NIL lets this athlete profit off the game and can also protect an athlete’s right of publicity. The right of publicity is generally used to protect against the misuse of an individual’s name, image, and likeness for commercial promotion. Most times NIL collectives help push the deals. NIL collectives are a pool of money donated to the school by rich donors and alumni that can help generate more profit for not only the schools, but also the players. 

There is also a vast difference between men’s and women’s sports. The women don’t make a fraction of what the men make individually, but females have higher engagement and better marketability on social media platforms. LSU women’s win over Iowa in the final match-up averaged 9.9 million viewers, smashing the previous 5.7 million-viewer record for the NCAA women’s tournament set in 2002. It was the most-viewed men’s or women’s college game ever on ESPN+. Yet despite the inequality, both men and women athletes can still make more money off brand deals and endorsements than the price of their scholarships. 

So how does this relate to advertising and marketing? Due to everyone’s obsession with college sports, March Madness has become one of the most watched events in history. According to Sportico, ad spots during the championship game were priced between US$2.2 million and US$2.3 million, while 30-second units for the earlier rounds were bought for a few hundred thousand dollars. The brands buying up ad spots are not small brands either. Some of these companies include Coca-Cola, Capital One, AT&T, Buffalo Wild Wings, Unilever, and Nissan. The 2022 tournament amassed 1 billion in revenue and gained 35 new advertisers. Last year the top 10 brands that spent the most money, didn’t even bother putting ads into other sports. They waited to put their ad money into March Madness and spent 247 million dollars through the tournament. 

Now just because major companies are pushing out advertisements it doesn’t always mean that they are effective. Yet according to sports fans, a recent poll suggested that sports ads might be more beneficial than you would think. In a study from Marketing Brew, “Of all college sports fans surveyed, about 13% said they prioritize sponsor brands when shopping.” In the same study, “About 30% said they at least see college sports sponsors more favorably while they shop, even if they don’t automatically prioritize those brands.” These are decent numbers considering an article by INC found just 4 percent of consumers believe advertisers and marketers practice integrity.

March Madness has proven to become a major source of advertisement and income for a majority of industries but has the concept of marketing the youth gone too far? 

marketing trends, marcom, marcom trends

SCG Trendwatch: MarCom Industry News – December 2023

by Marketing

marketing trends, marcom, marcom trends

Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy MarCom professionals. This month, we are sharing the latest news, strategies, tools, and trends affecting the industry landscape. Check in for the latest updates from all over the web.

 

1. Thought leadership: The human element your marketing needs

AI is everywhere, filling the web with content that often lacks the depth, nuance or forward-looking angle of expert insight. While tools like ChatGPT can supplement expertise with efficiency and creativity, more than ever, buyers need perspective that comes from years of experience and deep industry knowledge.

In this sea of increasingly repetitive and recycled content, you need to offer something unique to capture attention. That’s where “thought leadership” comes in. Yes, it’s a buzzword that took a beating several years ago with many self-proclaimed thought leaders, but it has never been a more important part of your marketing strategy. Read more…

 

2. 2023 in review: 3 key trends to inform your 2024 marketing plan

Forecasting this holiday season is like playing Powerball. Holiday spending will rise 3% to 4% in 2023, the National Retail Federation predicts. This is the smallest gain since the first pandemic year. Other forecasts say consumers plan to take on less debt this year, cut back more or shift spending from things to experience.

Even with everything happening around you, I will ask you to pause your daily business for a minute and look back over this year. At some point before the year is out, you’ll be thinking about what next year will bring. As you do, let’s think about some events that shaped decision-making and will likely factor into your planning for 2024.

These three developments stood out for me this year. Read more…

 

3. A measurement formula for modern brand marketers

For marketers, keeping up with today’s rapidly shifting customer landscape can feel like an unending sprint. The same can be said of the ever-growing list of integrated measurement solutions. Indeed, 54% of marketers admit they’re overwhelmed by the number of data, measurement, and analytics solutions that are available, and report decreased confidence in those solutions’ ability to produce solid business results.1

We hear this firsthand from our customers too. They understand that a privacy-first, cross-media measurement strategy is the foundation of the future, but they’re not quite sure how to begin implementing it today. That’s where we can help.

