As mentioned in a previous post, I'm currently writing a whitepaper about reseller adoption of co-op advertising programs.  I've identified the key underlying problems with this issue, and this series of posts will dive into each of the issues a little deeper to understand what they are and how to fix them.

Co-op Advertising Issue #4 - Limited Creative Options

Explanation: 

Limited creative options are near the top of the list of reasons that resellers don’t participate in a vendor’s co-op advertising program. When a vendor understands that the partner has their own brand and builds the flexibility to incorporate that brand into the materials, it becomes a win-win for both sides of the equation. 

Fixing the Problem: 

• Don’t simply repurpose your national advertising materials for your partner program – develop specific creative with partner customization in mind
• Make development of partner creative a fundamental part of new product introduction. Do not introduce a new product into the market without supporting reseller advertising materials available through your co-op advertising program. 
• Tier the creative options so that templates with higher-percentage of real estate dedicated to your brand (versus the resellers) are reimbursed at a higher rate. Give your partners flexibility in the level they want their own brand to play
• Don’t limit your creative templates to one or two mediums. Your partners are developing integrated marketing strategies across multiple mediums – ensure your creative pieces represent this variety. 

Results: 

By increasing the flexibility of available creative templates and giving your partners more choices within these options, you will significantly increase your total number of partners willing to participate in the program. 


As I finish up the whitepaper, I'll continue to post my thoughts, so stay tuned. 

In the meantime, check out our other co-op advertising whitepaper:  Integrated Co-op Marketing.