Sometimes my job puts me in awkward positions. Today’s story starts with a couple of them. In 2012 I wrote about the Waynestock Concerts, as I do every year, and particularly, I wrote about a group called “The French.” In that article I generally praised them but questioned whether they were serious or just goofing. Two years later they returned to Waynestock, which I again wrote about, only this time they introduced a new song they said resulted from that previous performance and was a response to “some local blogger” who questioned their seriousness. They launched into, “Yes, We’re Serious.”
That was slightly uncomfortable. But it gets worse. early last spring I stopped in to see Scott West who introduced me to his friend Brett Winston. As we shook hands, Scott told him I am the writer of this blog. Brett smiled and said, “I know who you are. You’re that blogger that hates my band.” It was not my most comfortable introduction. Fortunately, Brett has a great sense of humor and we laughed about it and began making plans for this story.
When we meet for the interview, we subject surf rapidly enough that we’re in danger of losing the connective thread. Brett tells me he’s somewhat ADD as we careen from one idea to the next, his mind seemingly ablaze with thought. I learn that Brett is originally from Knoxville and attended both Farragut and Bearden High Schools, as well as the University of Tennessee. His English major and public relations minor opened the door for him to enter a sales position at Metro Pulse and later to become sales director at the Knoxville Voice. In 2009, the owner of the Voice wanted to move into digital advertising and put Brett in charge of the new venture.
In addition to fronting an, apparently, serious band, Brett owns and is the creative director of Plainview Digital and Plainview TV. Their core business is defined broadly as offering creative solutions for clients. They have the capacity to address virtually any digital need from designing websites and networks, to digital advertising and more. What caught my eye – and the reason for Brett and Scott being together when we met – was the fact that Brett is the creative force behind Scruffy City TV, which you’ll see playing in various West properties including Scruffy City Hall. You’ll also see his work on the wall at the Knoxville Visitor Center as he consults with Visit Knoxville, as well.
The concept behind Plainview TV the idea of providing content to entertain customers which also serves as a marketing tool. You’ll see their televisions in various businesses around town. A set of commercials of complimentary businesses and direct marketing of the store hosting the television, stores which include Creamery Grille and Planet Exchange, for example, plays a ten-minute or less loop which has been shown to increase impulse sales by 300%. The audience is very targeted because they are either in your store or they are in a store near yours (never a direct competitor) and are already spending money.
So, the idea is an entertained customer is a happy customer. Brett’s focus is in creative presentation in any of the projects and his goal is to make advertising fun. Plainview TV is another way to entertain. He gives the example of the boyfriend waiting on his girlfriend to shop. If he’s bored he’ll rush her to finish, if he’s entertained, then not so much.
His focus with Scruffy City TV has been on promoting the various West family businesses. With Visit Knoxville, which actually has fourteen screens in different locations, the focus is on tourists and promoting the city. He has a very creative idea he hopes to execute in the window of the Market House Cafe when it opens. He enjoys the creativity of tailoring the system for the client and says he’s happy to throw out ideas and to be as edgy and creative as the client wants.
He feels he is positioned well because he has a wide-range of skill-sets for digital marketing. He describes it as “guerilla marketing,” and points out that marketing has to be continuous to either grow or to preserve market share. As he puts it, “If you want one more boring informative ad, I’m not that guy. I want to work with people who want something fresh and original.
So, next time you are in one of the places mentioned or others you happen to spot, notice the TV and realize there is a person behind it. If you think a system like this would work for your business, get in touch with him. I can’t necessarily encourage impulse purchases, but I can encourage you to support our local businesses and creative people like Brett Winston and Plainview Digital. He’s serious. He told me so, himself.