eBay Set to Launch New Ad Campaign

eBay (EBAY) has revealed that they are going to launch a multi-media campaign (TV, print and certainly online). The over-arching theme is: "Come to think of it, eBay." This is not only news-worthy, but a big deal for eBay sellers so let's dig in by first reviewing the last 5+ years of eBay ad campaigns and then do some initial thinking about the new campaign.

A brief history of eBay TV campaigns

This is the first eBay campaign in 18+ months and the history of the pre-Donahoe era campaign has been less than stellar. Here's a quick synopsis with links where still on-line and the general feeling out there in the eBay seller base about the campaign.

• 2004 - The Power of All of Us - Too touchy feely - nothing about selling things.
• 2005 - Find IT on eBay - Pretty decent, hit on the variety that eBay offers.
• 2006 - Do it eBay - Fun, but probably too kitschy.
• 2007 - Shop Victoriously - The last effort of the Meg era - we were 100% focused back on auctions and this was an attempt to talk about how fun that is (well, was).
• 2008 - No ad
• 2009 - Come to think of it, eBay

Come to think of it...

I've embedded the first video here in the blog for your viewing enjoyment:

eBay is saying there's another video on the way and that there are two print ads with these themes:

• "Get the same new bag as celebrities with money left over for a tiny dog."
  
• “last year’s music player will still play this year’s music." - hitting on the eBay secondary marketplace theme.

Initial thoughts on the concept

The idiom dictionary describes "Come to think of it" as "I just remembered". When I first watched the ad, something bothered me about it that didn't click until I saw that definition.

There are lots of great stories that I think eBay could be telling as they come through this turnaround like:: "We should be your first destination", or "we are the source for the best deals" or "we had trust problems and we've solved them", or "Hey you know us for auctions, now we have some great fixed-price deals!", but instead, eBay is saying: "hey please don't forget us" or even worse, "You probably have already forgotten us."

So while I like the ad content (his wife gets a dress for 40% off), the tag line is kind of weak to me. eBay is a $60b marketplace and their big comeback ad campaign positions eBay as an afterthought.

The jury is still out, but I'm surprised at the weak positioning of the campaign. Come to think of it, you'd think they could have come up with something a little stronger? What do you think - let us know in comments.

Disclosure: I am long Amazon and Google. eBay is an investor in ChannelAdvisor where I am CEO.

Comments

[Patricia013]

"This is not only news-worthy, but a big deal for eBay sellers "

The madness continues. I hear ALL the new ads are aimed at the large sellers of new items.....yet those small sellers still keep plugging away and paying for all this nonsense and are getting kicked around in return!!! Donahoe and his crew deserve the failure they're getting if only as payback for the sheer "meaness" of their actions! Hopefully, some traffic will filter down to the peons in the rans...but they sure do deserve BETTER!

2009 Nov 01 11:59 AM

[Bob C]

Well Scot, desperate times call for desperate measures, and eBay seems to be getting pretty darn desperate.

If they really want to "bring back" the buyers, first they have to bring back the sellers that made the billions of dollars for them.
And we know that's not going to happen.

"Come to think of it, eBay"
is the last place I look for online purchases these days.

2009 Nov 01 12:01 PM

[Patricia013]

Talk about slogans....they could have had something all-encompassing. "From small mom and pop sellers to huge retailers, Ebay welcomes you" They can have that for free (and I do have a background in advertising!)

2009 Nov 01 12:04 PM

[LUCIOUS VAN DER KRIEG]

This slogan is from a 1980's beer commercial< The original BEER commercial went " COME TO THINK OF IT.......I'LL HAVE A HEINEKEN". Yes they copied a beer commercial from the 80's . Ironic cuz I would have to be drunk to want to list there ever again.

2009 Nov 02 07:25 AM

[NYM Arts]

PFFFT !
I don't Think so.
LISTEN YOU EBAY MANAGEMENT BONEHEADS and PIERRE :
GET RID OF DONAHOE.
Because, if I'M not selling on Ebay, it's because Ebay is a broken, unusable wreck.
Because, if I'M not selling on Ebay, DON'T BUY THE STOCK.
If people are UNfortunate enough to Own Ebay stock SELL IT NOW.
BTW Pierre, while you're tooting your Own Horn over how great you are to be giving dough away through your foundation,
Remember : That Money didn't come from THE AIR !
It ALL came from the tireless efforts of the millions of Americans you've turned your back on. Right now, you're a common ordinary two-bit Wealth redistributor. the WORST kind of American. More like ANTI-American. How DARE you.

2009 Nov 02 09:58 AM

[Leftfield]

You have ad ideas for Ebay as they "come through this turnaround." I'm sure they don't want to mention how they've turned around from growth to decline and shrinkage.
You think fixed-price deals should be a mention. That's the problem. They have encouraged the tackiest stuff by the tackiest mass merchandisers at the expense of the small seller. This was to eliminate swaths of their labor force now not needed to manage small sellers, who have left in droves with their unique items.
This crappy ad campaign is absolutely consistent with the entire efforts of this management, come to think of it.

2009 Nov 02 10:10 AM

[Dinah Balk]

Come to think of it, eBay . . .
1) is the only site that is technically dysfunctional;
2) is the only site where no one can find anything;
3) is the only site where sellers pay for listings that are hidden:

Come to think of it. . . . Paypal
1) demands access to users checking accounts;
2) steals buyers/sellers money by placing holds on it;
3) pulls buyers/sellers credit reports without their written permission;

And the list goes on & on. Yes we all remember eBay.

2009 Nov 02 10:20 AM

[Philip Cohen]

For all the eBay “buyers” who are still trying to find a bargain on eBay and are (hopefully) agile enough to avoid all the shill-bidding professional sellers that now infest eBay, eBay recently touted two Diamond/Titanium PowerSellers as major success stories of selling on eBay. They apparently could not find any scrupulous sellers (or simply did not bother to look). An analysis of bidding patterns on these two sellers’ auctions suggests that they are probably both habitual shill bidders. A full comment thereon at:
www.auctionbytes.com/f...

And “eBay is turning around” (and around, and around)? Take a look at the very few islets of green (ie, shilled auctions and (pseudo?) Best Offer “sales”) in the ocean of "blood" in the completed listings for one of these sellers, at:
completed.shop.ebay.co...

eBay needs more that a new ad campaign, it needs a new executive committee, one that has some understanding of marketing and just what is (was) the eBay marketplace. The currents incumbents clearly have not got a clue and are quite deservedly continuing their journey down the sewer; undoubtedly, soon to reach the even rougher waters of the ocean ...

2009 Nov 02 04:53 PM