Brides! I Would like your opinion on new add campaign in Premiere Bride magazine.?

Question

I'm a wedding photographer and am about to run a full page add for a year in a wedding magazine. I'm am only targeting brides and the thought we want to convey is in our tag line: First comes love....Then comes Holloway's.

We want the bride to think of us as soon as she gets that ring. Which of these ads conveys that thought to you. If so why and if neither add appeals to you then what do you feel is left out or should be put in? If you were thumbing through a bridal magazine would either of these adds stop you long enough to see who the photographer is?
Here's the link:
http://www.hollowaysgallery.com/INITIAL%20ADS.jpg

I would like any serious feed back.

Ozziegirl, you need to get over yourself. You will not find this ad any ANYWHERE else but here and the link I posted. I'm spending 5K on an add and want opinion before running with it.

Jack, thanks for the input but you misread what I wrote to Ozziegirl. I was not attacking. Simply stating that this was not a cheap ploy to get advertising. I pay for my advertising and have always very extremely careful in Answers!Yahoo about not exploiting the privilege. I have a full time studio and have no need to try and drum up business at A!Y when the majority of the people here are not even in my area. Sorry it sounded bad to you but some people like OG just can not be pleased.

Thanks Gang! I appreciate all your answers. We're working on it now with the ad agency. As for stock photos they my have that feel but they were shot in my studio with my camera. I think what you all mean is that it has the feel of stock. As for my own work I'm trying to convey that the bride should call me first thing, long before the wedding. We called the ad agency and have send her all your answers and will lick this calf over again. I'll post more later.
Thanks again.

Answer 1

First I am an advertising major. It's what I do for a living. Next its advertising not addition. You have an ad campaign.

Now for a review. Don't run that. Everyone else running a full page ad in that magazine will use their most impressive looking diamond. In the 2nd one you have a model who doesn't even look like she's trying to be genuine, receiving a ring that has been blurred out. It looks like quartz. The tag line for that is--when you really only wanted to spend a couple hundred.

When its running next to everyone else's it will look amateur and cheap.

Now for the first ad. It's better. Except her eyes look like she's got a secret. It's more "affair" than "wedding." There is no look of adoration, no silently conveyed message of being honored and cherished, no faithfulness. However the key thing is the ring. It's crooked. Your photographer should be fired. Key feature is CROOKED. It's also too low on the pg. The H is almost covering it up.

Now of course we have general subject matter/overall appearance. It looks like an ad for a jewelry store. Diamonds come from jewelers. Photographers are usually at the wedding, not the engagement. "First comes love, then comes diamond." is what your tag suggests. Consider "First comes the diamond, then comes Halloways"

You are suppose to capture the happiest time. A love that will last forever. The sparkle in their eyes, showing that this man is perfect. The best moment in life.

The ring--when a ring is shown in the ad it needs wow factor. It should be an expensive ring. Seriously high quality. Between 1 and 2 carat. You can photoshop in some of the sparkle but you don't want to put so much in that you lose the clarity. Remember--the expense of a diamond. Four C's. You took out all of them.

You are a photographer. Show me pictures you've taken. What style are you going for? Photojournalist? Show me your style. A bridal portrait where the bride is looking especially whimsical. A serious dreamlike quality, sharp focus on the couple, but a blurry weeping cherry framing them? Where is the proof that you are a good photographer? You took a picture from up close and the only editing was to the diamond which...as I covered was bad. You should reflect your style.

Seriously though--make up another one before you run that by the company. I've been doing this for years and I'd fire my intern for that. It looks like a college project.

I know you'll hate this, I know you won't give me best answer. But I'd never show anyone that ad again.

Answer 2

They are nice, simple ads, but they are a little cheesy and definitely look like they are for a Jeweler. Both ads look like she just got engaged and are about the ring. The tagline also sounds more like a Jeweler's. Put together, it looks like first comes love, then comes Holloways for the ring.

You mention that you want brides to think of you as soon as they get the ring, but I don't think that is realistic. Since most women reading the bridal magazines already have their ring, they might not pay attention to an ad that looks like it for a Jeweler and never notice that you are actually a photographer.

I think the tag line needs to go, especially since it is in no way original! Attached are two links to Jewelers with the same tag line.

ps: on a side note, I'd like to see actual wedding photography in a photographer's ad. Might not be the "ad campaign" your agency is recommending, but I'd much rather see a real representation of your work. I can also see that your website is under construction - I'd scrap it mostly (it looks homemade). Hopefully your ad agency is fixing that, too.

