Though we’ve watched ourselves morph into a web-marketing-focused shop in recent years, we still recognize that the print ad has its place…here and there…every once in a while.
In case you haven’t gathered from our site, we work with a lot of companies that do business in “hard hat” industries – building and construction, industrial painting, distribution, etc., and as a result, we have plenty of experience building strategic ad campaigns for trade publications. We believe many of the same core principles apply whether you’re online or offline:
- You must have strong, targeted messaging with a distinct brand voice.
- Well-branded and ownable design are very important.
- You must work to reach a specific audience in the right place.
Here’s an example of some of Gorilla’s earliest work, and to be honest, we don’t recall if these ads ever made it to print. But we always liked them, and still do.
Learn how to grow your business online.
Our free Industrial Marketing Guide will show you how to attract qualified website visitors, convert them into real leads and nurture them through the buying process.
Background about the client
St. Louis Prestress is a construction company that pre-casts really, really big concrete panels and beams for structures like bridges and parking garages. The company has always taken pride in its quality materials and great service, but the major points of difference we needed to sell were time efficiency and durability.
- Time efficiency: As work on the job-site gets underway, these massive wall panels and beams are being constructed off-site and are delivered in one piece when ready.
- Durability: Strong, fireproof concrete panels cut back on both building maintenance and insurance expenses.
Our campaign concept
To highlight these benefits in a creative, memorable way, our concept was to reference iconic historical structures and use a touch (or maybe a little more than a touch) of exaggeration to hammer them home.
Body copy reads: Stretch? Maybe. But a shortened construction process is one of our biggest benefits. By building large portions of your project off-site, we can cut your on-site time in half. You have our word on that. And you have our word on quality and service too.
Body copy reads: That ain’t no nursery rhyme either. For almost 30 years now, we’ve been providing the strength for buildings and bridges. Our name is trusted, our work is solid – our dedication is to quality and service.
Body copy reads: Our products are built to last, our company was built to last – all thanks to a dedication to quality and service. It’s what we believe in. It’s what drives us. Guess you could say it’s what we hang our hard hats on.
Related content:
Our work for The Korte Company – a design-build construction company
