It’s interesting to me when friends from outside the advertising arena ask what I think about a new ad they’ve just seen or heard. I‘ve learned to give my opinion only after they’ve shared what they think. It seems they believe my opinion carries more weight since I work in the ad game.

The truth is, we’re all consumers. And as such, we’re all informed and persuaded by ads in the same fashion. The only difference is that we in the industry are usually a little more conscious of the processes and tactics used in marketing to shoppers.

So how can we, as consumers, decide if an ad is “good”? Good is a relative term. Whether an ad is measured as good or bad depends on who’s holding the yardstick. Was it good because it won an award for creativity? Was it good because it increased sales? Was it good primarily because it made the competition furious?

Here are a few things to keep in mind when evaluating an ad:

1. What’s my overall impression?
After viewing an ad, how do I feel about the company advertised? Image advertising (as opposed to product advertising) specifically tries to enhance the relationship between consumers and the company. Think about your feelings toward recent advertisements you’ve seen for companies and brands such as these: GEICO, Old Spice, Burger King, Sham-Wow, BP, Toyota.

2. Was the ad targeted at me?
Sometimes we might not readily understand an ad (or miss it completely) simply because it was not intended to reach our demographic, or segment of the population. Demographics can include factors such as age, sex, education level and income level. In other words, you will probably not see a pimple cream TV commercial during an episode of Matlock. Likewise, you’re not likely to see a print ad for mutual funds in a Disney KIDS magazine.

3. Was the ad memorable?
Do you remember the name of the product or company advertised? Many times I’ve seen or heard a commercial so creative or funny that I just had to tell someone about it…only to realize I didn’t remember who the advertiser was. Note: particularly unusual or funny ads have now become buzz-worthy or viral and have found an expanded audience on sites such as YouTube.com.

4. Was the message clearly communicated?
All advertisements are competing for our time and attention. Some, such as magazine advertorials, have more time to communicate with us while others have less time, such as a roadside billboard. In each case, the message must Speak Clearly. Anything that obscures the message or confuses the targeted audience only hinders the ad’s effectiveness. Possible roadblocks to clarity include a cluttered composition, too many selling points, the use of too many typefaces or graphic devices, too much copy, or even inappropriate attempts at humor.

When I’ve had occasion to speak with advertising or graphic design students, I urge them to be aware of the myriad ad messages they encounter. There’s something to learn from each ad. When one of these ads makes an impression on them (whether positively or negatively), I encourage them to break the ad down into its smaller elements and identify those elements that help convey the message, and those that impede the message.

5. Did the ad inspire me to take action?
This action could be anything from calling an 800 number, to voting for a specific candidate, logging on to a website, or simply remembering the name of a product so you can look for it later.

Of course there are several other criteria for determining the value or effectiveness of any ad, but the ones I’ve outlined here should get you started.

By: Mike Vangel and Brooke Omar

But even though the industry’s fundamental purpose is to convince shoppers to buy a product they may not actually need, such persuasion can be done in an “ethical and tasteful” way.

Wow. This from someone at our very own University of Missouri—on the need to launch an “Institute for Advertising Ethics.” (Read the whole article here.)

Really?

Have they been watching too much Mad Men?

You kind of expect the denizens of academia to turn over rocks looking for signs of rot in business and society, but this really does look like someone trying to “Super-Size” a non-issue. Quick–someone grab the ShamWOW! and clean up this mess before it gets all over the carpet. Not that anyone really needs carpet. Let’s just talk-up the benefits of dirt floors and we can eliminate the need for the Electrolux and the Scrubbing Bubbles, too.

Are Americans really a band of zombies hypnotized by clever copywriting and subliminal messages? (Are you thirsty?) Are consumers today—armed with instant access to consumer-generated product information and social media tools—really victims of the advertising industry?

Really?

Here at VANGEL we eliminate the guilt and angst associated with such a tawdry industry, by choosing our clients carefully. We ask: Who are they? What industry do they represent? Do they have a solid reputation for product and service excellence? Will we be proud to represent them?  If the answers to any of those questions leave us in doubt, we walk away.

That’s how we maintain the “ethical and tasteful” standards we want the industry to reflect.

In the past year, we’ve been proud to help House of Brokers strengthen their brand in the local marketplace. We’ve created a public service campaign for First Chance for Children about the importance of reading and talking to babies. And we’ve made it easier for the underinsured in our community to find a medical home with our work for Family Health Center.

