tv advertiseing? pros and cons ?

110 Dave

110 Dave

Joined
May 6, 2004
Messages
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Al Buck was one of the first if not the first knife maker to advertise in mags on a reg basis..
this has contuned to today
now we have the age of tv and 200 stations and nothing good on but all of has advertiseing !!!
then there is the inter net

i can not recall ever seeing a ad for a knife on tv
there is a sales show that is all knives
also SMKW had a info sales show and some times there is a buck knife on it

but to see a spot were they say "here is the knife your grand father loved"
"once you try it you will love it too" on tv?

would it retvlitise buck advertiseing?
would it be tooo much expense
can it reach the youth that dont know knife values?

should buck advertise on tv
what would a tv ad stress
would it be efective in stressing value

many buy a 110 as wally sells them cheeeep
could tv spur more of them?


can you wright a tv add for buck ?
funny or serours come on try!!!

i still say " no son, your grandfather is still useing his, i am still useing mine ...
you will jest have to get your own buck knife" :D
 
I posted a few quick ideas on my buck 110 thread but deleted them as it seemed to elicit a bad response from some members. I agree with the questions you are asking and am posting part of my earlier deleted post...It may sound a bit strange as it was a response to Joe Housers response but here it is...
____________________________________________________________________

Also I think you guys need some new and amazing advertising. You had mentioned Coke in your last post...it's true that whatever happened with new and classic coke could have been planned or by accident...whatever the case, it ALL happened because of advertisting.

A BIG deal was made in the change...A BIG deal was made on the hatred of the new Coke...and and EVEN BIGGER deal was made on the change back!!! All of it was accompanied by advertising.

I have never seen a commercial for Buck on television. In this day and age of ipods, internet, political correctness and metro sexuality...I really do think the average young male could benefit from some traditional masculine and back to basics imagery and products (without being violent or overly aggressive), and I really think Buck represents this. But as a whole, it is going unsaid in the mass media.

I may just be unaware, but does Buck have any interest in pursuing a more aggressive advertising presense?

Already in my head, there's tons of ideas swirling for possible campaigns that could really really glitz up Buck and at the same time take advantage of it's heritage.

Some ideas already...

Spot #1 : 15 sec

"For generations, Americans have produced heroes"...

(showing shots of major historical American events from WW1 to WW2, to the Korean war, to cowboy shots, to a father teaching his kid to fish, to modern soldiers and working men like police and firefighters...)

"And for generations, Buck has been by their side"...

(showing various knives strapped or being used by the same individuals which you may not have noticed in the earlier shots...very heroic and dramatic but at the same time they could be intimate moments like passing a knife down to a son etc. etc.)

Another idea...

Spot # 2 : 30 sec

Show a shot of an everyday man dressed nicely but a "little" on the trendy side. He's in his office working on a computer and you see him doing various things like talking on cell phone, eating an energy bar and drinking a fancy coffee.

"In this day and age...when things change faster than we do..."

You see the same guy stuck in traffic, at home with his girlfriend eating packaged food...then sitting at a desk on the net.

"When we're online, hooked up and zoned out..."

Then you see the guy looking in his desk drawer at an old Buck 110 and you see his expression change.

"Isn't it great to know..."

Then you see the same guy walking through the woods with his girlfriend, dressed in levi's and timberlands and carrying the buck knife with camping and fishing gear.

"That you can still do things the way your daddy did?"

You see the guy cutting an apple with his buck knife and his girls head on his shoulder...sitting in front of a fire. He looks at the knife and then looks at the camera and smiles to us.

I'm just throwing out ideas on a Saturday afternoon, these are obviously very fast and flowing, but you get what I'm saying about how the Americana aspect of these knives and the company itself is your most valuable asset to the non knife knowledgable of your potential new customer base.
 
Ok... dont know if this applies to the US...also playing a bit of devils advocate here too...

Since the tragedy in VT and other events in the US and especially in the UK too. Would not the sheeple think that a advertising campaign advertising "Weapons" be a bit distasteful?

Buck can advertise in mags and specialist magazines cos the people that buy them are already interested in that type of product. Whereas a TV campaign is not targeted. Its more a blanket type of advertising. It may have the opposite effect and may give a bad name to Buck.

Dont get me wrong here... these are the ramblings of a person who only ever went to Miami for a couple of days and I don't know what you advertise over there. For example... over here you cannot advertise cigarettes on TV but in the states thats ok.

Please don't get me wrong... I love my Bucks. But dont think a TV ad campaign would go down that well.

