Janie's Blog Clarksville,TN Real Estate Marketing Expert

Let me preface this post by stating unequivocally I have watched entirely too much television in the course of my life.  I have watched enough for me, and probably for you as well.  I don't watch very much these days, although there are a few shows I don't miss, and I like watching NFL football.

In today's age of Tivo (or your DVR of choice), Netflix, Roku, "on demand" cable and satellite services, it is very easy to avoid TV commercials.  As a result, advertisers have found ways to make commercials more interesting, or funny, or eye-catching, so that you might actually take a second or two to see what's going on there on your screen.

I NEVER thought I would say this, but I sometimes miss the old ads of yesteryear.  You know, the ones that have jingles that still rattle around in my mind.  The ones with Colonel Sanders, or Ronald McDonald, or the Jolly Green Giant (ho,ho,ho). 

When I was a kid, we didn't have fancy universal remotes, or any remotes, for that matter.  In fact, I was the remote in our house:

"Jason, change it to channel five."

"Jason, could you switch it to the game now?"

Being an only child had its perks (no sharing required), but this particular item didn't make the list. 

Those large dials were always fun.  Chunka-chunka-chunka.  Channel 4.  Chunka-chunka-chunk.  Channel 7. 

I remember when we first got cable television, when I was around 12 or 13.  We had a small basic remote for changing channels.  Of course, it had no volume control, so you had to get off your duff to adjust that manually.

One thing that I sort of miss now is the fact that you always knew what they were actually trying to sell you back then:

"Blue Star Ointment.  It kills itching fast."

"Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Finger-licking good!"

McDonald's even had a knack for bringing a tear to the eye with their ads, although I will readily admit that it never made me want to eat their food.

One of the most famous ads of all-time is Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", which was sort of like a hippie love-in on behalf of a major soft drink company, but it was catchy and memorable and pleasant, even if the folks in the ad look a bit hypnotized:

Here's another popular ad from my childhood - this one came out when I was about six or so probably.  Does anyone here understand this particular marketing technique?  I don't exactly understand the appeal, but I know that they darn sure wanted me (or my parents) to buy some Kool-Aid, perhaps with the threat of being crushed by the giant pitcher if I didn't comply? 

 

We had to deal with the spectre of the scary Kool Aid dude, and the strangeness of the Chuck Wagon mini-stagecoach (seemed very much like a bad drug trip for dogs, in my opinion), and the incessant Slinky song (it's Slinky, it's Slinky, fun for a girl or a boy!).  I would take any of these over the incredible soft sell found in today's commercials.

I have often found myself talking about ads with friends, then we realized that none of us even know what company the ads are promoting. 

I think it's great to include humor in ads, but not at the expense of the focus/reason for the ad in the first place. 

"Wow!  That was hilarious!  I have no idea what they were selling, but I laughed."

I really don't have any central point to this post, other than to offer my opinion that advertisers might be better served by bringing back cute characters and mascots, and having hippie love-fests, and beating me over the head with their incessantly catchy jingles.  Hey - jingles work.  This one is one that I like to serenade my wife with when we go to movies sometimes:

 Thanks for reading!

  

 

 

Have you ever creeped up on someone and scared them out of their mind by saying... BOO!

I have on several occasions.  It appears that the economy has done that to most of America.

BOO!...Bailout doesn't get approved!  BOO!...home prices down.  BOO!...banks failing!  BOO!...foreclosures up!  BOO!...stock prices down!

The list could go on, but by now you are really scared and I sort of feel bad.

BOO!

Okay seriously I am done.

Besides me right now.  Who keeps scaring you with the big BOO!  Take a look deep inside yourself for a few moments.... What are your fears in this economy? Why are you afraid? What can you do to calm yourself? What can you do now that can create positive momentum? What GOOD can come out of this for you?

Hopefully you found some good that can come out of this.  Now look at what you are doing now and the results you are getting.

What is working?

What is not working?

What do you need to do more of?

What do you need to do less of?

 

If you actually have answered these questions you will find that you are in control of your own destiny. So next time someone says BOO!... You can just laugh knowing you are not scared but are more then equipped to do GOOD things now and moving forward.

 

 

FOR A 10 MINUTE NO FEE COACHING CONSULTATION CALL ME AT 763-635-7228.

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Chuck Carstensen is a Realtor with The Discovery Team at RE/MAX; helping buyers, sellers, and investors of residential real estate.  He is a Dynamic Life Coach; The Discovery Coach - "Helping you discover your talents, desires and purpose." Carstensen is a speaker and co-author in the best selling book series Wake Up...Live the Life You Love: Your Wake Up Moments (available this winter).

 

About two weeks ago there was a fire in an Elk River, MN which burnt an apartment complex causing several families to be displaced.  Many families lost everything in that fire.  Many are still trying to find housing and living in local hotels.  There are a lot of hurting people.

Anyone wanting to help these families can get more info or donate to:

www.hopefilledhands.com

763-262-HOPE

Donation can be sent to:

Hope Filled Hands

PO Box 150

Elk River, MN 55330

 

I personally am working with a family who was living there who had an offer accepted on a bank owned home that were are waiting to close on. The people really need this to close.  So I would like a special prayer request for them that their closing would happen this Friday at 1:30pm.  These people lost everything in the fire and just want to move on and start over. They have kept a great attitude and we have been getting delays on the Sellers end of the closing. 

For the rest of the people keep them in your prayers that they may find housing and that God would restore to them all that has been taken. Thanks!

 

Please click here to subscribe to my blog . See the sidebar on the right to subscribe by email.

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Chuck Carstensen is a Realtor with The Discovery Team at RE/MAX; helping buyers, sellers, and investors of residential real estate.  He is a Dynamic Life Coach; The Discovery Coach - "Helping you discover your talents, desires and purpose." Carstensen is a speaker and co-author in the best selling book series Wake Up...Live the Life You Love: Your Wake Up Moments (available this winter).