There’s a big difference between national and local franchise marketing, and the biggest difference may be that customers expect to see people and places that look familiar in local ads.  

Marketers who specialize in working with local franchisees understand that no matter what the calendar says, stores in Florida will probably sell spring clothes starting in February and stores in upstate New York won’t sell spring clothes till April (if they’re lucky). Those kinds of regional differences can make it difficult to follow a franchisor’s promotional calendar, but marketers adjust by running evergreen campaigns until the weather catches up or holding on to seasonal creative a bit longer on occasion.  

Just like any other content, ad creative must be relevant to appeal to your target audience. Having creative that reflects local markets is vital to local store marketing. 

Campaign Launch, Weather Permitting  

Weather seems to be the biggest sticking point for franchise owners who are looking to advertise – especially in the spring and early fall. We have had prospective clients who know Curious Jane’s headquarters is in Florida ask if we have “winter” creative or if all our ads depict short sleeves and palm trees. (For the record, we do offer all sorts of creative.) 

Sometimes seasonal creative that’s provided by franchisors can be tricky for stores in more extreme climates. Florida franchisees aren’t interested in ad creative that shows people wearing boots and gloves in the fall, just as Michigan franchisees will pass on early spring creative showing people in shorts on the beach.  

Actually, beach photos could be tricky anytime for people in the Midwest, and photos shot on a busy city street may be a turnoff for customers in more rural areas.  

That’s why franchisors are increasingly shying away from geography that seems too specific and opting for more universal backdrops such as a street fair or football game. And smart marketers choose the creative that best suits the market where it will run, taking into consideration the weather and the people in photos.  

People Who Look Like Me 

Local franchisees know their customers better than anyone else does, and they want their ads to look like the people coming through the front door. Just as a brand would not use photos of high school students if their target audience is older, a franchisee doing business in a diverse community would want ad creative that shows diversity. A franchisee in Texas, for example, could prefer creative that includes people who could be Hispanic.  

Brand assets need to depict a business’s customers, and specifically, local customers. That’s why many franchisors are trying to select photos that contain multiple people from a variety of ethnicities. They may appeal to more customers in more markets.  

In local franchise marketing, it’s important to select creative that reflects the community where it will appear. The products or services depicted need to be right, but so do the people smiling at the camera and the weather in the background.