Chapter 8 - Creative Strategy: Planning and Development

Promotional StrategyMKT4230

Creative Strategy: Planning and Development

Patricia Knowles, Ph.D.

Associate ProfessorClemson University

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Advertising CreativityThe two basic issues that are associated with the advertising creative process: Creative Strategy and Creative Tactics.

TextbookPages 258 - 259

Determining what the advertising message will say or communicate

CreativeStrategy

CreativeTactics

Determining how the message strategy will be executed


Creative Advertising for Old Spice Body WashThis visual presents a popular Old Spice ad and a couple of tag lines. Ideally, ads and commercials will appeal to, and often create or shape, consumers’ problems, desires, and goals. It is becoming more and more difficult to come up the “big idea” that will break through the clutter and strike a responsive chord with the target audience.


Smell like a man, manThe man your man could smell like


The Importance of CreativityAdvertisers are looking for more than award-winning ads — they want ads that move product. Striking a balance between creative advertising and effective advertising is difficult. For example, the ads shown on this slide all won awards for creativity, but failed to increase product sales.


Many advertising and marketing people have now become ambivalent toward, and even critical of, advertising awards.

They argue that agency creative people are more concerned with creating ads that win awards than ads that sell their clients’ products.

Best ads of all time?

• Alka-Seltzer…Mama Mia! That’s a spicy meatball!

• Nissan …Enjoy the ride.

• Altoids… Curiously strong.


Different Perspectives on Creativity?These are two opposing viewpoints related to creativity:


Managers Creatives

Only artistic value and originality count

It isn’t creative if it doesn’t sell

Stick with what works

Try something new


Determinants of CreativityThe two primary factors of creativity… divergence and relevance.


Ad-To-Consumer

Brand-To-Consumer

Original

Flexibility

RelevanceDivergent

Elaboration

Synthesis

Artistic Value


Creative Advertising for AbsolutThis is an example of the creative advertising that helped make Absolut vodka an iconic brand.

TextbookPages 264 / Exhibht 8 - 3

This ad is a good example of creative advertising that relies primarily on thought-provoking imagery.

The ad is part of the integrated global campaign, which uses the tagline “In an Absolut World.” It plays off the brand name to illustrate a whimsical, imagined world where everything is as ideal as Absolut vodka.

This ad features New York’s Times Square adorned with famous works of art, rather than billboards.


The Creative ChallengeCreativity is limited only by guidelines; there are no hard and fast rules or formulas that guarantee success.


Marketers must take all the research, creative briefs, strategy statements, communications objectives, and other input and transform them into an advertising message that engages the audience’s interest and makes the ads memorable.

Because there are no absolute rules, no formulas, no “right way,” given the same problem, a dozen creative talents would solve it a dozen different ways.


Residence Inn Takes a Creative RiskResidence Inn has taken a creative approach with its new ads. This highly evocative campaign was created to showcase Residence Inn’s new “Innfusion” décor, which redefines the extended-stay experience with distinctive zones to meet the needs of the extended stay guest… cooking, dining, working, relaxing, and sleeping.


The ads use theatrical performers to show guests how to master, not just survive, a long trip. In this ad, Residence’s in-room grocery service is highlighted.

Not all companies or agencies agree that advertising must be risky to be effective, however. Many are more comfortable with ads that simply communicate product or service features and benefits.


Creative vs. Hard-Sell AdvertisingThis is the perpetual struggle between the suits and poets:


Suits

Rationalists who argue that advertising must sell the product or service, and that the more selling points there are in the ad, the greater the chance of moving the consumer to purchase.

Poets

(Proponents of creativity) argue that advertising must build an emotional bond between consumers and brands or companies that goes beyond mere product advertising.


Creative PersonnelThese are some of the adjectives often used to describe creative types, such as artists and copywriters:

TextbookPage 268 - 269

Abstract

Less structured

Less organized

Unconventional

Intuitive


Young’s Creative ProcessOne of the most popular approaches to creativity in advertising was developed by James Webb Young, a former creative vice president at the J. Walter Thompson agency. This chart shows and describes the various steps in Young’s model of the creative process.