I think that Buck should advertise more on the Net however..

My 0.02 and all just my opinion

Mav
 
Also... it must be noted that Buck have been working and building quality knives for over 100 years...so why fix something that obviously is not broke?

They should do something like google ads or something similar to drag people to the site. But a TV ad? I would say no.

Over in the UK a lot of TV shows are sponsored by big companies.. perhaps a "outdoors man" type show in the US to be sponsored by Buck. But something simple... This Show has been brought to you by Buck Knives but keep it simple...so as not to offend the sheeple...
 
Maverick4546 said:
For example... over here you cannot advertise cigarettes on TV but in the states thats ok.
Click to expand...

Uh, no...that's been banned here for quite a few years... :rolleyes:

But alcohol ads are allowed...even cell phone ads (the biggest killer of motorcyclists)... :grumpy:
 
Not sure if the huge bucks spent on a national TV campaign would pay off in any real gains as they are making and selling a "niche" product.

The best thing Buck can do is to try to take up a large part of the Walmart-Target--K mart-- display case and to require other dealers in their network to maintain a stock of the higher end--often unseen--stuff. Then let the dealer work out the details on the lower end stuff that works best for their store.

Radio--maybe---say Paul Harvey(is he still alive??) or Rush Limbaugh
Billboards near wilderness areas??
Magazines for sure.


Chicken---you're right about the cell phones and bikes---if I had my way---cell use in a vehicle would be a felony with a mandatory year in prison and $10000 fine-----EVERY close call I've had since I took up riding again 4 years ago---the perp has had a cell phone growing out of their ear.

They don't hardly see you in the first place and the distraction of the phone makes it even worse.
 
i defently feel the inter net is a avenew that should be exploried ...
a google ad is one thing
every time some one googles knife hunting camping ect that Buck is shown as a sponsered add...
some thing slick that buckaroos can add to the sig line of all their email

here in the states there are hunting and fishing tv shows
many out door type products are shown in add's their

Buck has a winner in the croslock and as a emgerncy knife
the be parpereed showing a parametic cutting the seat belt with a bright red Buck crosslock knife...

tv shows were a knife is used in a good way that they have a Buck Knife
being used as in above line...

i can see it a shot in the woods modern climers and one saying tothe other 'i like that knife can i see it' and it is a buck carabiner type knife

suttle things so as to not offend... the tooooo cevlised...
 
Maverick4546 said:
Ok... dont know if this applies to the US...also playing a bit of devils advocate here too...

Since the tragedy in VT and other events in the US and especially in the UK too. Would not the sheeple think that a advertising campaign advertising "Weapons" be a bit distasteful?
Click to expand...

I think some tasteful advertising showing a knife as a tool would be fine for mass media. Save the weapon ads for speciality magazines or perhaps some of the cable stations like OLN or Saturday mornings on ESPN2.
 
AZA: I like your ad ideas.... makes me want to go buy another Buck! (actually I always want to buy another Buck or three :D )

If TV is too expensive, Buck could do some video ad clips for viewing on their website and places like YouTube and Itunes.
 
Messersmith said:
AZA: I like your ad ideas.... makes me want to go buy another Buck! (actually I always want to buy another Buck or three :D )

If TV is too expensive, Buck could do some video ad clips for viewing on their website and places like YouTube and Itunes.
Click to expand...


Ahhhh ...Z Dr. thinks zess may be a new devlopment in the zimptions of z buck addiction....
insterting visionzs of zhe-d-lose-al-nations as vid on de U*Tube...
ahhh... visulations of z buck fantises!
yess a new devllopment of addection that woressons z addicttion...
makes it more contaguses!!!
 
I think producing and distributing a traditional TV ad campaign would be a waste of money for any company except MAYBE Victorinox.

However, for a FRACTION of the cost, Buck and other knife companies could and should produce their own video commercials for grass roots/viral distribution on the web via their own web site, placed as ads on hunting/fishing/hiking sites, via youtube.com, etc. Not doing this is INSANE when you consider the tiny cost. Yet no knife company I know of is doing this.

Along the lines of clever, cheap and effective grass roots marketing ideas not being utilized ....... awhile back I suggested that Buck put a little leaflet about the 55 inside the packaging with each 110. You'd have to think that a good number of guys who buy a 110 might also what to purchase a 55, right? Is this being done yet? :rolleyes:

BTW, Buck: I just noticed the 55 isn't even listed on the "Single Blade Pocket Knives" or "All Pocket Knives" pages on your web site. Please let me know when someone at HQ begins banging his or her head against the wall so I can stop.
 
