Creative Strategy and Development

Creative Strategy and Development

Agenda

• Understand and be able to articulate the message development process

• Understand the structure, content and purpose of the creative brief

• Understand how to evaluate a creative brief• Understand the rules of IMC creativity

The Only Rule in IMC

There are no rules

IMC Creativity

Determining what the advertising message will say or communicate

Determining what the advertising message will say or communicate

CreativeStrategyCreativeStrategy

CreativeTactics

CreativeTactics

Determining how the message strategy will be executed

Determining how the message strategy will be executed

The Perpetual Debate

Suits Artists

Only artistic value and

originality count

It isn’t creative if it doesn’t sell

Stick with what works

Try something

new

Young’s Creative Process

Get raw material and data, and immerse yourself in the problemGet raw material and data, and immerse yourself in the problemImmersion Immersion

Take the information, work it over, wrestle with it in your mindTake the information, work it over, wrestle with it in your mindDigestionDigestion

Turn the information over to the subconscious to do the workTurn the information over to the subconscious to do the workIncubationIncubation

“Eureka! I have it!” phenomenon“Eureka! I have it!” phenomenonIlluminationIllumination

Study the idea, evaluate it, reshape it for practical usefulnessStudy the idea, evaluate it, reshape it for practical usefulnessVerificationVerification

Message Development Process

D i s c o v e r A s s e s s D e f i n e V a l i d a t e I m p l e m e n t

Corporate & Regional

Audits

Conducted interviews with key stakeholders to uncover regional perceptions. Analysis of secondary data.

Research Evaluation

Organized and distilled the learning from research to then inform the next stage of developing differentiated messages.

Message Platform, Development

Generated key messages in

priority for each target segment

and identified key value props.

Customer Validation

To conduct

interviews to test and ensure effectiveness of

messages developed.

Integrate messages and tagline into communications tools.

Message Platform

Corp Vision

Corp Value Prop

Integrate Value Drivers

Campaign Messages

Positioning Statement

Unifying Theme or Tag

Campaign Messages – Value driver messages that directly address customer-

centric needs with attribute-based benefits:

Integrated Value Drivers -Customer directed attribute statements capturing the

company’s value

Corporate Value Proposition - A sum total of the benefits promised to customers

Corporate Vision - What the company wants to be

Unifying Theme - A succinct, externally focused message or

mantra that can be used across all communications messages, tools

and tactics.

Positioning Statement – How the market should

perceive the products and services vis-à-vis the

competition

Message Appeal Choices

Appeal to the logical, rational minds of

consumers

Appeal to the logical, rational minds of

consumers

Appeal to both Appeal to both

Appeal to the feelings and emotions of

consumers

Appeal to the feelings and emotions of

consumers

Designing a Message

• Rational appeal• Emotional appeal• Moral appeal

Message content is an appeal or theme that will produce the desired response

Message Appeals

Rational appeal relates to the audience’s self-interest

Emotional appeal is an attempt to stir up positive or negative emotions to motivate a purchase

Rational & Emotional Appeal Options

FearAppeals

FearAppeals

•May stress physical danger or threats to health

•May identify social threats

•Can backfire if level of threat is too high

•May stress physical danger or threats to health

•May identify social threats

•Can backfire if level of threat is too high

ComparativeAppeals

ComparativeAppeals

•Especially useful for new brands

•Often used for brands with small market share

•Used often in political advertising

•Especially useful for new brands

•Often used for brands with small market share

•Used often in political advertising

HumorAppeals

HumorAppeals

•Can attract and hold attention

•Often the best remembered

•Put consumers in a positive mood

•Can attract and hold attention

•Often the best remembered

•Put consumers in a positive mood

Message Appeals

Moral appeal is directed at the audience’s sense of right and proper

CREATIVE EXERCISE: DEFINE RATIONAL & EMOTIONAL OPTIONS FOR ALUMNAE FOR OTHERS

Creative Template Brief

• Creative Brief Template• Date:

Project:Project Champion:

• Background:Summarize this program and what you want to achieve:How will you measure the success of this program?

• The Audience:Who is the Primary Audience?What should be avoided in talking to this audience?What do they believe before we tell them anything?Who is the secondary audience?

• Objectives:What objectives are you trying to achieve?What are the priorities of those objectives?Can you suggest strategy or positioning to achieve the objective?

And Then…

• The Message:If you could get one sentence through all the clutter, what would that be?If they asked you to prove it, how would you do that?What other major points do you want to communicate?

• The Medium:What is the best way to reach this audience?Is there another way?Are there existing pieces that this piece must work with?How will this piece be delivered to the audience?

• Anything Else:Any other design objectives or special circumstances?Are there any mandatories that must be in the piece?

• The Deadline:When must the message get to the audience for maximum effect? (i.e. trade shows, events, product intro dates)When must we deliver the finished work?

… Finally

• Budget:How much money do you have to spend on this project?Has this budget been approved? By whom?What quantities do you need to produce? (for printed pieces)

• The Responsible Parties:Who needs to sign off on final execution?

Evaluation Guidelines for Creative Output

Consistent with marketing objectives?Consistent with marketing objectives?

Consistent with brand IMC objectives?Consistent with brand IMC objectives?

Consistent with the message platform?Consistent with the message platform?

Communicates what it’s supposed to?Communicates what it’s supposed to?

Approach appropriate to target audience?Approach appropriate to target audience?

Communicates clear, convincing message?Communicates clear, convincing message?

Does execution overwhelm the message?Does execution overwhelm the message?

Appropriate to the media environment?Appropriate to the media environment?

Truthful and tasteful?Truthful and tasteful?

Strategic Communication Roles

• Use public relations to build brand

• Use trade and business advertising to reinforce the brand

• Use internal and external events to amplify the brand

• Use print and electronic collateral to substantiate the brand

Upon Further Review

• Understand and be able to articulate the message development process

• Understand the message platform and the role of each element

• Understand the structure, content and purpose of the creative brief

• Understand how to evaluate a creative brief

Creative Strategy and Development

Creative Strategy and Development