1. A road map for the creative team
Chapter 5: Strategy
A road map for the creative team

2. What is strategic planning?
Strategic planning is the stage between fact gathering and creative execution.
It is the WAY you plan to sell the product, NOT the words ad images you use
To make the facts you must add your insight - you must see connections that no one else has noticed

3. Example: Farming is more than a job
Farming is a way of life. Farmers love working outdoors, relish being their own boss because they can raise their families in a good environment, and because they get deep satisfaction from making things grow

4. Example: Farming also = business
Managing farms and managing assets is not easy. Farmers are intensely interested in practical solutions to problems associated with farming.
DuPont products promote agricultural products as an extension of farming, promote brand through trust, empathy

5. O’Toole’s 3-point approach to strategy
1. Who or what is the competition? To set your brand apart, need to know what other brands are saying. Also need to be aware that your competition may go beyond the product category. Eg: Health clubs compete with exercise videos, diet supplements, home exercise machines, not just other clubs

6. O’Toole’s 3-point approach to strategy
2. Who are you talking to? Are you targeting users of another brand? Consumers who use a related product but might be persuaded to switch to yours? Is there a way you can position your brand to meet an unfulfilled need of a particular market segment?

7. O’Toole’s 3-point approach to strategy
3. What do you want your target to know, understand and feel? Describe how your brand touches one or more human needs: to be popular, to feel attractive and wanted, to obtain material things, to enjoy life through comfort & convenience, etc. Try emotional appeal rather than rational benefit. (Lipstick=hope, Porsche=power)

8. Focus on human needs …
In-use rewards: Is convenient (practical), offers new taste (sensory), earns family gratitude (social) …
Results-of-use rewards: builds strong bones, feel better (sensory), look good (social), belief you’re good parent (ego satisfied)
Incidental-to-use rewards: Low-cost nutrition (practical) no mess (sensory), variety for party (social), smart shopper (ego satisfaction)

9. Stating the strategy
One page should be enough to give insight to the creative team
The following format is typical…

10. Strategy statement format (Pg 114 & 120)
Who is our target?
Where are we now in the mind of the consumer?
Where is our competition in the mind of this person?
Where would we like to be in the mind of this person?
What is the consumer promise, the “big idea”?
What is the supporting evidence?
What is the tone of voice for the advertising?

11. Account-planning approach
Role of advertising: Why are you advertising? What’s the problem that advertising can solve? How will the client benefit? How will consumers benefit?
Target audience: Describe consumers in a way that gives insight how they think and feel about your brand
Insight: Observation, interviews, focus groups
Benefit: Define benefit in human terms
Brand personality or brand promise: Motel6
Mandatories: Financial disclosure information

12. From strategy to execution…

13. Farmers are spiritual pragmatists

14. Bell Helmets = courage for your head

15. “I am my car.”

16. FCB strategy-planning model
High involvement
Informative
Affective
Thinking
Feeling
Habit-formation
Self satisfaction
Low involvement

17. Thinking/ high involvement
Informative model
Types of products: Cars, electronics
Consumer purchasing model: Learn-feel-do
Ads with long, detailed copy, demonstration

18. Feeling/ high involvement
Affective model
Types of products: Jewelry, fashion, cosmetics
Consumer purchasing model: Feel-learn-do
Ads with dramatic visuals, emotional copy

19. Thinking/ low involvement
Habit formation model
Types of products: food, household items
Consumer purchasing model: Do-learn-feel
Small space reminder ads

20. Feeling/ low involvement
Reactor model
Types of products: alcohol, candy
Consumer purchasing model: Do-feel-learn
Attention-grabbing, point of sale messages

21. Informative strategy for North Carolina tourism

22. Affective strategy for North Carolina tourism

23. Checklist for Strategy
Does your strategy have the potential for relevant and unexpected connections that can build a relationship between the brand and the prospect?
Did you place the brand at the appropriate point on the thinking/ feeling and high/ low-importance scales?
Does your strategy address one or more human needs?
Did you include emotional benefits, as well as rational ones? Can the product and its advertising support these benefits?

24. Checklist for Strategy
Did you consider what strategies competitors are using, as well as what they may have missed?
Does your strategy address the target market in a tone appropriate to this market?
Does your strategy contain enough information to give the creative team member direction but not so much information that it overwhelms them?
Does your strategy address both types of ROI?