Get raw material and data, and immerse yourself in the problemImmersion

Take the information, work it over, wrestle with it in your mindDigestion

Turn the information over to the subconscious to do the workIncubation

“Eureka! I have it!” phenomenonIllumination

Study the idea, evaluate it, reshape it for practical usefulnessVerification


Walla’s Creative Process ModelThis visual shows another approach to the creative process, which was developed by English sociologist Graham Wallas.


IncubationSetting

ProblemAside

PreparationGathering

Information

IlluminationSeeing the

Solution

VerificationRefiningthe Idea

TheCreativeProcess


Test Your KnowledgeA client manufactures maternity clothes for businesswomen, and it wants a new advertising campaign. Visits to obstetrician's offices to observe the clothes being worn and to maternity shops to see how they were selected could be a part of the _____ stage of the creative process.

A. Preparation

B. Verification

C. Revision

D. Reality check

E. Incubation

These are the various forms of background information that can be provided to creative specialists during the preparation, incubation, and illumination stages of the creative process.


Getting Creative Input


Read anything related to the product or market

Listen to what people are talking about

Use the product to become familiar with it

Ask everyone involved for informationWork in and learn

about the client’s business

Conduct studies of product, service, audience


Branding ResearchYoung & Rubicam developed a proprietary tool for building and managing a brand. Known as the BrandAsset Valuator, it produces the type of output shown in this visual:



Qualitative Research InputMany agencies use qualitative and ethnographic research, in addition to quantitative research studies. Qualitative research techniques:

• In-depth interviews• Focus groups

Focus groups bring together 10 to 12 people from the target market, who are then led through a discussion regarding a particular topic. These groups give insight into why and how consumers use a product or service.

During ethnographic research, consumers are observed in their natural environment. Some agencies send anthropologists or trained researchers into the field to study and observe consumers in their homes, at work, or at play.

As a rule, creative people are open to any research or information that will help them better understand the client’s target market.



Input Verification and RevisionThis visual shows the objectives for the verification and revision stages of the creative process, as well as the research techniques that can be used.

TextbookPage 274

• Evaluate ideas • Reject the inappropriate• Refine the remaining• Give ideas final expression

Objective

• Directed focus groups• Message communication studies• Portfolio tests• Viewer reaction profiles

Techniques


Storyboards and AnimaticsA storyboard is a series of drawings used to present the visual plan or layout of a proposed commercial. It contains a series of sketches of key frames or scenes, along with the copy or audio portion for each scene.

TextbookPages 274 – 275 / Exhibit 8 - 11

Because storyboards are too abstract for many consumers to understand, the agency may produce an animatic, a videotape of the storyboard along with an audio soundtrack.


An Advertising CampaignThis visual shows the various components of an advertising campaign, which is a series of interrelated, integrated, and coordinated marketing communication activities that center on a central theme or idea, in different media, across a specified time period.

TextbookPage 275

Integrated

Interrelated Coordinated

In Different Media Over a Time Period

Marketing Communication

Activities

Centered on a Theme or Idea


Campaign ThemesThese are successful themes employed by a number of major companies:


Marlboro Marlboro Country

Wheaties Breakfast of Champions

BMW The ultimate driving machine

Nike Just do it

McDonald’s I’m lovin’ it

Key Jewelers Every kiss begins with Kay

Allstate You’re in good hands with Allstate

Company or Brand Campaign Theme


Test Your KnowledgeAdvertising campaign themes:

A. Are always tactical in nature and design

B. Set the tone or direction for all of the individual ads that make up the campaign

C. Are typically designed by the client and implemented by the agency

D. Are usually used for ads that run in only one type of media vehicle

E. Are described by all of the above


The Creative BriefCreative brief specifies the basic elements of the creative strategy. The brief may also be called a creative platform, work plan, creative blueprint, or creative contract.

TextbookPage 277 - 280 / Figure 8 - 3

Just as there are different names for the creative brief, there are variations in the outline and format used, and in the level of detail included.

Many creative briefs also include supporting information and requirements, such as brand identifications and disclaimers that should appear in all advertising messages.

