Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Psst....Want Some Hot Antiques?
Follow The Antique Trail

What do you know about the target audience? Mostly locals or mostly tourists? Do many regulars shop multiple antique stores already, or do they not even know some of them exist? The more you can tell us about the target audience the better, as KSA noted.

The listings will include independent antique stores... They are sharing ad space to save money... The media is The Jewish News, a local paper with large circulation to a more educated and affluent audience...the ad will run bimonthly for an initial period of three months... There are a variety of stores and the will have about 30 words along with name and number and a logo to help advertise their specific business and services.. Hope this helps..

You could try a very straight forward headline, such as ..."20 Independent Antique Store Profiles". And then try a modified or different headline in the next issue. Not a true a/b test, but you will get some feedback and gain some understanding of what's working.

Out Of The Attic
Dusty Antiques? Not here!
All that's new is old

I’m a new member, this is my first time response, I live in Australia, know nothing about advertising, to me most advertising is boring so here’s my ideas. Jay’s ‘Follow the Antique Trail’ got me on this roll. Your comment about the weather, is it snowing there? If it is perhaps you could expand on the header.
Spark my interest: Follow the Antique Trail…before it melts!
Header changes: I’d keep the same header every time, but include a sub header that you change for each ad, and try to keep the wording in the same era as the header such as ‘Blazing Trails of Old found at xyz store’
Why should I read more: To me, this headline warrants further investigation; ‘follow’ (you want me to do something), ‘antique’ (tells me the type of product), ‘trail’ (it’s a journey), ‘before it melts’ this gives me a sense of urgency or an opportunity not to miss out
Font: As it’s antiques, I’d want to see the ad in the font like the olden days WANTED posters (or at least the header), even your border can look old if you want like jaggered around the edges
Capture your audience: Wow, the header makes me feel like I’m about to go on an adventure into something exciting. And I could either go by myself, take the family, take friends, take the management team or coworkers, include it in my wedding register, include it in the weekend away with my travel group (yes contact your local travel agencies), do you get where I'm coming from
Body text, continued from header changes above: ask each store to list (ie) 3 items in their store that is, exquisite and pricy, unusual and pricy/moderate, unique or exciting and fun but affordable for anyone – and get a good photo of it if you want to use it in your ad. Make sure you mix the ad’s up to show all 3 types of items not just the exquisite ones for the first 4 weeks sort of thing.
Body text, continued: whoever the store that is that is mentioned in the sub header (header changes), can then have the opportunity to ignite peoples interest by telling them a story about the item or items
Expand the opportunity: Surely some or all of these stores have a website? And if 1 or more of these stores manage their own site even better as this will minimise your joint advertising costs. Pay them to advertise on their website, what I mean is have them create a page specifically for this joint venture. This opens it up to the world, but also gives those people who will have forgotten what you advertised 3 weeks ago or lost the paper an opportunity to see a lot more of what’s to come online and items advertised previously. On 'that' home page continue the same styles mentioned above but also have a showcase of all of the stores. Of course your home page will have your campaign but then have a link into ‘this weeks ad’ which will show off the item/s that were in the paper, and have another link to that stores website, if they don’t have a website do a simple but effective page on their business, even add ‘about us’ and show off a few more items that what will be advertised but keep the same 3 types of products (of course you’ll work out how many of each product may be required over your advertising time).
Make it fun: You could even make it more fun but making your ad into a jigsaw puzzle. So that each week your ad has a different piece within the ad that relates to something that they should be collecting each week.
The website and each store would have it displayed and that at the end of the advertising period whoever could guess what the item is, what was it used for (yes I’m thinking unique), what store has it, how much it is, etc. Draw a winner and give them a prize but make it personal, such as 2 tickets to the xyz theme park, Eagles concert etc – something they’d more than likely use rather than cash or autographed items
Make it fun 2: ‘trail’ – make it a treasure hunt, so use hints in your ads and then of course top this item off with ‘what’s in it for them’ a prize of some sort
Make it a worthy event: By this I mean make it a challenge such as should any of the items that are showcased be sold, x amount of the sale will go towards your nominated children’s charity or the community hall that was damaged or something worthy as people feel very proud of contributing towards a good cause.
Icing on the cake: Hey if this is working then consider making it an annual event, but condense it so that it covers a weekend or a long weekend, perhaps make it a time to dress up for a particular era each year or something catchy like that. And not all stores have music, but this is definitely something they should consider as people will stay longer if they can relate to the beat – to capture most people try the 70’s disco (I think is the type - not the heavy or head banging stuff). Songs such as Saturday Night at the Movies, September, Oh What a Night, Piano Man, Rock your Baby, Afternoon Delight, etc.
There is so much opportunity here, and try not to stereotype people because I remember as a child going through antique shops etc and I loved it but some seemed unwelcoming in mostly their ambiance. No matter what gender, age, employment rank etc people are they still like to have fun and never know if they’re going to like something until they try it, so open your doors and let them come through.
I trust this gives you an idea of what my thoughts are, this sort of thing will make you stand out and open all sorts of opportunities, even radio stations can get in on the act and some school groups. Have fun and good luck in whatever you decide to do.