Creative Advertising Strategy 10

What Makes Effective Advertising? Consumer’s View Sound Strategy Effective Advertising Doesn’t Overwhelm Break Clutter Deliver on Promises

Memorable Advertising Apple Computer’s “1984” TV Commercial

The Role of Creativity Creative ads share two characteristics: American Family Life Assurance Company (AFLAC) Nike Honda U.K. Apple iPod

Original Ads: Apple iPod

Advertising Successes and Mistakes Value Proposition is the essence of a message and the reward to the consumer for investing his or her time attending to an advertisement. The reward could be information about the product or just an enjoyable experience.

Advertising Plans and Strategy Advertising strategy

Advertising Strategy: A Five-Step Program Specify the key fact from the customer’s viewpoint. State the primary problem, or advertising issue, from brand management’s perspective. State the advertising objective. Implement the creative message strategy. Establish mandatory requirements.

Step 1: Specify the Key Fact The key fact in an advertising strategy is a single-minded statement from the consumer’s point of view that identifies why consumers are or aren’t purchasing the brand.

Step 2: State the Primary Problem Extending from the key fact, this step states the problem from the brand management’s point of view.

Step 3: State the Advertising Objective This is a straightforward statement about what effect the advertising is intended to have on the target market.

Step 4: Implement the Creative Message Strategy Sometimes called the creative platform, the positioning statement is the key idea that a brand is supposed to stand for in its target market’s minds.

Step 5: Establish Mandatory Requirements The final step involves including mandatory requirements due to regulatory dictates, or non-regulatory requirements like the corporate logo or tag-line.

Constructing a Creative Brief Background Their current thoughts/feelings Strategy What do we want them to think/feel Task What do we want them to do Positioning Proposition Client’s Objectives Belief in proposition Target How we speak to them

Alternative Advertising Strategies Unique Selling Proposition (USP) Brand Image Resonance Emotional Generic Preemptive

Alternative Strategies: Unique Selling Proposition Definition Superiority claims based on unique physical feature or meaningful benefit Conditions Most useful when point of difference cannot be readily matched by competitors Competitive Implications May force competitors to imitate or choose more aggressive strategy

Alternative Strategies: Brand Image Definition Claims based on psychosocial differentiation, usually symbolic association Conditions Best for homogeneous good where differences are difficult to develop (e.g., cola) Competitive Implications Often involve prestige/identity claims; rarely challenge competition directly

Alternative Strategies: Resonance Definition Attempts to evoke stored life experiences of prospects to give product relevant meaning or significance Conditions Best for socially visible goods; requires considerable consumer understanding to design messages Competitive Implications Few direct limitations on competitor’s options; most likely competitive response is imitation

Alternative Strategies: Emotional Definition Attempts to provoke involvement or emotion through ambiguity, humor without strong selling emphasis Conditions Best suited to discretionary Items associated with emotions Competitive Implications Competitors may imitate to undermine strategy of difference or pursue other alternatives

Alternative Strategies: Generic Definition A claim that could be made by any company in that category. No attempt to differentiate the brand. Conditions Best suited to brands that dominate a product category. Competitive Implications Competitors may imitate but one’s overall dominance will mean one gains a larger share of an increased pie.

Alternative Strategies: Preemptive Definition A generic claim made with an assertion of superiority. Conditions Few real functional differences between brands. Must be first in product category to make the claim, and to support it with sufficient ad weight. Competitive Implications Effectively precludes competitors from making a similar claim.

Values

Universal Human Values Self-Direction Stimulation Hedonism Achievement Power Security Conformity Tradition Benevolence Universalism

Individualistic Cultures Self-Direction Stimulation Hedonism Achievement Power Security Conformity Tradition Benevolence Universalism

Collectivistic Cultures Self-Direction Stimulation Hedonism Achievement Power Security Conformity Tradition Benevolence Universalism

Self- Direction Value

Security Value

Workshop Questions What are the value orientations or valued end-states that are motivating to our target audiences? Do they differ across audiences? How can we find out? What are the attributes and consequences that link to those value orientations? How can our IMC strategy emphasize those attributes and consequences?