CHAPTER 7 Creative Strategy Decisions

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Learning Objectives  Summarize the idea and importance of creativity in an advertising context.  Describe the creative strategy planning process.  Identify the approaches used determining the creative theme that forms the basis of an advertising campaign. Summarize the different types of message appeals that advertisers use to persuade their target audience. Identify the source of communicator options a marketer has for a promotional message. ‘Apply source and message appeal options for different ad executions.  Summarize the idea and importance of creativity in an advertising context.  Describe the creative strategy planning process.  Identify the approaches used determining the creative theme that forms the basis of an advertising campaign. Summarize the different types of message appeals that advertisers use to persuade their target audience. Identify the source of communicator options a marketer has for a promotional message. ‘Apply source and message appeal options for different ad executions. 2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Courage, Time, and Talk by VW Why is an emotional connection to a car brand so important? Why is it valuable to have many different creative themes across all of its brands? 3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Advertising Creativity 4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Advertising Creativity The ability to generate fresh, unique, and appropriate ideas that can be used as effective solutions to communications problems. Creative advertising impacts consumers’ cognitive, affective and behavioural response to advertising messages. 5 LO1

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Advertising Creativity Relevant to target audience Effective Appropriate LO1 6

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Planning Creative Strategy 7

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Challenge Relevance of the creative to the target audience is critical to establishing an important link to the brand, the benefit and why the target audience would buy it. Many creative people believe it is important for clients to take risks if they want breakthrough advertising that gets noticed. Many marketing managers are most comfortable with advertising that simply communicates product features and benefits and gives consumer reason to buy. 8 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO2 9

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Process Young’s Four-Stage Approach Preparation Incubation Illumination Verification 10 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Account Planning Conducting research and gathering relevant information about a client’s product or service and the target consumer. Plays a key role by driving the process from the consumer’s point of view. 11 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Research in the Creative Process Much of the required information comes from the marketing plan and advertising plan developed by the client. Creative people engage in their own research as well. 12 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Research in the Creative Process 13 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Brief Specifies basic elements of the creative strategy and other relevant information. Essentially a plan that summarizes the entire creative approach that is agreed upon by the creative team and the marketing managers. 14 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Sample Creative Brief Outline 1.Basic problem or opportunity the advertising must address. 2.Target audience(s) and behaviour objective(s). 3.Communication objectives. 4.Brand positioning strategy statement. 5.Creative strategy (creative theme, message appeal, source characteristic). 6.Supporting information and requirements. 15 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Advertising Campaign Set of interrelated and coordinated marketing communication activities which  is centered on a single theme or idea  appears in different media  appears across a specified time period 16 LO2

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Theme 17

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Theme A strong idea The central message that will be communicated in all the advertising and promotional activities. Must reflect the market positioning strategy and directly communicate the brand positioning strategy to the audience. 18 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Approaches to Guide the Search for the Creative Theme Positioning the Brand Use a Unique Selling Position Use a Unique Selling Position Create the Brand Image Find the Inherent Drama Seeking the Major Idea LO3 19

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Alternative Evaluation 20 Unique Selling Proposition Unique “Buy this product and you will get this benefit.” Must be unique to this brand or claim; something rivals can’t or don’t offer. Potent Promise must be strong or attractive enough to move people. LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Perspectives of Great Advertisers on the Major Selling Idea LO3 21 Leo Burnett Find inherent drama or characteristic of product that makes consumers buy. “(Inherent drama) is often hard to find but it always there and once found is most interesting and believable of all advertising appeals.” David Ogilvy Brand image or personality is particularly important when brands are similar “Every ad must contribute to the complex symbol that is the brand image.”

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creating a Brand Image 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 22 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 23 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Approaches to the Major Selling Idea: Inherent Drama Inherent Drama Focus on consumer benefits with an emphasis on the dramatic element in expressing them Messages generally presented in a warm, emotional way (Hallmark, Maytag, Kellogg’s) Messages generally presented in a warm, emotional way (Hallmark, Maytag, Kellogg’s) LO3 24

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO3 25

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson © 2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited Approaches to the Major Selling Idea: Positioning Establish a particular place in the customer’s mind for the product or service Positioning Based on product attributes/ benefits, price/quality, use or application, type of user, problem solved 26 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 27 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Campaign Slogans Theme for advertising campaign usually expressed through slogan or tagline. Slogan characteristics can pertain to brand attitude objectives or brand awareness objectives. 28 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Creative Theme Consistency Consistency in promotional creativity is a key success factor so that target audience retains the brand position. Involves consistency across:  Time  Creative executions  Advertising media  Promotional tools  Products 29 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 30 LO3 A theme consistent across time builds on the established awareness of the brand’s current customers.

