Spring Time (or Lime) tries to go all Amazon.com, but steps in it big-time on Instagram!
Proposed Target Market:
-On-line male shoppers
-20+ year old's
-Fashion conscious
Included Offer:
-Dude, we'll cut the regular price by 66%, but the "sales ends in 16 hours, 08 minutes and 30 seconds"
-Dude, spend $99 to get 15% off (is that off the already offered 66% discount or what?).... (Who knows?)
-Dude, you'll look so cool in these, get the plastic and fire away......
Why we like this on-line ad on Instagram(R):
Hey these shoes really caught my eye! The photography was striking and the color selection (brown, black, navy blue, not baby blue or bright blue....too weird for me, thank you) was guy friendly. This ad just popped up in my Instagram feed. I am trying to remember what I would have been looking at to trigger receipt of a shoe ad. I really don't on-line shop for clothes; mostly boat parts, and electronic gadgets under $50 bucks actually. Not exactly NSA attracting searches.....who knows?
Secondly, the price cut $144.95 to $49.95, well.....I like a good deal as much as the next person!
Third, the count-down timer. Even with the sale 'ending' in 16 hours, I felt.... 'the need for speed' (sorry, just saw the trailer for the new Top Gun movie) to pull out my plastic.
Fourth, they had like two dozen thumbnails of the same three color shoes at different angles and set ups. Talk about pulling me in!
Net, the compact ad on my smartphone seemed extremely complete, cool and, I was convinced, just like "Amazon.com". They even promised 'easy returns, if I was less excited once I got the box.
What we would change in this ad:
Really, not a lot. The promise and look was exactly what I 'needed', even though I didn't know I 'needed' new shoes at all. I chalk it up to the power of advertising. Only question is the brand "Spring Time" or "Spring Lime", and what's with the backwards S and the accent mark? Seems like a fairly important bit for a company, right?
How we rate this ad based on the following criteria:
-Creative: Strong: Simple and straightforward, which I like since I hate clothes shopping, clean and not frilly
-Offer: Strong: Three different incentives to buy: 1. Spend a whopping $99 and get 15% off, 2. regular price $144.95, sale price $49.95 and 3. an additional offer of 40% off a second pair of shoes once I bought the first....really, $30.00 leather shoes.....too good to be true ( I hope)
-Targeting: Worked on me, a 60 year old with 4 grand kids, trying to stay somewhat in style (and I mean just somewhat), and hit me on Instagram (where I get updates on my grand kids)
-Our rating: Juiced or not Juiced? Juiced (I bought 2 pairs) Rating: 4 oranges
So what's my issue with this ad?
Well, our on-line buying reality starts at the 'Amazon' standard. We're used to getting an instant e-mail receipt, almost instant delivery tracking and instant Prime member gratification with next day or 2-day delivery. Amazon usually doesn't bother us with details about where the item is coming from. They just want us primed to make the next satisfactory purchase. And if we're not happy, just return the item and it's their problem, not mine. That's the standard
Spring Time (or Lime) didn't do any of that......not for a full 7 days. When I did hear from them they gave me a big explanation about how my new shoes were coming by air from China and would be on my feet in 14-21 days......what??!!?? I felt scammed by that little detail. How can a company with a countdown timer built into their ad, be that slow? Holding my breath for another 7-14 days to see how this turns out, hoping I didn't step into something 'unpleasant'.