Last week I discussed how to sell out of home versus local TV.  Today I’ll talk about selling out of home versus local cable TV. Remember:

• Use leading questions in the data gathering stage to determine dissatisfaction with any of their current media choices. “Is (name an OOH attribute) important to you?”  “Does (name a competing media weakness) frustrate you?”.
• Do not take direct aim at a prospect’s current media choices. Get the prospect excited about your ideas.

Strengths of local cable TV advertising:

• Perceived status/glamour/ego gratification (advertisers love to see/be in their own cable TV ad!)
• Great creative platform
• Multi-demographic target by channels/programs
• Ad length flexibility (30s, 60s, etc.)
• Uniform ad platforms/lengths across markets
• Attention grabbing
• Combination of sight and sound
• Larger audience than most local radio stations
• Original programming makes it more cost competitive than local broadcast TV
• Cable viewers tend to have higher disposable household incomes
• Cable viewers tend to watch more TV
• Proven/accepted direct-response media
• Accepted media for co-op tag advertising

Weaknesses of local cable TV advertising:

• Ratings integrity (most cable ratings/shares quoted are based on the universe of cable subscribers…not the entire market)

• Very hard to achieve 100 weekly GRPs across a market
• “Cord-cutting” (dropping cable) is now so strong, consumers can buy a cable-cutting set-up service
• Advertiser’s share of voice on cable TV is diluted in two ways:

Advertisers only get a portion of the ad time in a given hour (30 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.)

Many alternative choices for cable channel delivery (Dish Network, streaming etc.)

• DVRs/ad hopping software and shift to digital platforms make it very easy to watch favorite shows with no/minimal ads
• Viewership is the worst when weather is the nicest in most markets
• Have to buy multiple programs to reach multiple demographics
• Hard to reach some important demographics: Millennials, Soccer-Moms, etc.
• Ads are overpriced based on cost per thousand comparisons
• Ad “packages” can contain lot of fringe time, low value placement
• High production costs (hard to get an ad produced that reflects an advertiser’s true quality)
• Requires long lead time to implement a campaign or change/update copy.
• Impossible to make the message “real time”
• Viewers take breaks/leave the room when an advertiser’s ad is aired

How can OOH capitalize on local cable TV weaknesses:

• OOH is a media that consumers are migrating “to” and not “from”
• OOH ads are not skippable, can’t change the channel
• OOH delivers 52 weeks a year even during the nicest weather months when TV is at its weakest
• OOH delivers 24/7 share of ad voice on each printed unit.
• Real time messaging (with DOOH)
• Can singularly achieve 100 weekly GRPs
• Reach every demographic and for the same dollar
• Low cost per thousand ad impressions
• Gratifies advertiser’s ego better than any other media
• Highly creative ads create buzz, street talk, and social media posts amplifying the reach at no extra cost
• A powerful co-op ad medium, especially with DOOH
• Can achieve direct-response results equal or better than any other media

Next week: the pros and cons of local radio advertising.

If I can leverage my experience to help you or your company sell more faster contact me at  kevinjgephart@gmail.com or use the form below.

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