8
Creative Strategy: Planning and
Development
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Advertising Creativity
CREATIVE STRATEGY:
Determining what the advertising
message will say or communicate
CREATIVE TACTICS:
Determining how the message strategy will
be executed
ADVERTISING CREATIVITY
Advertising Creativity: the ability to
generate fresh, unique and appropriate ideas
that can be used as solutions to
communication problems.
Two perspectives on advertising creativity
Suits
Its not creative
unless it sells
Poets
Artistic/aesthetic
value and originality
Young's Creative Process
Immersion
Getting raw material or data, immersing one's self
in the problem to get background.
Digestion
Ruminating on the data acquired, turning it this
way and that in the mind.
Incubation
Ceasing analysis and putting the problem out of
conscious mind for a time.
Illumination
Often a sudden inspiration or intuitive revelation
about a potential solution.
Verification
Studying the idea, evaluating it, and developing it
for practical usefulness.
Wallas's Creative Process
Preparation
Gathering information
Incubation
Setting problem aside
Illumination
Seeing the solution
Verification
Refining the idea
Inputs To The Creative Process
Preparation/Incubation/Illumination
General Preplanning Input:
Books, periodicals, trade publications,
clipping services, journals, magazines, etc.
Trends, developments in marketplace
Product Specific Preplanning Input
Qualitative and quantitative studies
Problem detection studies
Focus groups
Ethnographic studies
Inputs to the Creative Process
Working with
the client
Trying the
product
Asking
Questions
Reading and
analysis
CREATIVE
PROCESS
Listening
to others
Product
research
Verification and Revision of Ideas
Objectives:
Evaluate ideas generated
Reject inappropriate ideas
Refine remaining ideas
Give them final expression
Techniques used:
Directed focus groups
Message communication studies
Portfolio tests
Viewer reaction profiles
Use of Storyboards and Animatics
Advertising Campaigns
Advertising Campaign
A set of interrelated and coordinated integrated
marketing communication activities that center on a
particular theme or idea that appears in different media
across a specified time period.
Campaign Theme
The central message that will be communicated in all of
the various IMC activities
Miller Lite At a place called Miller time
BMW The Ultimate Driving Machine
Chevy Trucks Like a Rock
Top Ten Advertising Slogans of the
Century
Company or Brand
1. DeBeers
2. Nike
3. Coca-Cola
4. Miller Lite
5. Avis
6. Maxwell House
7. Wheaties
8. Clairol
9. Morton Salt
10.Wendys
Campaign Theme
Diamonds are forever
Just do it
The pause that refreshes
Taste great, less filling
We try harder
Good to the last drop
Breakfast of Champions
Does she or doesnt she
When it rains it pours
Wheres the beef?
Copy Platform Outline
1. Basic problem or issue the advertising
must address.
2. Advertising and communications
objectives.
3. Target audience.
4. Major selling idea or key benefits to
communicate.
5. Creative strategy statement (campaign
theme, appeal, execution technique).
6. Supporting information and
requirements.
Means of Finding Major Selling Ideas
The major selling idea should emerge as the strongest
singular thing you say about your product or service. This
should be the claim with the broadest and most meaningful
appeal to your target audience
Using a unique selling position
Creating a brand image
Finding the inherent drama
Positioning
Unique Selling Proposition
Three characteristics of a unique
selling proposition:
Each advertisement makes a proposition
to the customer
It must be one the competition cannot
or does not offer
It must be strong enough to pull over
new customers to the brand
Creating a Brand Image
Used when competing brands are so
similar it is difficult to find or create a
unique attribute
The creativity strategy used to sell these
products is based on a strong, memorable
identity for the brand through image
advertising
Frequently used for products such as soft
drinks, perfume, liquor, clothing, airlines.
Creating a Brand Image
David Ogilvys Approach
Brand image or personality is particularly
important when brands are similar
Every ad must contribute to the complex symbol
that is the brand image
Leo Burnetts Approach
Find the inherent drama or characteristic of
the product that makes consumers buy it
(Inherent drama) is often hard to find but it is
always there, and once found it is the most
interesting and believable of all advertising
appeals.
Approaches to the Major Selling Idea:
Inherent Drama and Positioning
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
Positioning:
Establish a particular place in the customers
mind for the product or service
Based on product attributes/benefits,
price/quality, use or application, type of user,
problem solved
Burger King searches for the right ad campaign
76
Have it your way.
86-87 This is a Burger King town.
77-78 America loves burgers
and were Americas
Burger King.
87
78-80 Whos got the best darn
burger?
89-91 Sometimes you gotta
break the rules.
80-82 Make it special. Make it
Burger King.
91-92 Your way. Right away.
82
Arent you hungry for
Burger King now?
82-83 Battle of the burgers.
83
Arent you hungry?
83-85 The big switch.
85-86 Search for Herb.
86-87 This is a Burger King
town
The best food for fast
times.
87-89 We do it like youd do it.
92-94 BK Tee Vee: I love this
place!
94
Back to basics
94-96 Get your burgers worth.
96-98 It just tastes better.
99
Go the distance
2000 Got the Urge
01-02 The Whopper Says
02-03 At Burger King You Got It
