INTEGRATED MARKETING INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

Lecture week 6Lecture week 6

Creativity and Creative Creativity and Creative StrategyStrategy

ObjectivesObjectives

• Discuss the nature of creativityDiscuss the nature of creativity• Outline the mechanisms by which the Outline the mechanisms by which the

process can be managed as part of process can be managed as part of the IMCthe IMC

• Explain approaches to the Explain approaches to the development of creative strategydevelopment of creative strategy

• Examine the relationship between Examine the relationship between branding, positioning and creative branding, positioning and creative strategystrategy

ROLE OF CREATIVE STRATEGY IN ROLE OF CREATIVE STRATEGY IN IMCIMC

1.1. Create and support brand positioningCreate and support brand positioning

2.2. Demonstrate consumer problem-Demonstrate consumer problem-solutionsolution

3.3. Influence CDP and brand choiceInfluence CDP and brand choice

4.4. Remind users of reasons for Remind users of reasons for purchasepurchase

5.5. Reduce dissonanceReduce dissonance

ROLE OF CREATIVE STRATEGY IN ROLE OF CREATIVE STRATEGY IN IMCIMC

Brand awareness Brand awareness

Provide meaningful informationProvide meaningful information

Change perceptions and/or attitudesChange perceptions and/or attitudes

Create convictionCreate conviction

Provide reasons to change behaviourProvide reasons to change behaviour

Reinforcement and reminderReinforcement and reminder

THE ROLE OF CREATIVITYTHE ROLE OF CREATIVITY

Applies to all aspects of IMC strategy: Applies to all aspects of IMC strategy: • message elementsmessage elements• media strategymedia strategy• E.g. Boddingtons “cream of Manchester” E.g. Boddingtons “cream of Manchester”

creatives and magazine approach to creatives and magazine approach to national launchnational launch

• Applies equally to all marcomms mixApplies equally to all marcomms mix• Can also be used when determining Can also be used when determining

target audiencestarget audiences

STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

Creativity means different things to Creativity means different things to different people …….different people …….

• Consumers – entertainment & Consumers – entertainment & informationinformation

• Brand managers – clear positioningBrand managers – clear positioning

• Agencies – awardsAgencies – awards

• Account teams – creative solutionsAccount teams – creative solutions

DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

• Imaginative and artisticImaginative and artistic• Developing new and creative ideasDeveloping new and creative ideas• Relevant to target audienceRelevant to target audience• But …. must be objectives driven, But …. must be objectives driven,

creativity without purpose is not effective creativity without purpose is not effective communicationcommunication

• ““The ability to generate fresh, unique and The ability to generate fresh, unique and appropriate ideas that can be used as appropriate ideas that can be used as solutions to communications problems” solutions to communications problems” Belch and Belch 2004Belch and Belch 2004

MORE DEFINITIONSMORE DEFINITIONS

• The ‘big idea’ that can underpin a whole The ‘big idea’ that can underpin a whole campaigncampaign

• Attention-getting and catalytically relevant Attention-getting and catalytically relevant representation of the brand positionrepresentation of the brand position

• Amenable to multiple executionsAmenable to multiple executions• Koslow et al (2003) creativity is:Koslow et al (2003) creativity is:

– Originality, novelty or newnessOriginality, novelty or newness– Problem solvingProblem solving– Situationally appropriateSituationally appropriate

MANAGING CREATIVITYMANAGING CREATIVITY

• True creative processes involve ‘no rules’ but True creative processes involve ‘no rules’ but for IMC the process needs to be harnessed in for IMC the process needs to be harnessed in order to justify and be accountable for the order to justify and be accountable for the chosen approachchosen approach

• Picton and Broderick suggest:Picton and Broderick suggest:– Audit the competition and do something differentAudit the competition and do something different– Forget the logical proposition and find the brand Forget the logical proposition and find the brand

personalitypersonality– Define the target so that you like and respect themDefine the target so that you like and respect them

PRODUCTION LINE PRODUCTION LINE CREATIVITY?CREATIVITY?

ImmersionImmersion

DigestionDigestion

IncubationIncubation

IlluminationIllumination

VerificationVerification

CHECKLIST (1) FOR HARNESSING CHECKLIST (1) FOR HARNESSING CREATIVITYCREATIVITY

1.1. Does this advertising position the product simply and with Does this advertising position the product simply and with unmistakeable clarity?unmistakeable clarity?

2.2. Does this advertising bolt the brand to a clinching Does this advertising bolt the brand to a clinching benefit?benefit?

3.3. Does this advertising contain a power idea?Does this advertising contain a power idea?4.4. Does this advertising design in Brand Personality?Does this advertising design in Brand Personality?5.5. Is this advertising unexpected?Is this advertising unexpected?6.6. Is this advertising single-minded?Is this advertising single-minded?7.7. Does this advertising reward the prospect?Does this advertising reward the prospect?8.8. Is this advertising visually arresting?Is this advertising visually arresting?9.9. Does this advertising exhibit painstaking craftsmanship?Does this advertising exhibit painstaking craftsmanship?

