Session 7 Creative Strategy

Metro – Dumb Ways to Die

Objectives of the Campaign
• Increase public awareness about rail
safety by 15%
• To generate sharing activity around
the message about rail safety by 15%
• To invite a commitment to be safe of
45,000 pledges over the next 12
months
• To see a reduction in rail accidents by
10% over 12 months
Metro – Dumb Ways to Die
 Creativity builds….
A solid contribution to the brand’s value
Image through effective communication

Successful creative messages lead to

Brand Recall better brand recall

We’re favorably disposed to products

Brand Preference that do great advertising

Brand Long term creative success leads to long

Relationships lasting brand relationships
Advertising Creativity

Determining what the

Creative
advertising message will say or
Strategy
communicate

Creative Determining how the message

+ Advertisement design
Tactics strategy will be executed
Advertising Creativity
• Ads are often called ‘creative’
• The makers are called ‘creative types’

• Advertising creativity
• The ability to regenerate fresh, unique and appropriate or relevant ideas that
can be used as solutions to communication problems
• Break through the competitive clutter
• Grab the consumer’s attention
• Have impact
Determinants of Creativity
1. Divergence: the extent that an ad contains elements
that are novel different or unusual.
• Originality: rare, surprising
• Flexibility: contain different ideas
• Elaboration: extend basic ideas to become complicated
• Synthesis: combine unrelated ideas
• Artistic: attractive verbal impressions, shapes, colors
• Fluency: a variety of messages subject to one idea
2. Relevance: the degree to which the various
elements of the ad are meaningful, useful, or
valuable to the consumer
• Ad-to-consumer: ad elements (celebrities, music, images, etc.)
• Brand-to-consumer: product or service
Originality - creative ad example
Originality - creative ad example
Launching a convertible in the middle of winter can be a challenge.
But for Volkswagen,
it was an opportunity to tell a simple, human story in a clever way.
The Creative Challenge
• Advertisers need to take all the research, strategy statements,
communication objectives etc. and transform them into advertising
message
• They must put the advertising message into a form that will engage the
audiences’ interest & make the ads memorable
• Risk is necessary if an agency wants to break the clutter and get
noticed.
Wrigley Takes a Creative Risk

Introduce the new Cool Green Apple flavor

 Hard Sell vs. Creative Advertising

“It’s not “Only artistic

creative unless value and
it sells” originality
Suits Artists count”
Hard Sell vs. Creative Advertising
• Hard-sell advertising (“suits”)
• Advertising must sell the product or service
• The more selling points in an ad, the more
persuasive the ad is
• Creative challenge and risks
• Creative advertising (“artists”)
• Advertising must build an emotional bond
between consumers and brands or companies
• Positive effects: increase attention, favorable
attitudes, retention
Creative vs. Hard Sell Advertising

While the commercials were

effective at increasing brand
awareness and attitudes,
some Nissan dealers
complained that they were
too focused on creativity and
not effective at getting
consumers into showrooms
and helping sell cars.
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian Changed Its Creative Approach

• Norwegian’s marketing director argued

that the “It’s different out here” ads were
excellent from an artistic perspective but
expressed doubts about the campaign’s
ability to increase sales.
• Norwegian ended up moving to a new
campaign that focused more on the cruise
line’s amenities and service.
Creativity and Synergy

Agency Client
• Account executives • Marketing managers
• Media planners • Brand managers
• Researchers • Upper management
• Attorneys
Absolut’s Advertising Represents Synergy Between Creative and Media
Creative Process
The development of creative ideas is really a process
Creative Process – Graham Wallas’ Model
Preparation
• Gathering background information needed to solve
the problem through research and study
Incubation
• Letting ideas to develop
Illumination
• Finding the solution
Verification
• Refining the idea and analyzing whether it is an
appropriate solution
Creative Process - James Webb Young’s Model
Immersion → Account Planning
• Gathering raw material and data, and immersing oneself in the problem

Digestion
• Analyzing the information
Incubation
• Letting the subconscious do the work
Illumination
• Birth of an idea
Reality or verification
• Studying the idea and reshaping it for practical usefulness
Inputs to The Creative Process Read anything related to
the product or market!
for Preparation, Incubation, Illumination
1. Background research Ask everyone involved for
• Product, target market, competition, trends in information!
marketplace, advertising approaches, etc.
• General preplanning input: gather and organize Listen to what people are
information on the product, target market, and talking about!
competition
2. Product- or service-specific research
Use the product to become
3. Qualitative research input
familiar with it!