I didn't read all of this Dave, but probably just not PC to advertise knives and guns on tv unless it is some outdoors type show. I wonder even then...

Buck probably has as large a market as their manufacturing processes can handle anyway.
 
Pack Rat said:
I didn't read all of this Dave, but probably just not PC to advertise knives and guns on tv unless it is some outdoors type show. I wonder even then...
Buck probably has as large a market as their manufacturing processes can handle anyway.
Click to expand...

yea i know ,,,,,,
im my mind it is not politictly correct for politicans to advertise on tv:eek:
i mean there is a truth in advertiseing law ... is'nt there? :confused:
 
hahaha...334dave, you're a funny guy.

I agree with the above poster that a good place to start out is doing nice commercials for the web...then I think a targeted and focused television campaign could benefit them as well.

I think a precise ad for a precise channel or program...for example...a camping style ad to be shown during "Survivor" or other such programs. There is a show I've seen (Discovery channel maybe?) which shows a guy who is dropped off in the middle of the wilderness in various places and has to survive with nothing. The same people that watch that show would "jump" out of their seats to buy a Buck just in case they get lost in the Amazon somewhere.

Another avenue are channels like the History channel where an ad that focuses on Bucks heritage would probably get some attention as well.

Any ads that could be made don't really have to be aggressive in nature...they can be more about a lifestyle or about the heritage of the company.

Think about this angle...

You want to sell BUCK as an American company that makes knives...rather than selling the knives as individual products. What I'm talking about is working on the brand name more than just the individual models or difference between them. That can be left more for their traditional print ads and the web...and the tv ads could be more for introducing the company and driving the masses to find out more.

:)
 
Buck_110 said:
aza77:

Working the brand name as you're talking about is exactly what a great majority of American companies are doing presently; despite the fact that their products are manufactured overseas. You state you're into marketing...surely you've noticed quality has nothing to do with sales any longer. It's soley about brand recognition. .
Click to expand...

once i was told the man that climed the tree to hollor sold more then the man that jest stood there and said i got some thing better for sale...

naw i did not hear it.... i jest made it up,,
but the thing is.. that is the way it is!!!
Al took a big step to advertise in mags :thumbup:
now every one does
is it not still a we will do what no one else will company?:confused:

buck made it cause the owners went out and sold the knives
and word of mouth spread that hay here is a company that will
give you a new one if it breaks!
i know i did...
will it sell ... wow look at the gnnsueee ah-cho choppy choppy cheeppy...
they are still selling the he2l's out of them!!!:grumpy:



Buck_110 said:
The only thing this country is GREAT at procucing any longer is ideas...which are then sold, or "leased" to overseas companies for a percentage..
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yep it is the americian way!!! the paterans on americian colonal quilts was sold to a japan company to reproduce for american markets by the smithshonen instute... :eek: yep it is true!:mad: :mad:
 
Buck_110...

By your post, I couldn't tell whether you were for or against the idea of marketing more aggressively...maybe I'm not reading too well cause I just had dinner and am a bit on the sleepy side now. I agree with you that many American companies do a lot of branding...but are you saying this is a good thing or a bad thing?

I guess I will reply with a little more detail on why I think Buck should brand themselves a bit more.

The more people that are aware that they make great knives and have made great knives for over 100 years...the better. This will lead to more sales of ALL their knives, American made or otherwise.

I know that sometimes it's hard to think that there are people out there that don't know what a Buck knife is (especially since you're a knife guy). But theres millions and millions and millions of them...just in America alone.

Would it be a bad idea to get the word out to them?
 
334dave said:
i can not recall ever seeing a ad for a knife on tv...
Click to expand...

What???...You've never seen the "Ginsu Knives" commercial??? Later made into a 30 minute infomercial??? :eek:

Ginsu has to be the best-known knife brand...bar none...kids, housewives, executives, people who don't even own a knife know what a Ginsu knife is... :rolleyes:

Cuts through a steel reinforced radiator hose and can still cut a tomato!!! What a knife!!! :D ("But wait, there's more!") :p http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginsu
 
Chickentrax...

I could be wrong but I think he may have been referred to the fact there are no (sport) knife companies that adverstise...like Buck, Gerber, Scrade etc. etc.

There are definately tons of cheap dinner and kitchen knife commercials and infomercials and you are correct about Ginsu.

I guess that's another good reason for Buck to do some advertising as well. Look at what it did for Ginsu! :)
 
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