CHECKLIST (2) FOR HARNESSING CHECKLIST (2) FOR HARNESSING CREATIVITYCREATIVITY

• Every ad should embody a clear, Every ad should embody a clear, straightforward propositionstraightforward proposition

• Say what you have to say in as few Say what you have to say in as few words as possiblewords as possible

• Use humour with cautionUse humour with caution• Give the target audience credit for Give the target audience credit for

some intelligencesome intelligence• Be original Be original

CREATIVITY, BRANDING AND CREATIVITY, BRANDING AND POSITIONINGPOSITIONING

• Applied creativity means you connect Applied creativity means you connect with audiences through a clear with audiences through a clear position and differentiated and position and differentiated and understood brandunderstood brand

• Brand relationships with targets have Brand relationships with targets have changed from advertising-led changed from advertising-led strategies to communication-led strategies to communication-led onesones

USING CREATIVE APPROACHES TO USING CREATIVE APPROACHES TO DEVELOPING BRAND RELATIONSHIPSDEVELOPING BRAND RELATIONSHIPS

USPUSP unique selling propositionunique selling propositionfocus on brand propertiesfocus on brand properties““I use”I use”

ESPESP emotional selling propositionemotional selling propositionfocus on shared valuesfocus on shared values““I relate”I relate”

PBRPBR participatory brand relationshipparticipatory brand relationshipfocus on active involvementfocus on active involvement““I love”I love”

PARTICIPATORY BRAND PARTICIPATORY BRAND RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

• Creative strategies need to:Creative strategies need to:– Stay in touchStay in touch– Be surprisingBe surprising– Be reassuringBe reassuring– StimulateStimulate– InvolveInvolve– Add valueAdd value

PBR IN PRACTICEPBR IN PRACTICE

• TBWA ‘Disruption’ philosophyTBWA ‘Disruption’ philosophy– communicate by disrupting the communicate by disrupting the

conventionalconventional– A way to reach consumers bombarded by A way to reach consumers bombarded by

marcomms messages marcomms messages

• Saatchi & Saatchi ‘Lovemarks’Saatchi & Saatchi ‘Lovemarks’– ““Lovemarks transcend brands. They Lovemarks transcend brands. They

deliver beyond your expectations of great deliver beyond your expectations of great performance. They reach your heart as performance. They reach your heart as well as your mind.”well as your mind.”

LovemarksLovemarks

• Check out the website and blogs!Check out the website and blogs!

www.lovemarks.comwww.lovemarks.com

POSITIONING – key POSITIONING – key approachesapproaches• Positioning by attribute, product Positioning by attribute, product

characteristic or consumer benefitcharacteristic or consumer benefit• Positioning by price/qualityPositioning by price/quality• Positioning by use/applicationPositioning by use/application• Positioning by product userPositioning by product user• Positioning with respect to product Positioning with respect to product

categorycategory• Positioning against a competitorPositioning against a competitor• Cultural positioningCultural positioning• Re-positioningRe-positioning

DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE STRATEGYSTRATEGY

• Identify the target audienceIdentify the target audience• Describe the basic problem, issue or Describe the basic problem, issue or

opportunity the communication needs to opportunity the communication needs to addressaddress

• The major selling idea/key benefit/big The major selling idea/key benefit/big ideaidea

• Brand positionBrand position• Build/maintain a relationship between Build/maintain a relationship between

the brand and the target audiencethe brand and the target audience

KEY TYPES OF CREATIVE KEY TYPES OF CREATIVE STRATEGYSTRATEGY

• GenericGeneric: claims could be made by many : claims could be made by many brands; no real effort at differentiation; brands; no real effort at differentiation; common in monopolistic marketscommon in monopolistic markets

• Pre-emptivePre-emptive: uses a common : uses a common attribute/benefit but gets there firstattribute/benefit but gets there first

• USPUSP: uses a distinctive differentiation : uses a distinctive differentiation based on product attributesbased on product attributes

• Brand ImageBrand Image: differentiation often based : differentiation often based on psychological differences/emotionson psychological differences/emotions

KEY TYPES OF CREATIVE KEY TYPES OF CREATIVE STRATEGYSTRATEGY

• PositioningPositioning: establishing a place in the : establishing a place in the consumer’s mind relative to the consumer’s mind relative to the competitioncompetition

• ResonanceResonance: uses significant/important : uses significant/important situations, lifestyles, emotions that the situations, lifestyles, emotions that the target audience can identify withtarget audience can identify with

• Affective/emotional: PBR type approaches, Affective/emotional: PBR type approaches, using emotions or ambiguity to break using emotions or ambiguity to break through clutter and indifferencethrough clutter and indifference

Any Questions?Any Questions?