TVLowCost’s 10 RULES for Successful Challenger Brands

1. BREAK FREE … seriously out-gunned by competitors in marcoms spend and  vulnerable to adverse Trade manipulations, Challenger Brands [CB’s] get trapped. Profiles too low and left clinging on to shifting Distribution, they often then spend too much of their limited funds on ATL/other integrated activities that “tread water” only. Not good enough; get out of there!

2. WORK HARDER … when the going gets tough, the tough get going, right? In or out of recession, CB’s must toughen up and out-think, out-smart, out-manoeuvre key competition. On every level. Doing what the competition does with less spend doesn’t get anywhere. Raise Saliency by being ubiquitous.

3. THINK CLEVERER … choose people to work with who have long experience working directly on CB’s only. Some 30+ years in TVLowCost’s case. Seniors who have all the business, marketing and strategic/planning nouse, analytical abilities, creative skills and with project management honed to perfection. Plus the ethos to think and act “low-cost” … to the CB’s ultimate benefit. Clever smarter solutions.

4. AVOID HIGH AGENCY FEES … high-rolling brands can afford the known excesses of traditional ad agency fees but not CB’s. Allowing small but hard-earned budgets to be hoovered up by “high-cost” agencies is criminal. CB’s need the max in the media! Why? Because they need to …

5. YELL LOUDER … if consumers haven’t heard of you, you can’t blame them for not buying you! And bigger guns will diminish the CB’s saliency and awareness. Somehow they have to punch harder …

6. USE TV ADVERTISING … even if you can’t afford to be on consistently, ONLY TV delivers this punch. Use it and once your CB has changed up a gear, other means can then be used to maintain levels until the next round of TV is affordable. But be clear, even in our hugely fragmented media world today no other media bears comparison. TV is watched avidly for 27 hours pw and nothing Impacts, Engages, Entertains and Persuades like it. But TV costs £squillions, right, and production costs are always excessive? Not so …

7. SPEND WISER … TVLowCost’s remarkable All-in TV Package at £200k breaks all traditional rules. Deliberately and about time. At last, we have made TV advertising AFFORDABLE! Crafted for deserving CB’s and representing the UK’s Best Value TV Package, it includes: full Project Management, strategic analysis and Briefing … full Creative, Shoot, Editing [average 4 commercials] … Music and on-air costs … 2 Groups upfront to check Ideas, then a pre- and post-Omnibus Awareness Check … AND a fully-tailored Nat TV Airtime Plan. All managed all the way by grown-ups from the best specialisms. And then on-air 8 weeks from agreed Brief. Repeat: 8 weeks. There is nothing like it in the UK, nor in the 11 other markets where the TVLowCost Network operates. STOP PRESS. We have now introduced 3 NEW All-in TV Packs on top of our proven £200k one. A lower "Entry Level" Pack at £155k ... plus a "Challenger +" Pack at £270k with heavier Media spend ... and a pioneering New "Euro/3 Market" Pack for £615k, with an International TV Campaign running in the UK + 2 Markets, all Project-managed centrally. Brilliant value for CB's that are distributed abroad but with no one country able to afford TV alone. Now three can combine to do so.

8. TARGET MEDIA TIGHTLY … CB’s need “rifled” messages out there and NOT the wastage of 12-bore shotguns via the easier to buy but hugely costly Terrestrial Peak TV. Small brands can’t afford this anyway. Happily, the TV market now has Channels and programmes to suit every taste so consumers can be targeted so tightly – and cost-effectively – with minimal wastage. We are talking Satellite/MCH during Peak and Off-peak as well as Daytime and Off-peak Terrestrial. “Low-cost” entry levels and exceptional Value can be gained … as long as the will, expertise and commitment is all there. A bit more demanding than buying far fewer Peak spots on ordinary Terrestrial TV though; but worth it!

9. LEVERAGE THE TRADE BETTER …  apart from the sheer clout of TV with consumers, its effect on broadening and deepening Distribution can be tremendous. The Trade only get out of bed for TV so, at last, you get their attention. Our TV Campaigns have directly contributed to significant gains here … up to +40% for our Milton Sterilising Client. With a much broader business base, when the consumer “pull’ comes via TV the net extra benefits will be huge.

10. ENJOY RESULTS BETTER THAN EXPECTED!... irrefutably strong and consistent Results are delivered by TVLowCost Campaigns. Often with Payback for each Burst too. And more Clients are re-booking follow-up Bursts – the ultimate test of efficacy. Slimthru has enjoyed 2 Bursts so far, Primula now 2, Milton 3 and Sudocrem 4. Proof. Our £200k Package punches hugely above weight and defies all cynics; we avarage a +27% Sales uplift currently. And take comfort too from our Network now completing 120 projects with 500 commercials and for CB’s from the likes of Heinz, Unilever, Wrangler, J&J, Superdrug, Campbell’s, Bose, Siemens and many others.  All "Blue-chippers" awarding us their own smaller CB's. Now that speaks volumes.

Challenger Brands take note …

TVLowCost’s pioneering and unique All-in TV Package HAS AT LAST MADE TV ADVERTISING AFFORDABLE ... AND CONSISTENTLY DELIVERS RESULTS WAY BETTER THAN BEST EXPECTATIONS. All-in for only £200k. Now what results did you get last year from your budget, and how much did you spend ATL …?