Crea%ve  Slamdown:    How  World-­‐Class  Crea.ves    

Successfully  Sell  Even  the  Most    Mundane  Products  

Nancy  Harhut    nharhut@aol.com    

Dan  von  der  Embse    d.vonderembse@aA.net    

Melinda  Risolo    Risolo@aol.com      

Moderator:  Carol  Worthington-­‐Levy  

CWL@Worthington-­‐Levy.com  

Creative Slamdown 3 fierce contenders: stars in the the creative field

3 big challenges: Pedestrian products (all useful) and services that need to be sold

Your challenge: Listen to each of these war stories, and decide for yourself which you think was the best solution

Ask questions: The first 5 questions will be rewarded with Starbucks cards

How to vote at the end: Low tech solution — we’ll ask for you to applaud at the end for your favorite contender — and watch the winner receive the coveted World’s Greatest Creative award!

Then: Leave the room all fired up with great ideas for your most boring client

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The Contenders:

Melinda “The Fiercest Writer” Risolo

Dan “The Man” von der Embse

Nancy “Insurance Crusher” Harhut

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Contender #1 Melinda Risolo

challenges the idea that “the way it’s always been done”

is the way that will work best

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Melinda  Risolo  Agency:  Anderson  Direct  Marke.ng  Client:  SeeChange  Health  Insurance!

A new approach !to health insurance—!

and the creative that sells it.  

The competitive environment:  

The challenge: introduce a company that really is new and

different.•  First  new  group  carrier  to  enter  California  in  nearly  20  years.    

•  Innova.ve  approach  to  controlling  health  care  costs,  now  and  for  the  long  term.    

•  Only  insurance  company  to  offer  this  new  approach  to  small  and  mid-­‐size  businesses.  

•  Goals:  Get  employers  interested,  get  brokers  appointed.  

The solution: look at creative from a new perspective.  

Step 1: Engage brokers  

Step 1: Engage brokers  

Step 1: Engage brokers  

Step 1: Engage brokers  

Step 1: Engage brokers  

Step 2: Engage employers  

Step 2: Engage employers  

Step 2: Engage employers  

Step 2: Engage employers  

•  Mike, do you have images of the mobile ads?!•  May add tent card.!

How  did  we  do?  •  Nearly 1,000 brokers appointed in California, and

growing every day.!

•  16,000+ new members since launch.!

•  ! Beat January targets by 50%; from zero to significant awareness !

! in 3 months.!       “SeeChange  Health  is  extremely  pleased  with  this  campaign’s  ability          to  engage  brokers  and  employers  and  demonstrate  our  new,  different            and  be>er  health  benefit  solu@on  for  small  employers.  ”    

Next  stop:  Colorado  

How could something so different work so well?  

•  Strong offers, presented prominently.!•  Messaging that resonated with our target audience. !•  Benefits, benefits, benefits.!•  Attractive layout with scannable copy.!•  Proven tactics (“5 Reasons”)!•  Strong call to action, repeated often.!

More requirements for success:  •  A great client!•  A great agency!•  A great designer!

Contender  #2  Dan  von  der  Embse  

miraculously  channels    the  minds  of  “Millenials”    

The Target: Millenials  •  Ages  16  to  33  

– Raised  on  praise  – Tech  immersed  

– Key  events  were  9/11  and  Great  Recession  

The Challenge  •  Millenials  are  Financial  Procras.nators  

–  Serious  lack  of  financial  knowledge  –  Parents  are  s.ll  key  players  in  their  finance  decisions    – Money  management  is  seen  as  a  necessary  evil,  and  banking  is  

seen  as  something  for  the  future  

The Approach  •  Ditched  the  tradi.onal  student  ad  campaigns  of  the  past  

•  Created  our  own  online  media  content  

•  Made  frugality  fun  and  offered  sound  money  advice    

This Is Cheapster  

Cheapster Facebook  

Cheapster Facebook Content  

Cheapster Episode Page  

Cheapster In The News  

Cheapster Results  •  Since  beginning  the  campaign,  number  of  accounts  opened  from  this  demo  are  up  20%  

•  Season  Two  of  Cheapster  now  underway  

Contender #3 Nancy Harhut

chews tenaciously on Life Insurance

for Dentists

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Crea.ve  Challenge:  Sell  life  insurance  to  den.sts  

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Product:  Life  insurance  from  ADA  Insurance  Plans  of  Great-­‐West  Life  

Target:     ADA  den.sts  with  coverage  

Goal:     Sell  more  life  insurance  to  them  

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Audience  Barriers  

•  Don’t  want  to  think  about  it  

•  Assume  they’re  “all  set”  

•  Limited,  frequently-­‐  mailed  audience  

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Product  Barriers  

•  Parity  product  category  

•  Less  expensive  op.ons  available  

• Must  remain  an  ADA  member  -­‐  $$$  

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Process  Barriers  

•  No  agents  –  only  sold  direct  

•  No  one-­‐stop  shopping  

•  Daun.ng  applica.on  

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The  Solu%on?  

•  “Slide  in  under  the  radar”  package  

•  Smart  use  of  personaliza.on  

•  Strong  DR  techniques  

•  Strategic  use  of  the  Magne.c  Middle  

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Did  it  work?  

•  “Slide  in  under  the  radar”  package  

•  Smart  use  of  personaliza.on  

•  Strong  DR  techniques  

•  Strategic  use  of  the  Magne.c  Middle  

459%  LIFT  OVER  THE  CONTROL  

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What  now?  

Who  will  win  the  award  for  the  World’s  Greatest  Crea%ve?  

It’s  %me  to  vote:  which  do  you  think  was  the  best  answer  to  the  biggest  challenge  

We’ll  measure  applause.    

And  if  anyone  deserves  applause,  its  these  three  contenders!    

Thank you! If  any  more  ques.ons,  don’t  hesitate  to  ask  us!  

Nancy Harhut nharhut@aol.com Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nharhut

Dan von der Embse d.vonderembse@att.net Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/danvonderembse

Melinda Risolo Risolo@aol.com Connect with me on http://www.LinkedIn.com

Moderator: Carol Worthington-Levy CWL@Worthington-Levy.com My articles: http://www.WorthingtonLevy.Wordpress.com