I've recently been on a bit of a mission to demonstrate how
communication strategies customised or specially developed for
implementation on regional TV can improve the effectiveness of most
brand campaigns.
These regionally focussed strategies broadly fall into three
categories. The first is where a brand is a genuinely
regional company, what I call "true local". The best example
I've come across is Newcastle Permanent. Since the 1980's and
probably before they have had a brand message based totally on
their local heritage. The TV campaigns of the 80's reflect the
struggles of Newcastle during the decline and closure of BHP's
steel plant using the slogan "This is Our Town". More
recently Newcastle Permanent adopted the slogan "Here for Good" to
demonstrate their commitment to the area and its citizens and also
reflect the renaissance of Newcastle and the broader region.
The Newcastle Permanent TV ads from the eighties are classics of
their era being chock full of mullets, mo's, blue singlets and
girls with big hair and tight tee shirts and a rock anthem sound
track. The message over all this time is perfectly consistent
and relevant, Newcastle Permanent is a bank that is part of the
community, not here to take your money and run when times are
tough. What is also interesting to note is that in the
current campaign there are executions localised for parts of NSW,
eg Northern Rivers, not strictly on home turf and so Newcastle
Permanent are positioning themselves as local players in these
markets as well.
An honorable mention as a "true local" should also be given to
Southern Phone Company whose entire reason for being is to be a
phone company owned by local communities as their brand TVC clearly
demonstrates.
Next week i'll share some examples of national brands that have
created regional adoptions of their national or metro TVC