Online+Advertising+Critique

Clearly Contacts is Canada’s largest online optical store. Recently the company launched an online advertising campaign giving away free prescription eyewear. I first became aware of this promotion while signed into my Facebook account. An explicitly visible square button banner was displayed among other advertisements. By clicking on the banner, the user is forwarded to the Clearly Contacts Facebook page, which presents a vertical tower banner and a full banner. In order for customers to receive their free glasses, they were required to enter the company website, choose their desired pair of glasses and enter a coupon code when checking out their product. Customers are required to join a Facebook group created by Clearly Contacts, in order to retrieve the coupon code.
 * __ Clearly Contacts __**



The ad campaign is targeted at a specific demographic, which includes particular characteristics. These characteristics include individuals who wear prescription glasses, are users of the web, and have active Facebook accounts. The advertisement is explicitly displayed on the website, however in order to receive the coupon code customers have to sign into their Facebook account and join the Clearly Contacts group.

Clearly Contacts are using this advertising campaign to building brand awareness, create consumer demand, satisfy consumer demand and drive response and sales. Initially, Clearly Contacts specialized in selling contact lenses, due to consumer requests, the company decided to expand their product line to eyeglasses. Creatively designing an advertising banner on Facebook, using the word “free,” the campaign increased their brand awareness by alluring consumer’s by using their favorite word “free.” By investing funds into their customers, the company is allowing customers to try the product and service with no product costs, generating a positive impression of the company. Thus, now consumers know about the brand closing the gap towards gaining the customer trust and loyalty.

The advertising campaign also creates consumer demand, since many customers, who do not necessarily need a new pair of glasses, will still buy into the promotion mainly because there is no product cost to buying. Therefore, the advertising convinced consumers that they should want a product that they need and that they should get it because it is free.

Clearly Contacts advertising campaign satisfies consumer demand. Since this campaign gives consumers the ability to try the Clearly Contacts eyeglasses and determine their satisfaction with the product and decide whether or not the product best fits their needs. This makes consumers aware of the product and if the consumer is happy with the product and service it is likely that they will buy into the brand in the future, thus the consumer will know that the brand exists.

The current advertising campaign also drives response and sales for Clearly Contacts. Using the innovative Facebook banner, the Clearly Contacts marketing team helps drive traffic to the website, regardless of whether or not consumers buy into the product or not. Most online users will click on advertisements to get more information of the advertisement. By clicking on the Clearly Contacts online banner consumers are taken to a Facebook page that provides more information about the promotion, and from there users are likely to click on the link to the website, which displays eligible products. Therefore, even though these users might not buy into the promotion, they become aware of the brand, and might become potential customers.

The Clearly Contacts marketing team is effective using the campaign. They fulfilled all the objectives centered on online marketing. Using a social networking site is an effective form of online marketing strategy. Thus, by using Facebook, Clearly Contacts were successful in that marketing strategy.

Ford has recently launched a viral marketing campaign to promote their new 2011 Ford Fiesta. Based on the low price, compact size and vibrant, eccentric colours, Ford is targeting an audience of young adults. Individuals such as students, single or unmarried groups are the evident demographic.
 * __ Ford __**

media type="youtube" key="NSDINaaou8o" height="390" width="480" align="center"

By using viral marketing by means of social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and other viral applications, such as Youtube and Flickr, Ford is appealing to a specific brand of consumers. Since many individuals using such websites are part of the new generation of the Internet, many might also be part of the generation of small car buyers. Thus, Ford is using online marketing to reach these individuals. Through this campaign Ford is attempting to increase brand awareness, create customer demand, satisfy consumer demand and drive response and sales.



http://www.ford.ca/app/fo/en/cars/fiesta.do?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=cids10FIEE;#follow

Ford is increasing brand awareness by using the online marketing strategy of promoting their new product using social networking sites in conjunction with other popular sites such as Youtube and Flickr. Reviews on the Fiesta detail that it features are similar to that of a Mercedes, without imitating the price of a Mercedes ([]). Thus, attempting to convince consumers of what they should have by showing the similarities of a high-end car to an affordable car. These characteristics of the campaign satisfy the consumers demand and increase response and sales for the product because they are aware of the availability of the product.

I first saw the campaign on my Facebook account on February 1, 2011 while viewing my friend’s account; I noticed, “Adam likes this.” “This” was the Ford Fiesta Facebook page. The page presents a full horizontal banner and other Youtube videos.



http://www.facebook.com/fordfiesta?v=app_133898369992610

Ford used a marketing strategy, which included social serving to reach their target market. By using banner ads with rich images, and videos, which linked to Facebook or Twitter allowing viewers to add comments increases interactivity and brand building. Ford’s online marketing campaign is highly successful, because it fulfills all the objects of online advertising objectives. Additionally, since the campaign is encouraging consumers to comment and to get involved in several sweepstakes, using interactive outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, increases the effectiveness of the campaign.


 * __References__**

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2010/18/c6331.html

http://www.glassesdress.com/clearly-contacts-with-creative-eyeglasses-campaign/

http://www.ford.ca/app/fo/en/cars/fiesta.do?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=cids10FIEE;#follow

http://www.facebook.com/fordfiesta?v=app_133898369992610

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