Work in and learn about the

client’s business!
Inputs to The Creative Process
for Preparation, Incubation, Illumination
1. Background research
• Product, target market, competition, trends in
marketplace, advertising approaches, etc.
• General preplanning input: books, periodicals,
trade publications, websites, scholarly
journals, pictures, and clipping services, which
gather and organize information on the
product, target market, and competition
2. Product- or service-specific research
3. Qualitative research input
Inputs to The Creative Process
for Preparation, Incubation, Illumination
1. Background research
2. Product- or service-specific research
• Studies conducted on product/ service and target audience
• Example: branding research, attitude studies, market structure,
perceptual mapping and lifestyle research, focus group interviews,
demographic and psychographic profile of users
3. Qualitative research input
Branding Research
How a brand is perceived among consumers

Brand Asset Valuator (Young & Rubicam)

• Identify core issues & Evaluate current performance and potential
Inputs to The Creative Process
for Preparation, Incubation, Illumination
1. Background research
2. Product- or service-specific research
• Studies conducted on product/ service and target audience
• Example: branding research, attitude studies, market structure,
perceptual mapping and lifestyle research, focus group interviews,
demographic and psychographic profile of users
• Problem detection: asking consumers who familiar with a product to
list all the aspects they do not like
3. Qualitative research input
Research for Problem Detection
Men Buy, Women Shop (I)
• The study is based on a random, national
sample of 1,250 shoppers who were asked
about a recent shopping experience in
telephone interviews.
• Women tend to be more interested in the
shopping experience on many dimensions.
Men want to go to Sears, buy a specific tool
and get out.

Knowledge@Wharton (2007), 'Men Buy, Women Shop': The Sexes Have Different Priorities
When Walking Down the Aisles, November 28.
Men Buy, Women Shop (II)
The most damaging problem is measured by
the number of shoppers who will not return to
a retailer because of the problem.

• For women, “lack of help when needed” is

the top problem
• About 6% of all female shoppers could be lost to
stores due to lack of sales help
• Men ranked “product out of stock” as the
most damaging problem (29%)
• About 5% of all male shoppers could be lost to
stores for this reason
Inputs to The Creative Process
for Preparation, Incubation, Illumination

1. Background research
2. Product- or service-specific research
3. Qualitative research input
• In-depth interviews or focus group
• Ethnographic research: observe
consumers in their natural
environment
Creative Process - James Webb Young’s Model
Immersion
• Gathering raw material and data, and immersing oneself in the problem

Digestion
• Analyzing the information
Incubation
• Letting the subconscious do the work
Illumination
• Birth of an idea
Reality or verification
• Studying the idea and reshaping it for practical usefulness
Verification and Revision of Ideas
Evaluate Ideas Generated
Reject Inappropriate Ideas
Objective
Refine Remaining Ideas
Give Them Final Expression

Directed Focus Groups

Message Communication Studies
Techniques
Portfolio Tests
Viewer Reaction Profiles
Inputs to The Creative Process
for Verification & Revision
• Focus groups: Evaluate a rough layouts
• Storyboard
• Series of drawings used to present the visual
plan or layout of a proposed commercial
• Animatic
• A videotape of the storyboard along with an
audio soundtrack
• Indicate what meaning they get from the ad
• What they think or react to the ad
• Revise the ad accordingly
Creative Strategy Development
 A set of interrelated &
coordinated marketing
An Advertising/IMC Campaign communications
activities that center on
Integrated a single theme.

Interrelated Coordinated
Marketing
Communication
Activities

Centered on a
Theme or Idea
In Different Media Over a Time Period
Creative Strategy Development
1. Campaign theme (Central message)
• Should be a strong & consistent idea
• Expressed by a slogan or tagline, that serves
as a summation line expressing the brand’s
positioning to target audience
BMW’s Slogan Has Helped Build Its Brand Image

• BMW has used “The Ultimate Driving

Machine” as its slogan since 1974
• Helped position the various models
made by the German company as being
sporty cars that handle extremely well.
Examples of Effective Advertising Slogans
Creative strategy development
2. Major Selling Idea (=central theme)
• Strongest singular thing a company can say
about its product or service
• Has the broadest and most meaningful
appeal to the target audience
• Stands strong enough to remain the central
issue in every ad and commercial in the
campaign
• The big idea: insight that joins the product
benefit with consumer desire in a fresh,
involving way
Ways to Develop Major Selling Ideas
Use a Unique Create a Brand
Selling Position Image

Seeking the
Major Idea

Positioning the Find the Inherent

Brand Drama
Developing Major Selling Idea
1. Use a unique selling proposition: Buy this
product and you will get this benefit
2. Create a brand image: not on functional
or performance basis, but a strong
memorable identify for the brand
3. Find an inherent drama: inherent
characteristics that make the
consumer purchase it
4. Positioning: Establishes the product or
service in a particular place in the
consumer’s mind
 Developing Major Selling Idea
1. USP
USP
Unique Selling Proposition

