1 Creativity and Advertising Dr. Angeline G. Close and Dr. Anjala Krishen

Plan for Today Tying the knot between strategy and creativity

Strategy Creativity Execution 1.Strategic Creativity 1.What is creativity? 2.Creative concept: A “big idea,” “the creative leap” 3.Twin masters: creativity and strategy 4.Leo Burnett’s Inherent Drama

Something to understand… Creative Brief The Objective The Objective Target Audience Target Audience Message Theme Message Theme Support Support Constraints Constraints Strategy statement The Objective The Objective Target Audience Target Audience Unique Selling Proposition Unique Selling Proposition Headline Headline Different perspective but the same results We’ll discuss this later in detail

5 What makes an ad great? Strategy driven by specific objectives target audience message offers a relevant benefit (selling proposition) Creativity the big idea (unifying) original link to strategy!!! Execution craftsmanship the right execution effective media

6 Remember What makes an ad great?  Strategy-Creativity-Execution  They should be consistent  Therefore the analysis of the final ad should bring us to the same conclusion independent of the perspective

7 1. What is Creativity? n. (kre-a’tiv i te)  Having the ability to create (give rise to; cause to exist) things  Characterized by expressiveness and originality; imaginative  Combining 2+ elements with imagination & technical skills that have never been combined before (Levinson)

8 I. What is creativity (in advertising)? 1.Creative Concept: A “big idea” that is original and dramatizes the selling point  The big idea (original thinking)  Unifies  Dramatizes the selling point  The process: “the creative leap,” that flash of insight that unites the campaign (Otto Kleppner)

9 2. Twin masters: Creativity and Strategy Advertising is “an art and a disciplined solution to a communications problem”  Strategy: Springboard for the creative leap A creative idea is both original (different, novel, unexpected) and right for the product and target audience  David Ogilvy (greatest copywriters ever) “I doubt if more than one campaign in a hundred contains a big idea. I am supposed to be one of the more fertile inventors of big ideas, but in my long career I have not had more than 20 if that”

10 Brand image or personality is particularly important when brands are similar “Every ad must contribute to the complex symbol that is the brand image.” Brand image or personality is particularly important when brands are similar Perspectives of Great Ad Men on the Major Selling Idea STRATEGY: David Ogilvy STRATEGY: David Ogilvy Find the inherent drama or characteristic of the product that makes consumers buy it “(Inherent drama) is often hard to find but it is always there, and once found it is the most interesting and believable of all advertising appeals.” CREATIVITY: Leo Burnett CREATIVITY: Leo Burnett

Absolut’s Advertising Represents Synergy Between Creative and Media

Positioning the Brand Use a Unique Selling Position Use a Unique Selling Position Create the Brand Image Positioning Find the Inherent Drama Create a Brand Image Use a Unique Selling Position Use a Unique Selling Position Twin Masters Strategy & Creativity Seeking the Major Idea

13 BMW’s Slogan Has Helped Build Its Brand Image +

14 This ad is part of a new advertising campaign theme for Miller Lite beer

15 Buy this product and you'll benefit this way or enjoy this reward Must be unique to this brand or claim; something rivals can't or don't offer Unique Benefit Unique Benefit Approaches to the Major Selling Idea: USP Unique Selling Proposition The promise must be strong enough or attractive enough to move people Potent

A Big Idea Resulting From The Creative Leap

17 Often used for products such as soft drinks, perfume, liquor, clothing, airlines image advertising The creativity sales strategy is based on a strong, memorable brand identity through image advertising Used when competing brands are so similar it is difficult to find or create a unique attribute image advertising The creativity sales strategy is based on a strong, memorable brand identity through image advertising Used when competing brands are so similar it is difficult to find or create a unique attribute Creating a Brand Image

18 Establish a particular place in the customer’s mind for the product or service Approaches to the Major Selling Idea: Positioning Positioning Based on product attributes/ benefits, price/quality, use or application, type of user, problem solved

19 This Ad Positions 3M as Highly Innovative +

20 3. Leo Burnett’s Inherent Drama A.The concept  “Creativity call for an intuitive ability to identify the inherent drama that resided within a product through the conscious use of "earthy vernacular" imagery.  Inherent drama: Characteristic of the product that makes consumers buy it.  The inherent drama “is often hard to find but it is always there, and once found it is the most interesting and believable of all advertising appeals.”

