Feb 11 2009
Designing for Your Target Audience
I am starting to see a lot of advertising that seems to be missing their mark. Whether it is inappropriate images for a specific audience, advertisments appearing places not frequented intend targets, and/or other mismanaged attempts to get the word out.
Maybe it is out of despireation? The economy is so bad, advertisers are trying anything to generate interest.
Maybe it is inexperience? Yesterday on the news, there was funny story about a promotion for Philly used a NYC skyline. The excuse was, “the designer just grabbed a generic skyline….” Oh yeah? Apparently not too generic because everyone in Philly said, “Hey that’s not Philly, that’s New York’s skyline”
Maybe it’s just because advertisers truly believe we (the public) really are as stoopid as the thunk.
I find it annoying. I don’t have genital warts so I don’t want to see ads for how to fix ‘em. First, if I have them, I wouldn’t wait until I saw a commercial before I sought medical help. And more importantly, giving someone a pill to mask the outbreaks screams irresponsibility. Maybe folks who have such a condition should slow down sexually to stop further spreading things instead of getting a pill that will mask not cure things. Irresponsible attitudes.
Maybe is just that marketing/advertising is just so sleezy that they don’t care. If they get results (or can get their paying customers to believe they are), maybe it just doesn’t matter what they do. Got results? Great, who cares if you kicked dogs and spit on nuns to accomplish things.
I think we, as designers, need to start taking a higher road. Maybe we should open our mouths and tell the Art Directors, “hmmmm do you really think that is such a good idea? aren’t we a classier organization?”
Why can’t we better target the audience. Would a more accurate campaign make more sense? Probably would cost less to produce. Sometimes sex doesn’t have to sell. Maybe the product is good enough to sell it on it’s own merits?
My designs for the past 11 1/2 years have been VERY conservative. No change that, 14 years. It goes back that far because of my target audiences. I’ve worked in two VERY conservative entitities. One was insurance (100+ year old, established company no place for glitz) and then a statistical reporting agency as a federal subcontract (even more boring but we are allowed to add some glitz if only to keep the audience awake). Since my targets have been conservative, I’ve had to continually tone down and even UNdesign things. Sad, but true. But it’s paid off, by keeping my target audience in mind, I’ve consistently hit the mark. My client is always happy because they get positive feedback from the end users.
Keep it in the audience. Don’t think you need to razzle and dazzle and break all the rules every time. Sometimes, less is more.
