One of the biggest mistakes I find online is advertisers trying to make ad materials work from their traditional marketing campaigns “as is”. As traditional marketers, we tend to want to be synergistic and efficient and economical and many other adjectives. As Hispanic agencies Clients have accustomed us to working magic with the budgets that we get. I’ll never forget when a local Chicken Fast Food Restaurant here in Miami made my agency at the time produce 6 spots for $150k. Somehow, we did a nice job considering the time and budget we had (we called in a lot of favors).

Your OOH (billboard) creative should not become the header to your micro-site. Your TV spot should not become the exact video you use for the intro to your site. Your brochure copy does not become the body copy of your page. Rather, your site should be an extension of the marketing materials you have in the market. It should be a place where consumers can take the knowledge they’ve acquired, through exposure to your message via traditional means, to the next level. A place where they can get the rest of the information they need to make an informed purchase decision. A haven where you can continue your brand relationship with them…long far after the TV media budget has ended.

For this reason, it is a best practice to produce more materials than needed for your traditional marketing. Shoot more footage than needed, negotiate internet rights for photography and talent upfront and create added value for your consumers online. Much like the bonus footage on a new release DVD, it is usually a BIG incentive to buy the movie. The same concept applies to online. It is the reason consumers continue to log onto your page to continue your relationship together. So make it count!

- Written by Miamiadguy