Advertising a crucial factor in sales

Compelling advertising plays a large part in making a sale says Gerry Kennedy of McConnells Advertising

When the judging panel approached the task, we were looking for ads which could really stand out from the clutter and which could communciate something meaningful about the property they were selling or the agent who was selling on the property's behalf.

The truth is that despite the number of entries, there were many ads that looked the same. The only differentiating factor was the logo of the agent.

Furthermore, we were both amused and concerned by the number of over-promising claims which were used in ads, where each new development seemed to be the answer to the meaning of life. I believe that this is something that we need to be careful of, as it will only in future lead to a sceptism - of our industry community as a whole.

The other concern was the huge number of clichés being used; again, we looked for the more meaningful propositions which really tried to capture the true essence of the asset which was being sold. And those entries that put that little more effort into that thought tended to win an award.

We also looked at the craft work behind the advertising. In this case there was considerable improvements in many designs and we would commend everyone across the board.

However, good design doesn't make or compensate for a good idea, for it is a good creative idea that will lead to the more effective and memorable communication. So a strong creative idea is what we looked for overall - an idea that captured an understanding of the brand (whether the agent or the property), the customer/audience, a meaningful and engaging proposition and an appropriate use of the medium.

As yours has become a leading industry in the Irish economy, we think it appropriate that the standards of advertising reach the equivalent heights.

As your industry becomes increasingly competitive and demand slightly less receptive, then strong compelling advertising can play a larger part in making the sale and even re-assuring the buyer.