On the eve (sort of) of the biggest day of the year for the advertising industry (for commercials, anyway... love those Super Bowl commercials), I’d like to share some thoughts about the common disconnect between advertising and the customer experience.

Or, as Robert Stephens, co-founder of Geek Squad has been known to say, “Advertising is the tax you pay for being unremarkable.”

Let’s start with a good definition of what advertising is. Entrepreneur magazine offers this:

Advertising provides a direct line of communication to your existing and prospective customers about your product or service. The purpose of advertising is to:
• Make customers aware of your product or service
• Convince customers that your company’s product or service is right for their needs
• Create a desire for your product or service
• Enhance the image of your company
• Announce new products or services
• Reinforce salespeople's messages
• Make customers take the next step (e.g., ask for more information, request a sample, place an order)
• Draw customers to your business

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