Why do knife companies not advertise more?

[nccole]

Eating my cereal and watching car commercials made me think, if there were commercials for new knife offerings instead, I might actually be ok with commercials. I thought of a few reasonable reasons why they do not. They probably do not need to, we hear many stories of factories going full speed and people still waiting on product releases. It could be too much money for some smaller companies, although I was thinking about running some more localized audience and not a full blown national campaign. Also, I thought the day say Spyderco starts advertising heavily is the day I might start worrying about their quality and turn into a Gerber.

But, if a good company keeps everything in check and has a good plan I could see it as beneficial. Take Spyderco for instance, they are supposedly running full capacity in Golden, maybe it is time to expand up there. A little advertising to boost sales and support a large capital investment seems to make sense. I don't know though, maybe they are happy with their size, but most knife companies seem to be smaller.

Anyway, just some random thoughts from this morning, looking for some alternate views, or knowledge of advertising (thinking TV or radio, I do not get any knife magazines, but I am sure they are full of them, but they are not really expanding to people who are not knife fanatics), or anything else.

 

[brets-ftw]

Gerber was actually quite a good sized company even when still based in Portland, but when the business becomes about making money instead of creating a product to fix a problem, then everything starts to fall to just numbers.

 

[The Logical One]

The knife community is fairly small, it would not make sense for them to try to market knives in commercials. The people who are into knives will know what the good brands/models are through research. Your average person thinks a $60 knife is too expensive, I don't think they would be very receptive if say, Chris Reeve made a commercial for the masses, and people look it up and find out their cheapest knife is $350.

 

[Fancier]

Yep, large media advertising only works if your product has broad appeal.

 

[oic0]

Ever person I know owns at least one pocket knife, and most I know own a few fixed blades too. I don't know anyone using the substances in most of the prescription drug commercials I see, or that even have the conditions that would cause them to need them.

 

[Zero_Time]

Ever person I know owns at least one pocket knife, and most I know own a few fixed blades too. I don't know anyone using the substances in most of the prescription drug commercials I see, or that even have the conditions that would cause them to need them.

Not to be rude, but you need to get out more . Seriously though, it varies widely depending on where you live, but most people that own knives bought A knife they need for A purpose ONCE and are DONE. How much do (good, regular, not made-for-TV-gimmick-that-invents-a-need) blenders advertise on TV?

Seriously, where are you in the country that has widespread pocketknife ownership without oxy abuse?

Zero

 

[richard thurman]

how much does it cost to make up a commercial and then put it up on the air??? the kershaw leek cost around $40.00 after they start makeing commercials about it the cost would be??? $200.00+ think guy just think. they cant be makeing that much profit right now.

 

[Big Mike]

OH No, Lynn on TV,


...talk about scaring the liberals.



Big Mike

 

[CWL]

Because a one-minute national commercial would cost most knife companies more than their yearly revenue. This doesn't include the cost to film the commercial itself.

Add to this, in marketing, you will need someone to see something 4 times before they even begin to remember it. For someone to actually be able to recall a brand, you need 3-6 months of constant bombardment exposure if you want televised adds to work. This is just the beginning, because if you stop with the commercials today, then your sales will immediately drop tomorrow.

Besides, most people who watch TV doesn't give a crap about knives.

In running any business, you need to consider Return on Investment (ROI). You need to get back much more than what you put into a marketing campaign.

It is far cheaper and economical to do product tie-ins such as paying to have knives shown in The Walking Dead, where you know a large portion of the audience is in their target age group, and has some interest in knives, survival, etc.

 

[10mm Glock]

Not to be rude, but you need to get out more . Seriously though, it varies widely depending on where you live, but most people that own knives bought A knife they need for A purpose ONCE and are DONE. How much do (good, regular, not made-for-TV-gimmick-that-invents-a-need) blenders advertise on TV?

Seriously, where are you in the country that has widespread pocketknife ownership without oxy abuse?

Zero

Well, I am in Tampa FL. The Oxy pill mill of the counrty, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't see knives in a couple dozen pockets, not even looking for them. You may be on to something there. (Also I don't use Oxy...seriously).

 

[Tony8179]

I can't even imagine knife commercials on TV that aren't for cheap ass Ginsu sets. Nowadays commercials don't even have much to do with the actual product they are trying to sell. I can picture some of the crap and nonsense that the advertising geniuses would use to sell knives. Picturing these ads does not make me smile. Don't get me started on the late night channel with the two guys screaming about how they are going to sell you 180 "high quality" knives for twenty two bucks.

 

[oic0]

Not to be rude, but you need to get out more . Seriously though, it varies widely depending on where you live, but most people that own knives bought A knife they need for A purpose ONCE and are DONE. How much do (good, regular, not made-for-TV-gimmick-that-invents-a-need) blenders advertise on TV?