Good luck - I hope you take all this as constructive. I have been a graphic designer for 15 years.

The one wedding picture on your site looks like you take really fun pictures!

Answer 3

The pictures are wonderful...I would be very interested in looking further into your services if I saw this ad. But let me say this...it does look like a jewelry store ad. I would use another picture instead of the proposal one. If I were flipping through the magazine I would assume it was for purchasing a ring (which if I am reading a bridal magazine or anything else, means I already have a ring and won't need to look at this ad any further). I would replace it with a few other pictures that have a nice glow to them. Women want to glow on their wedding day, and when I see pictures that glow, I know that's what I want. Also, I would make the word "photography" more noticeable! So that girls who are looking can easily see it. The fact that you have a website is wonderful...I choose people where I can go online and see their work and research them. (FYI- your website doesn't work).

I think this has wonderful potential! As for OzzieGirl, why in the heck would be interested in your ad if we probably aren't even from your area? Geeze! I think she missed the entire point of this.

Best of luck!

Answer 4

I have to agree with every one else here, it reminds me of a jewelry ad more than a photography service. Granted they are both good pictures, and they look very professional, but just seems to have the wrong focus. I don't doubt that you could tweak something and have it work very well though. What about a picture of a bride/groom in a very scenic environment? Trying to capture the moment between bride and groom, and no flash of rings ?

Answer 5

At first glance, I thought both of them are for a jewelry company. I think maybe a photo where the emphasis is on the togetherness, or the surprise, the delight of the engagement, rather than the ring being the focal point. That does not mean the ring should not be in the ad, though.
I just think these photos do not capture the joy of the engagement. Close, though.

Answer 6

I think both pictures are excellent starting points, but I agree with another user when s/he said it seems as if you are advertising jewelery, not photography services. To advertise photography services rather than jewelery, I think you need to combine some of the elements you captured in both of the pictures, i.e., the emotions in the woman's eyes in the first, and the aestheticism of the second. However, being a bride myself, what would catch my eye first is the emotional appeal of the ad - I want to imagine myself in the picture and imagine Halloway's taking that picture. To achieve this, you might want to try a candid black and white photograph. Set in contrast to the romantic font and phrasing of, "First comes love, ..." your ad will really catch brides' eyes.

You might also want to consider clarifying the slogan. I really like "First comes love. . . Then comes xxx." It catches my eye right off the bat. But is there any way to include a sort of. . ."sub - slogan," like "Capturing intimate moments since xxx."? ...Not really the greatest slogan, but the best I could think up at the moment, haha.

However, in the long run, it's what you feel comfortable with and what you think works. You're the pro - we aren't!

Good luck!

Answer 7

I like the one on the right the best - but I agree that I though it was for a jewelry store. The pictures are very stock photo. Do you have any of your own pictures to use. I love the font and the sophistication. Change the pic and you will be fine.

Answer 8

I would actually never consider that ad as appealing for me. I can't stand big diamonds and have a sapphire engagement ring. It also looks so fancy and that's just not for me. I know you are trying to sell something to make money, but personally, I wish there was more advertising toward those who want something simple. We have to improvise a lot. Not that I mind improvising but as soon as people find out you're shopping for things for a wedding a lot of people have the false impression that a wedding has to meet certain standards. I would imagine by looking at either ad that you are trying to meet those standards for those who have money. It will certainly get plenty of attention from those brides who feel like they have to have the "perfect" wedding.

Answer 9

May I be honest here.

I hate the slogan. It sounds very corny and cliche and it's very similar to the one for LUVS (the diapers).

Secondly, for a Photography ad, the photography is really poor. It looks like an ad for rings and not wedding pictures. The man's hair is awful and distracting, the models are ugly and amateaur, and the overall composition poor. The effect on the ring is quite overdone.

If you are running this on a bridal magazine, your ad will look cheap in comparison to the others. Do not run that if you want any return on your investment.

May I suggest a professional advertising agency. This is obviously a DIY project.

Good luck

Answer 10

I like the one on the right, but it does appear that the ad is for a ring store. Perhaps changing the tag line will help- the line you're trying to draw from love to photography is not a straight one. There is nothing in that ad to suggest photography, unless you already know who Holloway's are.