WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 30, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- "Effective communications in a recession economy must take escalating consumer skepticism into consideration," says Michael Valentino, CEO of TMPG, Inc. "This means downsizing costly 'traditional' methods of convincing people to purchase goods or services, and increasing the quality and credibility of the messages delivered via more economical 'non-traditional' means.
"Advertisers need to ask themselves a few basic questions," Valentino says. "For example, is it wiser in this economy to spend $X million on a 30-second paid spot passively listened to by 2 million skeptics, or the same amount on a tightly focused 'non-traditional' approach that actively engages 500,000 with your brand and generates positive Word of Mouth to millions of others?"
TMPG, the award winning-marketing communications agency, refers to this value-driven approach as "Return on Engagement." It focuses on advertisers who want prospects to get actively involved with their offerings to prompt a quick buying decision.
"Paid spots or basic PR techniques are not going to get the job done today," Valentino maintains. "In certain product categories -- automobiles, food, music, consumer electronics -- you need to get customers to experience the product via websites, or special events, and begin generating positive word of mouth to friends, family and other influencers."
Non-Traditional Radio "Jump Start"
TMPG's approach involves these techniques, and uses non-traditional radio (NTR) to "jump start" a campaign. "We feel NTR is the most powerful and cost-effective way to get the conversation started," Valentino point out. Instead of using radio for paid spots, the company will engage a popular DJ or news commentator to talk about the product in a way that comes across more as a personal endorsement than an ad.
Use of NTR in major marketing promotions will increase 25 percent this year, according to TMPG.
About TMPG
TMPG, founded in 1991 by Michael Valentino, has created innovative campaigns for blue chip clients including Kraft, American Express, BMW, Sara Lee, DISH Networks and others. It recently expanded its promotional capabilities, offering clients multi-discipline turnkey campaigns that include digital promotions, website design, content development and data capture, and travel promotions offering interactive experiences with entertainment and sports celebrities.