Seriously, where are you in the country that has widespread pocketknife ownership without oxy abuse?

Zero

Shreveport, Louisiana. Knives everywhere. All pocket knives are technically illegal in Louisiana, but they are all over the place. Enough market for that sort of stuff here that we have one of these lol. A store where you can find rifle brass and powder scales on a shelf like walmart lol.
Also, yes there is oxy abuse here, but I've never seen an oxy commercial You know the odd off the wall drug commercials I'm talking about. I mean are there honestly enough women with nether region infections to warrant a prime time commercial?

 

[marcinek]

Shreveport, Louisiana. Knives everywhere. All pocket knives are technically illegal in Louisiana, but they are all over the place. Enough market for that sort of stuff here that we have one of these lol. A store where you can find rifle brass and powder scales on a shelf like walmart lol.

And do rifle brass and powder scale manufacturers advertise?

 

[oic0]

And do rifle brass and powder scale manufacturers advertise?

Sadly, no

 

[10mm Glock]

Yes, my company does. But only on Sat/Sun on outdoor networks.

 

[10mm Glock]

Shreveport, Louisiana. Knives everywhere. All pocket knives are technically illegal in Louisiana, but they are all over the place. Enough market for that sort of stuff here that we have one of these lol. A store where you can find rifle brass and powder scales on a shelf like walmart lol.
Also, yes there is oxy abuse here, but I've never seen an oxy commercial You know the odd off the wall drug commercials I'm talking about. I mean are there honestly enough women with nether region infections to warrant a prime time commercial?

Man that is messed up. You seriously can't carry a pocket knife?

 

[marcinek]

Sadly, no

Precisely the point.

 

[oic0]

Man that is messed up. You seriously can't carry a pocket knife?

Its illegal, but until last year so were half the things a man and woman might do in the bedroom. Never heard of anyone being prosecuted for either though.

"LA R.S. 14:95
A. Illegal carrying of weapons is:
(1) The intentional concealment of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon, on one's person; or
(2) The ownership, possession, custody or use of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used as a dangerous weapon, at any time by an enemy alien; or
(3) The ownership, possession, custody or use of any tools, or dynamite, or nitroglycerine, or explosives, or other instrumentality customarily used by thieves or burglars at any time by any person with the intent to commit a crime; or
(4) The manufacture, ownership, possession, custody or use of any switchblade knife, spring knife or other knife or similar instrument having a blade which may be automatically unfolded or extended from a handle by the manipulation of a button, switch, latch or similar contrivance.

... skip more boring stuff

J. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the ownership of rescue knives by commissioned full-time law enforcement officers. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the carrying of rescue knives by commissioned full-time law enforcement officers who are in the actual discharge of their official duties. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the sale of rescue knives to commissioned full-time law enforcement officers. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the ownership or possession of rescue knives by merchants who own or possess the knives solely as inventory to be offered for sale to commissioned full-time law enforcement officers. As used in this Subsection, a "rescue knife" is a folding knife, which can be readily and easily opened with one hand and which has at least one blade which is designed to be used to free individuals who are trapped by automobile seat belts, or at least one blade which is designed for a similar purpose. No blade of a rescue knife shall exceed five inches in length.

Meanwhile I can walk down to walmart and buy an assisted folder and an AR15, put the knife in my pocket, sling the rifle over my shoulder, and walk out the door.

 

[KennyB]

The knife community is fairly small, it would not make sense for them to try to market knives in commercials. The people who are into knives will know what the good brands/models are through research. Your average person thinks a $60 knife is too expensive, I don't think they would be very receptive if say, Chris Reeve made a commercial for the masses, and people look it up and find out their cheapest knife is $350.

I dunno, have you seen those Dyson commercials? $500 vacuum cleaners, $300 desk fans. They're all fancy new "innovations" sure, but who spends $500 on a vacuum? Obviously someone, or they wouldn't have the revenue to keep advertising...

Makes you wonder... Are their vacuum nuts? Maybe a Vacuum Forums...

I think it has to do with the cost of advertising as was mentioned already. Running a commercial, marketing teams, making the commercial... It would cost them so much that selling sub 100 dollar knives wouldn't make up for it unless sales numbers were in the millions. That's the only reason booze companies can afford to advertise a $40 bottle of liquor, because they know millions ( if not billions ) will be sold.

 

[stabman]

Besides, most people who watch TV doesn't give a crap about knives.

That's just because there aren't commercials programming them to want some.

People don't have intrinsic interest in most of the crap peddled on television. It all about created false need.
The sam could be done with knives, and some of the companies could certainly afford to do it.

I guess the knife companies are making enough money as it is right now.