a marketing lesson from the TV series The Apprentice

Advertising and marketing are creative disciplines. This is one reason why I, a part of the marketing industry love. Find creative solutions for clients to sell their products and services is a great way to earn an income. Apart from that, I must also say that too often I see marketers go too far.

In my opinion it is quite possible to be creative for your own good. What do I mean? I've put a very public example.

My example comes from the reality TV show "The Apprentice". Okay, so I'll admit, I love this show. I'm not much of a reality TV fan, but there is just something about these teams on business challenges week after week that the intrigues and amuses me.

They are often given the marketing tasks on the map. Let's face it, marketing is one of the most important tasks you will ever have in the economy. If you do it right, your company will more than likely do well. If you do not properly market your business is in difficulty.

In a recent episode of "The Apprentice" The mission was a TV commercial for Dove Body Wash Making The teams were instructed to work with an "out of the box" 30-second spot to promote a product. The result?

Both teams waste created! I think some may argue they certainly think, "show out of the box, and both teams to try what they did, but ultimately failed miserably in its job number one: the product to sell!

And that's what I think many marketers who are trying so creatively done. They lose sight of the fact that their job is to provide a product or service to sell. This effective your marketing in one word: irrelevant.

You can be as smart or creative as you want, but in the end, if your marketing is not relevant to the product and for those who are most likely to buy, you will be missed.

Look, I realize, we must be creative in getting our attention from the public record. Finally, we try to cut in a sea of marketing clutter. I just want more marketers are trying harder to connect with their audience against them simply to entertain.

Heck, I sometimes wonder if marketers know who their audience. This was certainly the game with two teams in The Apprentice Dove Body Wash men in their commercials. Come on, it should not make much sense to recognize this product for women! But because they are so smart to be concentrated, they lost sight of this very simple fact.

If I can leave with one thought, is this: Determine your audience and know, and then wants to directly connect with them in the conversation with them all in their heads about your product or service.

If you can do this, you will be catching their attention and effectively sell your product or service.