For years, we’ve been talking to brand marketers about the value they get from cross-media investments. Based on what we’ve learned from these conversations, we’ve determined that there’s a simple formula you can follow to ensure a successful measurement strategy — one that isn’t just a reactive play to protect your investments but that acts as a proactive growth engine.

I’ll walk you through its three steps. Read more…

 

4. Google’s 2024 cookie deprecation deadline is still on, says vp of global advertising Dan Taylor

Between the Department of Justice’s antitrust suit against Google and the impending self-imposed deadline for removing third-party cookies from its Chrome browser, there is a lot on the technology megacorp’s plate.

But Dan Taylor, the company’s vp of global advertising, is confident that nothing will change the timeline that Google has set for cookie depreciation: “Cookies will be phased out completely from Chrome at the end of 2024.” Read more…

 

5. It’s not just Swifties: There are more sports fans, and brands see a way to score

On Sept. 24, Taylor Swift — you might have heard of her — attended an NFL game to watch her beau, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, help his team defeat the Chicago Bears 41–10.

That same day, sales for Kelce jerseys spiked 400 percent.

The Kelce phenomenon reflects how major sports organizations are leaning into the stardom of their most popular players, and the stories surrounding them, to expand their audience; the NFL even briefly changed its header photo on X, formerly Twitter, to one of Swift.

This also highlights the opportunity for brands to capitalize on new sports fans who might be going all-in on their newfound passion. Or they can capture casual participants more interested in the personalities and culture surrounding the sport than the sport itself. Whatever the case, the last few years have seen rising engagement with sports, both in the U.S. and around the world, that goes well beyond Swift and the NFL. The brands that tap in to that consumer interest could benefit. Read more…

Intern Insights: Are Your Photos Worth A Thousand Words?

by AdvertisingBrandingMarketingSocial Media

In the digital world, visuals are essential to grab attention, convey messages, and make a lasting impression. In this blog post, I will walk you through the basic elements and techniques to take the best eye-catching photos. By utilizing these tricks, you’ll be able to consistently generate high-quality images for your future projects.

A picture is worth a thousand words

A well-crafted image portrays a message better than a one-thousand-word essay (with far less effort too!). It is important to create the best quality work when representing your brand. Is your photo relevant to the work it is connected to? Is it a dynamic photo that will catch your eye when scrolling through your social feed? An article with an attention-grabbing image is far more likely to generate engagement than a poorly chosen one.

Know your equipment

Knowing your equipment increases your capabilities as a photographer. Once you understand the basics, you can step out of your comfort zone and experiment with different settings to create some fun effects. Also, know how to upload your image to your computer without losing resolution. Regardless of how clear the picture is, it can become blurry if the process is handled incorrectly.

Master composition

Set yourself up to take a picture with a visually pleasing background that conveys the intended message and mood. Also, make sure you are successfully lining up your photo. One way to do this is by utilizing the grid. The grid is a helpful composition tool featured in many cameras and smartphone apps. Using this feature can help you to align your subject within your frame and maintain symmetry.

Fix your lighting

Understanding the different qualities of natural light versus artificial light is also important. Different types of lighting can impact the mood, color temperature, and overall aesthetic of your images. When taking photos outdoors, it is important to learn how to harness the natural light to your advantage and to avoid shadows and sun glare. When taking photos indoors, it is still ideal to take advantage of the natural lighting. Whether or not natural lighting is available, it is important to make your lighting look as natural as possible.

Combine these skills to take the perfect photo

Remember, a well-crafted image can make or break your project, leave a strong impression, and help grab attention. By harnessing these skills, you will be equipped with the knowledge to elevate your photography, helping you and your business increase engagement and polish your aesthetics.

 

Justin Picciuto

Public Relations Intern

SCG Advertising & PR