But come on. Do you really need a house to live in? Do you really need to read with your baby? Do you really need quality medical care?

Please, people from the Institute of Advertising Ethics: don’t assume you know what we need. Unless you’re selling us ShamWOWs. Everyone needs one of those.

Last night, I was catching up with my childhood best friend over the phone. Allison has been traveling all over the country with her husband, a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Living the life of an athlete is nothing new for these two—they met as freshmen at USC, where she played basketball, and he played baseball. Both had games all over the states and tournaments in different countries. For six years, they could only spend a day here, a week there, a month together at most while they pursued athletics and education. They spent most of their first year and a half of marriage on opposite sides of the country as her husband played for the Yankees and Allison pursued her masters in post-secondary sports administration at USC.

Allison comes from a family of athletes, too. Her sister played basketball for the University of Tulsa, her brother played football for the Naval Academy, her father played football for our very own Missouri Tigers, and her Grandpa Charlie was a captain on the St. Louis Hawks in 1958 when they won the NBA Finals. Needless to say, athletics have always been a big part of Allison’s life.

But that might not have been possible without the passing of Title IX in 1972. Among many other important things, Title IX gave women a fair shot at playing organized sports. When Allison and I had our first soccer practice or volleyball game in the 90s, I doubt we realized we were of a privileged generation. But our coaches probably did. They were doing something special by giving us opportunities that were not given to them or their sisters or their female classmates growing up.

So when Allison just happened to run into her childhood volleyball coach last weekend and he said the magical words, “You should try coaching,” it brought back a lot of memories for her. Specifically, this beautiful Nike commercial from 1995:

More about Nike’s 1995 “If You Let Me Play” Ad

Allison remembered how Nike’s award-winning ad stuck with her and inspired her as an 11-year-old. It was a “big deal” to the girls’ sports community back then. The ad helped her and her friends realize that teamwork and sports were more than just fun and games—sports were changing their lives for the better. Nike’s ad did much more than bolster its brand; it spoke truth.

And after a little nudge from an old coach 15 years later, “If You Let Me Play” has inspired Allison all over again. She’s committed to finding a girl’s team in the greater Phoenix area to coach. Excitedly, she says, “I’m indebted to sports and all of my coaches. Sports have shaped who I am. Sports paid for my education, taught me leadership and communication skills, changed my approach to life in general. Almost all of my best relationships, in some way, are connected to sports. How could I not help other young girls realize their potential through sports?”

Maybe 15 years from now, the girls who play for “Coach Allie” won’t know anything about Nike’s ad or Title IX, but they’ll surely feel their impact for a long time.

Ahh, the power of great ideas.

Let’s face it, adults are really just big kids. We like pictures. Here at VANGEL, we really REALLY like pictures. A great illustration can help evoke an emotion, create an identity, and help your company stand out in the marketplace. Below are some of our favorite illustrators. We’ve worked with these folks in the past, and know them to be super talented and extremely professional. Their work makes our work look good.

BARROUX

Formerly of New York, Barroux now lives in Paris when he’s not traveling to Brazil. Ah, the boring life of an illustrator. Barroux’s whimsical characters bring along a sense of wonder to both corporate communications and children’s books. We used Barroux’s illustrations to establish the GetAbout Columbia brand, and visually communicate how a walk or bike ride can make you feel like a kid again. Check out what happened when we worked with the guys at the VisionFactory in St. Louis to poof! turn Barroux’s illustrations into a TV spot.

JIM PAILLOT

Kevin went to art school with Paillot, and Brooke worked with him at an ad agency in Kansas City. That was before he left the sordid world of advertising for the sordid world of illustration. Jim now lives in Arizona where he and his feisty illustrated mischief-makers help make clients like Pizza Hut, the University of New Hampshire and the California Science Center muuuuch more interesting. Don’t miss Duckzilla on Paillot’s website here.

JANICE NADEAU

Janice is so tres cool. Her elegant illustrations combine pencil with watercolor for beautiful, sophisticated results. We worked with Janice a couple years ago on some gorgeous illustrations of fish, bumble bees and hummingbirds for a high-end furniture company. Janice hangs out in Montreal and is a pleasure to work with. She’ll even graciously suffer through your attempts to parlez francais.

What about BoCoMo? Yeah, we’ve got artists and illustrators hiding out all over this town. If you’re in Columbia, we want to see your stuff. Send us a link to your work and let’s try to figure out a project that could use a great picture.