December 21st, 2008 
joel 
Ms. Mengine goes to Washington: former broadcaster, marketing consultant, and Erie mayoral assistant Tina Mengine has been tapped as Chief of Staff for new Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper. I first met Tina some 20 years ago when she managed an area radio combo and I was selling TV campaigns for Film House. She has had a very strong career ever since, including performing duties as acting mayor in the waning months of the Fllippi administration, and setting Mrs. Dahlkemper on a course for victory in the 3rd Congressional District this fall. Tina will head Dahlkemper’s Washington office.- Last minute must-see Christmas TV specials: One of the annual conversations we have at Christmas time in our family is why, with 300 television channels, nobody plays the old Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and Andy Williams Christmas specials from the 60’s and 70’s? Rudolph and Charlie Brown get an annual nod, but not Bob Hope. Anyhow, here’s a few don’t miss Christmas specials airing in the next few days:
- Sunday:
- The Legend of Frosty the Snowman – 3:30 PM – Cartoon Network
- Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas – 8:30 PM – Cartoon Network
- Monday:
- Greatest Holiday Moments: Hilarious Home Video Countdown – 8:00 PM – NBC
- The Polar Express – 8:30 PM – ABC Family
- Tuesday:
- White Christmas – 6:00 & 9:00 PM – ABC Family
- The 10th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Faith Hill – 8:00 PM – CBS
- Wednesday:
- The Bishop’s Wife – 6:00 PM – TCM
- It’s a Wonderful Life – 8:00 PM – NBC
- A Christmas Story – 8:00 & 10:00 PM – TBS
- Sunday:
- ETN buyouts beginning to impact: In a Good Morning column that ran on Thursday, news producer Jim Haynes announced his retirement as of January 2nd. The long-time veteran came to the Times News in 1990, marking 18 years last April. We will probably continue to get wind of those who accepted the buyouts announced in November. It was reported that the paper needed to cut 9% of its workforce going into the new year.
- The Forbidden 10: if you do any writing of ads, whether for your business or a clients’, you’ll want to heed copywriter Susna Gunelius’s advice and avoid these ten words in your copy. Whether they trigger spam filters for your email, lack meaning, or slow down the reader, here what you don’t want to say: free, guarantee, really, very, that, a lot, opportunity, to be, synergy, and drinkability (sorry, Bud!).
- The NFL on HDTV: just a week before the end of the regular season, and there are some games that really mean something to their fans. We at the P&T are glad to point you the way toward the full viewing experience on HD:
- Sunday, 1 PM – Arizona @ New England- WFXP: DT 66.1/City 418/Suburbs 706
- Sunday, 4 PM – Buffalo @ Denver – WSEE: DT 35.1/City 405/Suburbs 709
- Sunday, 8:15 PM – Carolina @ NY Giants – WICU: City 412/Suburbs 712
- Monday, 8:30 PM – Green Bay @ Chicago – ESPN: City 430/ Suburbs 772
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Liked Susan’s article…should be required reading not only for copywriters but salespeple too…since in this brave new world that is broadcasting, many of them have to write copy too.
If I may add a few things to her list.
Phone numbers…absolutely no use in radio copy. No listener is able to catch the number or remember it unless it’s repeated over and over…or is easy to remember (call 459-GOLF).
“It’s the sale you’ve been waiting for”…you obviously have no life.
“Family owned and operated.” That might have meant something a generation ago…but today consumers want the most bang for their buck. Why else do you think that Wal-Mart has driven so many “family owned and operated” places out of business?
“We turn your house into a home”…It was clever when it was first written in 1966…today it’s another meaningless cliche.
“Nothing will be held back.” …copy filler..nothing more.
“Our friendly knowledgeable staff…” Like anyone’s going to have surly ignorant staff.
There are many MANY more I could mention…but they all share one common trait. They dont address the needs/wants of the CONSUMER. That’s what all commercials should do.
Nothing more in recent days has bothered me as much as the word… “Champion”. It really turns me off when I hear the word “Champion” repeated on the radio or TV in a harsh annoying voice! It has gotten to the point where I have a deep desire to avoid or even boycott everything connected with the word “CHAMPION”.
I have to believe that there is more to a commercial, be it radio, TV or print, than just the words. The media people that are responsible for pitching an ad also have to work on PRESENTATION. I don’t like buying cars from Santa Claus any more than I like buying a computer from a surfer DUDE.
In my humble opinion, no-ho-ho-ho-body should try to sell without proper presentation.
Please do not boycott Champion Bolt. We need all the business we can retain in this town, and like it or not, they have Champion in their name.
Buy a bolt, David.
Presentation you say?
I agree that a little child telling me about buying cars, or the children of an owner telling me of their wares is a teeth grinding moment. C’mon car folks.
Those kids don’t know their APR’s from their Cavaliers. Get the kids off your ad.
However, David, presentation is in the eye of the beholder. Should they just stick with the product and tell you Features, Advantages, Benefits?
I think not.
Who can forget Denny Braendel and his many TV ads.
“That’s 459-2856″
Recall the penguin tuxedos all dancing out in front of the Warner Theater with Braendel (NOT Brand “X”) leading the dancing of the stars. This was the old man Dennis, not the kid. It was a grand presentation and had nothing to do with painting your house…..
including the dance clothes.
“Step up, step UP, to Braendel”
Oh heck, Denny Braendel “stepped up” all over State Street in front of the Warner there.
I never had the guy paint my house, but I liked his ads.
I never bought a Ford from Pete Oatess……
“so go to 4-0-2-1- Peach Street in Er-rrrie P-A
your local Ford Dealer, PETE OATESS!
you oughta go down and see him today”
….but I liked his ad enough to remember it longer than a “Bucky Beaver Ipana-for-your-teeeeth” ad.