Approaches to the Major Selling Idea: Inherent Drama Inherent Drama Messages generally presented in a warm, emotional way Hallmark, Maytag, Kellog Focus on consumer benefits with an emphasis on the dramatic element in expressing them Messages generally presented in a warm, emotional way, for example, Hallmark “When you care enough to send the very best”

A Big Idea Resulting From The Creative Leap

23 B. It is the foundation of consumer benefits (why produced, why bought) Ad: We should be able to identify the “reason” why a manufacturer made a product and why the consumer purchased it. C. Warm and believable without tricks (McDonald’s, Maytag appliances, Kellogg’s cereals, and Hallmark cards)

24 D. The dramatic element (product-consumer interaction) Structural analysis How does the story line bring the claim to life?  Ideally, the story and the claim are so seemless (consistent) that it is hard to tell whether the impact derives from the power of the creative story or the strength of the product claim. Definition: Structural analysis  Developed by Leo Burnett Agency  It first looks at the power of the narrative or story line and then evaluates the strength of the product claim.  Integration is important: how the storyline brings the claim to life  If done improperly: Narrative level (STORY) is so high that it overpowers the claim The CLAIM is strong but there is no memorable story

25 Unique Selling Proposition vs. Inherent drama USP Strategic perspective Strategic perspective The promise must be strong to move people The promise must be strong to move peopleID Creative perspective Creative perspective Characteristic of the product that makes consumers buy it Characteristic of the product that makes consumers buy it

26 Before Creative Work Begins Advertising Strategy Must Define  Target Audience  Product Concept  Communications Media  Advertising Message (message strategy)  Account management group responsible for developing the advertising strategy

27 The Creative Brief (Copy Platform) Creative team’s guide for writing and producing the ad Who? Why? -- Rational vs Emotional What? - product features Where and When? What? - tone, style, approach

28 Message Strategy (Rationale) Description of the ad campaign’s overall creative approach  Verbal  Nonverbal  Technical (mandatories) The “BIG IDEA”

Coming up in our project  starting with step 4 – creating ideas Four-stage creativity model:A Kick In The Seat Of the Pants by Roger von Oech.  Explorer – Accumulate a lot of ideas, focusing on quantity not quality.  Artist – Rearrange old ideas, combining and changing them to come up with new ones.  Judge – Evaluate the ideas (Explorer & Artist).  Warrior – Develop an action plan and implement.

30 The Creative Process Explorer InsightObjectiveBrainstorm

31 Formulating Strategy: Writing the Creative Brief Issues to Consider Elements of the Brief Who? Why? What? Where? When? How? Objective Statement Support Statement Tone or Brand Character Statement

32 The Creative Brief A creative brief is a document that provides the guidelines for creating brand messages.

33 The objective. The target audience. The message theme The support. The constraints. The Creative Brief (Explorer Stage)

34 The Objective An advertisement for Bic designed to enhance the brand’s image.

35 The Target Market The target market for this ad is females, 13-30, who enjoy sports and have an active life style.

The Message Theme The message theme of this milk advertisement was that milk will provide calcium. The calcium will provide the customer with benefit of strong bones.

The Support The support claims highlighted in this advertisement is that MicroThins are: 30% thinner 40% lighter 4 times more scratch resistant 10 times more impact resistant 99.9% UV protection anti-reflective.

In Class exercise: Del Monte Advertisement Put together a creative brief for this advertisement (ex post)

ANSWER: Creative Brief Del Monte The Objective – Increase awareness of the smaller-size cans with pull-top lid. Target Audience – senior citizens, especially those that live alone and suffer from arthritis. Message Theme – The new cans not only contain a smaller portion but are easier to open. Support – 30 cent introductory coupon to encourage usage. Constraints – copyright logo, toll free number, website address, legal requirements of a coupon and what is meant by a small serve.