Benefit Unique Potent

Buy this product Must be unique The promise

and you'll to this brand or must be strong ThermaCare heatwraps has
benefit this way claim; something enough or patented heat cells that
or enjoy this rivals can't or attractive penetrate to increase
circulation and accelerate
reward don't offer enough to move healing as well as provide
people relief from back pain.
Developing Major Selling Idea
2. Creating a Brand Image
Used when competing brands are so similar
• Creating brand image
it is difficult to find or create a unique
attribute

The creativity sales strategy is based on a

strong, memorable brand identity through
image advertising

Often used for products such as soft drinks,

perfume, liquor, clothing, airlines
Developing Major Selling Idea
2. Creating a Brand Image
Developing Major Selling Idea
3. Finding the inherent drama
• characteristics of the product that makes people buy it

Messages generally presented in a

warm, emotional way
e.g., Hallmark, Maytag, Kellog

Focus on consumer benefits with

an emphasis on the dramatic
element in expressing them
“Don’t say, ‘I love you . . .’ say something more,”
and put your heart to paper with a Hallmark card

Hallmark encourages its

subjects—who are unaware
their moms are watching in
another room and will soon join
them on camera—to express
their deeper feelings beyond
predictable phrases like "Thank
you" and "I love you."
Developing Major Selling Idea
4. Positioning Based on product
attributes/ benefits,
• Advertising is used to establish or position price/quality, use or
the product/service in a particular place in application, type of user,
the consumer’s mind problem solved

General Electric positions

itself as an innovative digital
industrial company in its
recruiting campaign
This Ad Positions 3M as Highly Innovative
• 3M is a company that has always been known for
its innovations such as scotch tape, post-it notes,
and many others.
• This particular ad describes how 3M developed
the world’s first chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free
inhalers.
• 3M has been running a number of print ads as
part of its “Innovation” campaign that show the
various new products the company has
developed and how they help solve problems
and respond to needs.
Creative Strategy Development

Creative Strategy is based on several factors

Major
Basic
Target selling Any
problem,
audience idea or supportive
issue,
identity key information
opportunity
benefit
Creative Strategy Development
3. Creative brief
• A document that provides the guidelines for creating brand
messages.
• Basic elements: e.g., basic problem, communication
objective, target audience, major selling idea, creative
strategy statement (campaign theme, appeal, execution
technique), supporting information, schedule, etc.
• Also known as creative platform or work plan, creative
blueprint or creative contract
• Approved by the advertising manager and/or the marketing
& brand managers from the client side
Creative Brief Outline (I)
6. Supporting Information and Requirements

5. Creative Strategy Statement

Who?
4. Selling Idea or Key Benefits to Communicate
Why? -- Rational vs Emotional
What? - Product features
3. Specify Target Audience Where and When?
How? - Tone, style, approach
2. Advertising and Communications Objectives

1. Basic Problem Advertising Must Address

Creative Brief Outline (II)
Creative Brief Outline (III)
1. The objective.
2. The target audience.
3. The message theme
4. The support.
5. The constraints.
The Objective Objectives guide the
advertising design
• Building brand image
normally results in the
actual product being
more prominently
displayed in the ad.

An ad for Bic • To increase brand

designed to awareness, the name of
enhance the the product will be
brand’s image. prominently displayed in
the advertisement or
repeated several times in
a television ad.
The Target Market
Overly general target market
profiles do not help.
• Rather than specifying “males,
ages 20 to 35,” more specific
information will be needed, such
as “males, ages 20 to 35, college The target market
educated, and professionals.” for this ad is
• Other information, including females, 13-30,
hobbies, interests, opinions, and who enjoy sports
lifestyles, make it possible to more
and have an
precisely develop an
advertisement. active life style.
The Message Theme
The promise, or unique selling
point, describes the major
benefit the good or service offers
customers.

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
Support takes the form of facts
that substantiate the message
theme (e.g., awards, certificate).
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.
The Constraints
• Constraints apply to every legal
and mandatory restriction
placed on advertisements.
• Constraints specify all
disclaimers about warranties,
offers, and claims.
• They also spell out legal
protections for trademarks,
logos, and copy registrations.
The Constraints
• Constraints apply to every legal
and mandatory restriction
placed on advertisements.
• Constraints specify all
disclaimers about warranties,
offers, and claims.
• They also spell out legal
protections for trademarks,
logos, and copy registrations.
In Class exercise:
Del Monte Advertisement

Put together a creative

brief for this advertisement

1. The objective.
2. The target audience.
3. The message theme
4. The support.
5. The constraints.
 ANSWER:
• 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.
Homework
• Generate creative brief for your brand/product