Chapter 8 - Creative Strategy: Planning and Development
- 1. Promotional Strategy MKT4230 Creative Strategy: Planning and Development Patricia Knowles, Ph.D. Associate Professor Clemson University 1
- 2. 2 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 2 Advertising Creativity The two basic issues that are associated with the advertising creative process: Creative Strategy and Creative Tactics. Textbook Pages 258 - 259 Determining what the advertising message will say or communicate Creative Strategy Creative Tactics Determining how the message strategy will be executed
- 3. 3 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 3 Creative Advertising for Old Spice Body Wash This 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. Textbook Pages 257 - 258 Smell like a man, man The man your man could smell like
- 4. 4 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 4 The Importance of Creativity Advertisers 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. Textbook Pages 259 - 260 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.
- 5. 5 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 5 Different Perspectives on Creativity? These are two opposing viewpoints related to creativity: Textbook Pages 260 - 261 Managers Creatives Only artistic value and originality count It isn’t creative if it doesn’t sell
- 6. 6 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 6 Determinants of Creativity The two primary factors of creativity… divergence and relevance. Textbook Pages 262 - 263 Ad-To-Consumer Brand-To-Consumer Original Flexibility RelevanceDivergent Elaboration Synthesis Artistic Value
- 7. 7 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 7 Creative Advertising for Absolut This is an example of the creative advertising that helped make Absolut vodka an iconic brand. Textbook Pages 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.
- 8. 8 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 8 The Creative Challenge Creativity is limited only by guidelines; there are no hard and fast rules or formulas that guarantee success. Textbook Pages 264 - 265 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.
- 9. 9 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 9 Residence Inn Takes a Creative Risk Residence 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. Textbook Pages 266 - 267 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.
- 10. 10 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 10 Creative vs. Hard-Sell Advertising This is the perpetual struggle between the suits and poets: Textbook Pages 267 - 268 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.
- 11. 11 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 11 Creative Personnel These are some of the adjectives often used to describe creative types, such as artists and copywriters: Textbook Page 268 - 269 Abstract Less structured Less organized Unconventional Intuitive
- 12. 12 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 12 Young’s Creative Process One 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. Textbook Pages 269 - 270 Get raw material and data, and immerse yourself in the problem Immersion Take the information, work it over, wrestle with it in your mind Digestion Turn the information over to the subconscious to do the work Incubation “Eureka! I have it!” phenomenonIllumination Study the idea, evaluate it, reshape it for practical usefulness Verification
- 13. 13 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 13 Walla’s Creative Process Model This visual shows another approach to the creative process, which was developed by English sociologist Graham Wallas. Textbook Pages 269 - 270 Incubation Setting Problem Aside Preparation Gathering Information Illumination Seeing the Solution Verification Refining the Idea The Creative Process
- 14. 14 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 14 Test Your Knowledge A 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
- 15. 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. 15 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 15 Getting Creative Input Textbook Pages 270 - 271 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
- 16. 16 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 16 Branding Research Young & 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: Textbook Pages 271 - 272
- 17. 17 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 17 Qualitative Research Input Many 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. Textbook Pages 272 - 274
- 18. 18 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 18 Input Verification and Revision This visual shows the objectives for the verification and revision stages of the creative process, as well as the research techniques that can be used. Textbook Page 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
- 19. 19 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 19 Storyboards and Animatics A 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. Textbook Pages 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.
- 20. 20 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 20 An Advertising Campaign This 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. Textbook Page 275 Integrated Interrelated Coordinated In Different Media Over a Time Period Marketing Communication Activities Centered on a Theme or Idea
- 21. 21 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 21 Campaign Themes These are successful themes employed by a number of major companies: Textbook Pages 275 - 277 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
- 22. 22 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 22 Test Your Knowledge Advertising 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
- 23. 23 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 23 The Creative Brief Creative 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. Textbook Page 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
- 24. 24 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 24 Marketing Information Flow This visual shows the major communication interfaces and decision points where gatekeepers on both the agency and client side can impede the flow of information. Textbook Pages 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
- 25. 25 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 25 Search for a Major Selling Idea This visual shows various approaches that can be used to develop the major selling idea of an advertising campaign. Textbook Pages 280 - 283 Finding the inherent drama Use a Unique Selling Position Create a Brand ImagePositioning Seeking the Major Idea
- 26. 26 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 26 The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) The USP approach to developing the major selling idea: Textbook Page 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
- 27. 27 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 27 Colgate’s Unique Selling Proposition Colgate Total’s unique selling proposition is that there is a connection between the health of your mouth and the health of your body. Textbook Pages 284 / Exhibit 8 - 14
- 28. 28 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 28 Image Advertising Creative strategies are used to sell products based on the development of a strong, memorable identity for the brand through image advertising. Textbook Pages 284 - 285 / Exhibit 8 - 15 As shown here, bebe uses advertising to build an image as a sexy and stylish brand.
- 29. 29 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 29 Test Your Knowledge Which 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
- 30. 30 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 30 Inherent Drama This visual illustrates the use of inherent drama as an approach to the development of a major selling idea. Textbook Page 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.
- 31. 31 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 31 Positioning Positioning is an approach used to developing the major selling idea for an advertising campaign. Textbook Pages 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.
- 32. 32 Promotional Strategy MKT4230 32 Contemporary Approaches to the Big Idea Previously 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. Textbook Page 286 - 288