The creative brief is usually developed by an account representative or an account planner.

• Basic problem or issue the advertising must address

• Advertising and communications objectives

• Target audience• Major selling idea or key benefits

to communicate• Creative strategy statement• Supporting information and

requirements


Marketing Information FlowThis visual shows the major communication interfaces and decision points where gatekeepers on both the agency and client side can impede the flow of information.

TextbookPages 277 - 280 / Figure 8 - 4

Knowledge of vital Marketing information

Client gatekeepers(Brand manager)

Internal client decision to share information

with agency

Agency gatekeeper(Account manager)

Agency gatekeeper decision on sharing client

info with staff

Creative staff

Art is created

Client/agency communication

Internal agency communication


Search for a Major Selling IdeaThis visual shows various approaches that can be used to develop the major selling idea of an advertising campaign.


Finding the inherent drama Use a UniqueSelling Position

Create a Brand ImagePositioning

Seeking the Major Idea


The Unique Selling Proposition (USP)The USP approach to developing the major selling idea:

TextbookPage 284

Must be unique to this brand or claim; rivals can't or don't

offer it

Unique

Buy this product/service and you get this benefit

Benefit

Promise must be strong enough to

move mass millions

Potent


Colgate’s Unique Selling PropositionColgate Total’s unique selling proposition is that there is a connection between the health of your mouth and the health of your body.

TextbookPages 284 / Exhibit 8 - 14


Image AdvertisingCreative strategies are used to sell products based on the development of a strong, memorable identity for the brand through image advertising.

TextbookPages 284 - 285 / Exhibit 8 - 15

As shown here, bebe uses advertising to build an image as a sexy and stylish brand.


Test Your KnowledgeWhich of the following is most often the basis of a marketer's creative strategy when the company has multiple brands competing in the same market?

A. Unique selling propositions

B. Brand image

C. Inherent drama

D. Transformational advertising

E. Positioning


Inherent DramaThis visual illustrates the use of inherent drama as an approach to the development of a major selling idea.

TextbookPage 285

The inherent drama approach is used often used in advertising for companies/brands such as McDonald’s, Maytag appliances, Kellogg cereals, and Hallmark cards.

A good example of this approach is the new campaign for Hallmark cards… “The biggest little thing you can do.” The ads emphasize the gratitude and appreciation that can come from the small gesture of sending a greeting card, and promotes the 99-cent line of greeting cards that Hallmark has been selling for years.

A unique aspect of this campaign was giving consumers the ability to go to a website, choose the card that is given to the person in the ad, then watching the reaction of the person who receives it.


PositioningPositioning is an approach used to developing the major selling idea for an advertising campaign.

TextbookPages 285 – 286 / Exhibit 8 - 17

Quaker State/Q uses a performance positioning strategy (shown here) and targets the “Enthusiast” segment that is involved in maintaining their car, and will most likely purchase their own oil and install it themselves.

Many of the top brands in various product and service categories have retained their market leadership because they have established and maintained a strong position or identity in the minds of consumers.


Contemporary Approaches to the Big IdeaPreviously successful advertising approaches (USP, brand image, inherent drama, and positioning) may not meet the advertising needs of today and tomorrow.

In describing today’s advertising leaders, Anthony Vagnoni of Advertising Age writes: “They’ve endorsed no set of rules, professed no simple maxims. What’s replaced them is a conscious desire to lift the intelligence level of advertising. Today’s leaders see advertising as an uplifting social force, as a way to inspire and entertain.”

Goodby and Silverstein note: “Advertising works best when it sneaks into people’s lives, when it doesn’t look or

feel like advertising. It’s about treating people at their best, as opposed to dealing with them at their lowest common denominator.”

Most marketers and their agencies recognize that they must come up with big ideas that can be used across a variety of media and can engage consumers. In a rapidly changing advertising world, this is becoming harder and harder to do.

TextbookPage 286 - 288

Chapter 8 - Creative Strategy: Planning and Development

Marketing

Transcript of Chapter 8 - Creative Strategy: Planning and Development