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Consistency Across Media 31 LO3 A successful creative theme is often one that is amenable to more than one type of media. A successful creative theme is often one that is amenable to more than one type of media.

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Consistency Across Promotional Tools 32 LO3 A successful creative theme is often one that has the same look and feel across all tools. A successful creative theme is often one that has the same look and feel across all tools.

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Consistency Across Products 33 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Canadian Creative Themes Find unique ways of speaking to Canadians Canadians have a different set of social values which influence our motivation for consumption. Canadians buy products for what they do for us instead of what they say about us. Canadians have a different set of social values which influence our motivation for consumption. Canadians buy products for what they do for us instead of what they say about us. LO3 34

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Successful Canadian Themes 35 LO3

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Message Appeals 36

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Rational Appeals Objective is to persuade target audience to buy brand because it is best available or does a better job of meeting needs. Focus on the consumer’s practical, functional, or utilitarian need for product or service.  Emphasize features and/or benefits.  Reasons for owning or using. Informative  Deal with facts, learning, and the logic of persuasion. 37 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Types of Rational Appeals Feature: Focus on dominant traits of the product Price: Makes price offer the dominant point News: News or announcement about the product Popularity: Stresses the brand’s popularity Reminder: Build brand awareness and/or keep the brand name in front of the consumer Comparative: Makes comparisons to other brands 38 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 39 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 40 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 41 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 42 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Emotional Appeals Relate to the customers’ social and/or psychological needs for purchasing a product or service. Many consumer motives for purchases are emotional. 43 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Using Emotional Appeals Many advertisers believe appeals to consumers’ emotions work better at selling brands that do not differ markedly from competing brands.  i.e. When rational differentiation is difficult. Advertising must resonate with the target audience and evoke relevant processing responses connected to the purchase decision or consumption experience. 44 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Bases For Emotional Appeal: Negative Emotions 45 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Bases For Emotional Appeal: Positive Emotions 46 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson 47 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Emotional Appeals Emotional Integration The characters in the ad are portrayed as experiencing an emotional benefit from using the product or service. 48 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Emotional Appeals Are used by marketers in the hopes that the positive feelings they evoke will transfer to the brand and/or the company. Studies have shown that emotional advertising has higher retention than non-emotional. 49 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Fear Appeals Fear  An emotional response to a threat that expresses or implies some sort of danger. Ads sometimes use fear appeals to evoke this emotional response and arouse individuals to take steps to remove the threat. Often used for social change issues. 50 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Fear Appeals and Message Acceptance 51 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Fear Appeals and Message Acceptance 52 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Humour Appeals Best known and best remembered of all advertising. Used for reasons, such as:  Attract and hold consumers’ attention  Create positive mood  Distract receiver from counterarguing the message 53 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO4 54

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson General Conclusions of Humour Study 55 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Humour Appeals In many situations, creative specialists don’t choose, but determine a method to combine the two approaches. 56 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO4 57

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Teaser Advertising A unique example of combining rational and emotional appeals. Advertisers use teaser advertising to build curiosity, interest, and/or excitement. 58 LO4

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Source Characteristics 59

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Source of the Message Appeal Source  The person involved in communicating a marketing message, either directly or indirectly. Direct source A spokesperson who delivers a message and/or demonstrates a product or service. Indirect Source Doesn’t actually deliver a message. Draws attention to and/or enhances the appearance of the ad. A model. LO5 60

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Source Credibility The extent to which the recipient sees the source as having relevant knowledge, skill, or experience and trusts the source to give unbiased, objective information. 61 LO5

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Source Credibility Expertise Trustworthiness CREDIBILITY LO5 62

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO5 63

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Source Attractiveness Resemblance between the source and recipient of the message Similarity Knowledge of the source through repeated or prolonged exposure Familiarity Affection for the source resulting from physical appearance, behaviour, or other personal traits Likeability LO5 64

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO5 65

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO5 66

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO5 67

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Risks Of Using Celebrities The celebrity’s behaviour may pose a risk to the company The target audience may not be receptive to celebrity endorsers The celebrity may be overexposed, reducing his or her credibility The celebrity may overshadow the product being endorsed LO5 68

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Understanding the Meaning of Celebrity Endorsers 69 LO5

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson LO5 70

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson IMC Planning: Message and Source Combinations 71

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson IMC Planning: Message and Source Combinations 72 LO6

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chapter Summary Creative development and execution are a critical part of a firm’s IMC program. Creative team and account planning work collaboratively. Creative strategy is guided by marketing goals and objectives and the subsequent copy platform statement. 73

© 2014 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chapter Summary Creative strategy, theme, message appeal and message source are the key decisions in developing good creative. Understanding the methods of creating the theme will help in the creative process. Message appeals and execution – understanding helps to create strong ads. 74