may 2011
	get it now, before it’s gone Limited-time products are as old as the catch of the day. What's new is that marketers are using them more often as they seek to sell products to internet savvy customers whose shopping choices are endless. The marketing concept is that limited-time or limited-edition products create a sense of scarcity, and therefore a sense of urgency to buy. Because of the immediacy of the internet and social sites, limited-time offers can also create a lot of buzz. Retail giant Target began offering limited designer fashion collections that disappear after a few weeks, only to be replaced by new offerings. The program has been so successful that Target is now doing it in other categories, including shoes, handbags and jewelry. McDonald's has been using the McRib sandwich as a limited offer for years. There is even a McRib fan club and website to locate McDonald's stores selling them. Another classic example is Mallomars, the chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies from Nabisco. They are only offered from the fall to spring and primarily in the New York metro area.
			Today, we have limited edition clothes, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry, liquor, DVD's, toys, pens, books, M&M's, in fact, just about everything. John Deere even has a limited edition tool chest! All these brands continue to introduce limited edition products as part of their product line. But, little is known about the conditions under which a brand should introduce a limited edition product or the competitive implications. Researchers Balachander and Stock used a game theoretic model of a market where two brands compete for consumers who desire exclusivity. They concluded that adding a limited edition product has a positive direct effect on brand profits, but also has a negative strategic effect by increasing price competition between brands. Often the return from limited editions cannot be accurately measured and sometimes they become failures, which can affect the equity of the brand. Smart marketers today use limited edition products as a short-term tactical weapon for sales promotion, rather than a long-term strategic tool.
			lost ad A bride-to-be has a lot on her to-do list, so how do you convince her to add one more thing? Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company needed an ad for bridal magazines that would persuade future brides to consider protecting their valuable rings with a Personal Jewelry Insurance Policy. Each publication had its own look, feel and regional audience so the challenge was how to speak to such a varied group effectively. Actually the answer was pretty simple – fear, and we're not above using it. The initial visual punch and “Lost” headline mentally transports the viewer to the situation of losing their ring. Then we elevate the mood by reminding them how happy they'll be when they realize they have the best coverage available. Simplicity of shapes and minimal use of color and text creates an ad that pops in bridal magazines which tend to be crammed full of images and copy. Since it taps into the universal emotional centers of fear and relief, it is equally effective regardless of regional differences. Ample quiet space around the elements allowed for quick and easy resizing, thus making it economical to set up for a large number of publications. Jewelers Mutual liked it so much they asked us to revise it for a series of online banner ads as well as a translight display for Outagamie County Regional Airport. Look for it next time you fly out of Appleton! click here to see a larger version
			welcome students! On Thursday, April 28th, we were very pleased to host a number of Graphic Design students from UW Stevens Point and UW Green Bay as part of Fox River Ad Club's “Student vs. World” annual event. The students had an opportunity to tour the studio and ask questions before proceeding to the portfolio review that happened later that evening at the Grand Meridian. Leibold thanks the hardworking members of Ad Club for putting together the event which allows those of us in the field an opportunity to give back to the next generation of designers.