California Speak : Ad Copy Reflects State’s Lingering Slump
A worried factory foreman trudges into the big boss’s office. “Are the rumors true?” he demands. “That our plant’s closing? That we’re leaving California because of our pollution or something . . . and the layoffs?”
The boss takes a long pause, then says, “No.” A greatly relieved foreman smiles and leaves the office. This rankles another executive who overhears--and knows the score. “Why not just tell him the truth?” he presses.
In California--with unemployment near 10% and 233,000 factory jobs lost since 1989--this disturbing scene might appear to be the kind being repeated daily in corporate boardrooms across the state. But this specific dialogue is being repeated in a new TV spot for Southern California Edison, which goes on to propose ways for companies to cut costs and remain in California.
Some ad executives say this spot may well set the tone for ad campaigns to be created during the next year for companies marketing to California residents.
With the economic recovery taking hold in many other parts of the country--but clearly stalled in California--cautious marketers in 1993 are expected to speak very differently to Californians than to the rest of the nation. Executives compare it to the no-nonsense marketing techniques that became popular in Texas during the oil bust of the 1980s--and which are commonly used now in economically struggling Massachusetts.
Unlike the spurt of upbeat, happy-go-lucky ads that marketers say may blanket much of the country under the growing optimism of the recovery and a new Administration, a steady stream of ads for Californians will more likely promote big sales and elicit empathy for continued tough times but offer rays of hope.
“For years, people in California were feeling loose and upbeat about themselves, but then along came the recession,” said New York ad man Jerry Della Femina. “It’s going to be a while before they see ads with much happy stuff.”
Retail marketers on the West Coast “do not believe the news trumpeted over CNN that the holiday season will be fantastic,” said Michael W. Marsak, president of Marina del Rey-based Effective Marketing Strategies. As a result, most of his retail clients like Clothestime and C&R; Clothiers will continue to promote big price reductions. “It will be a long time in California--maybe a year or more--before people begin to change their thinking.”
Perhaps jobs, more than anything else, concern Californians right now. And several marketers are using that to push their own causes.
“Advertising must reflect reality,” said Miles J. Turpin, chairman of West Coast operations for Grey Advertising, which created the Southern California Edison TV spot about lost jobs. The serious-toned ad is a far cry from the firm’s past campaign featuring comedians George Burns and Betty White joking about ways to save energy.
Grey closely monitors what Californians say they are worried about, then reports these findings to clients that also include Lucky Stores and US West, a telecommunications company. Turpin said the agency’s most recent videotaped interviews with consumers have been so eye-opening that he has ordered every writer and artist at his agency to view the tapes. “It is very, very scary out there,” Turpin said. “We talked to a number of single parents who are especially concerned because they have no one to fall back on financially or emotionally.”
The agency interviewed one financially strapped mother who said she rewards her children for finding coupons she uses by giving the youngsters half the value of each coupon. “This is not a game for her,” Turpin said. “She is struggling to make ends meet.”
Country music radio station KZLA in Los Angeles recently began to advertise that it can help out-of-work listeners find jobs. “Looking for a job?” asked one of its recent print ads. The ad promised that its morning radio show would broadcast “hot new job openings of all kinds” that are phoned in by area companies.
The promotion has found employment for a lot of people. But it probably turns off as many listeners as it turns on, said KZLA morning disc jockey Ken Cooper. “One guy even called and complained, ‘Let them find their own jobs. Just play the music.’ ”
One big California advertiser, Hyundai, whose ads are created on the West Coast and which sells a big chunk of its cars here, also plans to keep a serious tone in its campaign next year.
“The yuppie era is over and probably won’t come back,” said Carl Spielvogel, chairman of the New York agency Backer Spielvogel Bates that creates ads for Hyundai. “If it ever does, it certainly won’t be in 1993.”
But several Madison Avenue executives say that, while all is not exactly rosy, their clients in other parts of the country are asking for zippier ads for next year.
“It’s the end result of a general surge of optimism,” said Richard J. Lord, chairman of the New York agency Lord, Dentsu & Partners. “The cold, hard-story days of the past few years are over.”
Lord said his agency has begun shooting a number of upbeat ads for AT&T;’s Universal Card.
Look also for a return of the 60-second blockbuster spots--extravagant ads produced at great cost that often feature big stars. Coca-Cola’s fast-forming relationship with Hollywood’s Creative Artists Agency will almost assure that, executives say.
“For the past few years, everyone’s been scared of getting fired for making something that’s too creative,” said James B. Patterson, chairman of the New York office of the J. Walter Thompson agency. “Now, advertisers will be firing agencies for not being creative enough.”
Briefly
The Los Angeles agency Rubin Postaer & Associates has picked up the estimated $6-million account for Pleasanton, Calif.-based Yes! Entertainment Corp., a children’s entertainment firm. . . . Smith’s Food & Drug Centers of Southern California has awarded its $6-million mainstream ad business to Mendelsohn/Zien of Los Angeles and its $1-million ethnic ad account to Los Angeles-based Muse Cordero Chen. . . . Western International Media of Los Angeles has been hired by Jerry Della Femina’s New York agency Jerry Inc. to handle media buying for Newsweek magazine. . . . The New York agency Jordan, McGrath, Case & Taylor, which recently opened a Glendale office to serve client Nestle USA, plans to add staff. . . . Adweek magazine reports Young & Rubicam has approached Japanese agency Dentsu about buying out Y&R;’s half-interest in Lord, Dentsu & Partners.