I did buy a miserable Orange Datsun from Lou Porreco, but I was a stupid kid who didn’t know any better. Didn’t look at any of his ads and we knew nothing of cubic zirconia quality in those days, but a Datsun is like a cubic zirconia diamond, trust me.
Presentation can work in reverse too.
After watching Jack Langer ads for years, I would never let his wrench near my pipe.
That way, I have “No Problem”.
“Remember….there’s NO FEE unless we get money for you!” We have watched this guy grow up from a young practicing member of the esteemed Bar Association, to a Santa Claus on Weight Watchers.
His presentation needs a theme song, something like….
“Many a tear has to fall,
but it’s all,
in the game.”
BWA-HA-HA
So there you have local painters, plumbers, lawyers.
You presentation people need to give us a chuckle with a good dentist ad, jolt us with an electrician ad, and maybe a local golf pro.
Or make a combo presentation by showing a group of Attornies playing golf at Lake View CC and have one of the Esquires smack his ball errant. This ad could reflect the quality of the fine course, show how legal business is attended, perhaps get H & R Block to discuss tax writeoffs available, and Dennis Braendel dancing in a tuxedo on the 9th green coming back to the club.
People would sit up for this.
I golfed with a buddy at Overlake and he drives low, with a lift of the ball about 100 to 150 yards out.
He drove into a flock of geese on Number 9, meandering about 99 yards out.
His ball went spinning, directly up the ass end of a goose facing North, instead of watching the ball like all the other geese.
He honked wildly and the pressure moved him forward on his spindly little legs, about 12 yards, flapping wings wildly, but no lift, just fast-moving goose legs, before he released the ball. I never saw a ball”walked”, except in baseball.
When we approached the ball, I pulled out my handy dandy Rules of Golf manual and opened it randonly.
While flipping pages, I told my partner he had to move the ball back to where it entered said ass.
The goose MOVED the ball illegally forward.
Golf is a gentleman’s sport, and being a gentleman, my partner looked at that poop covered ball and said: “I ain’t touching that ball…..ever!”
The Rules pages stopped and I looked at the headline:
“Rectification of the Lie”, said the random page.
We started laughing so hard we were lucky no attornies were nearby to sue us for having fun.
The goose glared at my partner the entire time of our second shot. I think he wished he had an arm instead of a wing, so he could rub his butt a bit.
THIS…..would have made a great presentation, cept the bird people would get their nose out of joint, and it would be hard to find that dumb of a bird again, NOT to mention the accuracy of the shot required.
It was a Champion shot, David!
Regarding the Denny Braendel Warner Theater Ad…one of the girls in the background was a cousin of mine. At the time she was fresh out of high school and working at one of the ear piercing places in Millcreek Mall when she says this guy came up to her and asked if she wanted to be in a TV commercial (no it wasn’t Mr. Braendel). She thought he was hitting on her and almost blew him off till he showed her a business card. So she went and did the ad…her part was basically getting paid to stand in the background and provide eye candy.
I think the Braendel Warner Theater spot was one of the most memorable local TV spots — but, of course, I’m a sucker for crane shots (or in that case “cherry picker shots”). Sometimes you “Sell the Sizzle, not the Steak.” If I’m not mistaken, it was produced by the crew at Cablevision when their studio and production facility was at 9th and Peach.
And, I’ve used Braendel Painting twice since that ad. Unlike most painting contractors, they answered the phone, Denny showed up and quoted the next day, two days later the crew showed up and painted, at the end of the day Denny came back, checked the work, pointed out a few places that “needed fixing,” and then shook my hand and thanked me. I didn’t mind writing that check.
Jim Griffey’s cousin must have talent as well as beauty, for I recall those background girls dancing, and doing their best to keep up with Denny —- dancing around a baton.
AJ, you make a good point.
I painted my grampa’s house twice (2 story), my parent’s homes maybe 6 times, 2 of my sister’s homes, and all of my own. I happen to like painting, so NOT using Braendel had to do with my finding pleasure in doing the job myself.
Dennis must be doing well to stay in an Erie business so long. We are tough customers.
But I did want to clarify not using the painter while loving his ads. I enjoy painting inside and outside.
Marquette’s 100 year anniversary ad will long be remembered too. Like Braendel advertising no painting
in his ad, there was no banking in the Marquette ad.
Braendel came across as a fun guy with a sense of humor. It was a winner.
Marquette came across as a neighbor you could readily talk to over the fence. They remain in business while many banks have bit the dust.
We could use a little more creative presentation in all out media ads.
Quick! Name ANY ad in the Erie Times-News that the community remembers, as this thread notes for TV and even radio (Oatess).
Internet advertisements are neuorotic in blinking, repetitive clip art, and idiocy. Just check GoErie Homepage to see bad ads daily, irritants to the eyeball, and true across the Internet for ads.
I don’t think they have a Clio Award for Internet ads.
Clio would roll over dead.
I know that Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper did not set the number of aides for the district but 18 fulltime and 4 parttime people to “serve us”. Give me a break! Are the phone lines down. The country would be better off if they shut it down and quit handing out loans. OBTW congress got a 3 percent raise. They are in touch with the rest of the country. Each member of the U.S. Congress is set to get an automatic, cost-of-living pay raise of about $4,700, or about 2.8%, according to the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.
The current average salary for members of Congress, $169,300, would rise to about $174,000 in 2009.
Paul the number of aides right now is about 12 total, 2 of whom are part-timers. For the district itself the total is 6, the rest are DC staffers. Shutting down Congress is not really a rational idea. I see that you are upset. You might try and get involved with the process rather than spew venom and short sighted ideas.