When I lived in Cincinnati working for Procter & Gamble, there was great local advertising for Kash’s Big Bargain Barn.
I’m defining great advertising in this case as unforgettable, even if you tried to. I’ve remembered the tag line “save cash with Kash” for more than 30 years.
Kash Amburgy delivered the message “Follow the signs, follow the arrows, or follow the cars to Kash’s Big Bargain Barn in South Lebanon Ohio, where you save cash with Kash.” His voice was unique and the commercials somehow entertaining. They were so anti-slick that they made the local car dealers seem to be Tiffany-level advertisers.
I don’t know if he used the same fast-paced advertising delivery on his other jobs:
- Self described “world’s champion” door-to-door bible salesman,
- Tent-revival evangelist, and
- Radio preacher on 68 stations over which he delivered several thousand sermons.
My wife and I were hooked after hearing Kash’s unique voice over-and-over-and-over again. One Saturday we drove 30 miles to the small town made famous by his advertising hoping to talk with him.
I remember easily finding the town and Bargain Barn and quickly determining that even being newlyweds, we wanted better quality furniture, regardless of his cash-saving prices.
I also remember seeing many other happy customers at the Bargain Barn who couldn’t afford to pay any more than Kash’s prices.
Kash understood four good marketing principles:
- Know your customers,
- Talk directly to your customers,
- Be memorable, and
- Provide the products your customers want at prices they can afford.
Kash was a master marketer.