© 2013 SAGE Publications, Inc.

Strategy and Branding: Putting a Face on a Product

Chapter 2

Building the plan

Determining what the advertising message will say or communicateDetermining what the advertising message will say or communicateDetermining what the advertising message will sayDetermining what the advertising message will say

Message Strategy vs. Execution

CreativeStrategyCreativeStrategy

CreativeExecutionCreativeExecution

Determining how the message will be saidDetermining how the message will be said

What is the message? What is the execution?

What is the message? What is the execution?

Focus &Coordination

Focus &Coordination

Plans &DecisionsPlans &

Decisions

Measurement& Control

Measurement& Control

HelpsDecision-making

HelpsDecision-making

Focus & Coordination – “Sanity Structure”

Focus & Coordination – “Sanity Structure”

Why Have Objectives?

ObjectivesObjectives

AttainableAttainable

MeasurableMeasurable

SpecificSpecific

RealisticRealistic

Specific Promotional Goal

Specific Promotional Goal

Measurable Goal – “degree of change

sought”

Measurable Goal – “degree of change

sought”

Attainable/ Realistic

Attainable/ Realistic

Target AudienceTarget Audience

Time FrameTime Frame

Characteristics of Good Objectives

Good ObjectivesGood Objectives

Some Generic Ad Objectivesstimulate salesgrab attentioncreate awarenessestablish brand identityestablish/cue brand position and/or imagecreate mental associationscue emotional appealstimulate interestprovide information/educatepromote understanding of features, benefits, advantagesdemonstrate how to use/do somethingcreate brand likingstimulate brand recognitionstimulate message recallstimulate brand preference or intention to buycreate conviction or instill beliefstimulate change of opinion, viewpoint or attitudestimulate behavior (buy, call, click, visit, donate, etc.)stimulate repeat purchasesbuild brand loyaltyremindgenerate buzz or word of mouth advertisingcreate advocacy and referralsincrease general category sales/awareness ***

Sales vs. Communication Advertising Objectives

20% TrialCona

tive

40% Liking

Affecti

ve

90% Awareness

Cogn

itive

5% Use

70% Knowledge

25% Preference

90% Awareness

70% Knowledge

40% Liking

25% Preference

20% Trial

Pyramid of Communications Effects

Execution: Where is your audience?

Teaser campaigns

AffectiveRealm of emotions.Ads change attitudes and feelings

CognitiveRealm of thoughts.Ads provide information and facts.

ConativeRealm of motives.Ads stimulate or direct desires.

“Image” copy “Transformational ads”Status, glamour appeals

AnnouncementsDescriptive copyClassified adsSlogans, jingles, skywriting

Competitive adsArgumentative copy

Point of purchaseRetail store ads, Deals“Last-chance” offersPrice appeals, Testimonials

Purchase

Conviction

Preference

Liking

Knowledge

Awareness

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 information!Work in and learn

about the client’s business.

Read the market research.

Talk to users and non-users about the product.

Use the product to become familiar with it. “Live it. Breath it.”Read anything related

to the product or market including social media posts.

Getting Creative Input

Getting raw material, data, immersing one's self in the problem to get the background.Getting raw material, data, immersing one's self in the problem to get the background.ImmersionImmersion

Ruminating on the data acquired, turning it this way and that in the mind.Ruminating on the data acquired, turning it this way and that in the mind.DigestionDigestion

Ceasing analysis and putting the problem out of conscious mind for a time.

Ceasing analysis and putting the problem out of conscious mind for a time.

IncubationIncubation

A sudden inspiration or intuitive revelation about a potential solution.A sudden inspiration or intuitive revelation about a potential solution.IlluminationIllumination

Studying the revelation, evaluating it, and developing it for practical usefulness.Studying the revelation, evaluating it, and developing it for practical usefulness.VerificationVerification

Immersing one's self in the problem to get a background.Immersing one's self in the problem to get a background.ImmersionImmersion

Ruminating on the data acquired, turning it this way and that way in the mind.Ruminating on the data acquired, turning it this way and that way in the mind.DigestionDigestion

Ceasing analysis and putting the problem out of conscious mind for a time.Ceasing analysis and putting the problem out of conscious mind for a time.IncubationIncubation

A sudden inspiration or intuitive revelation about an idea or solution.A sudden inspiration or intuitive revelation about an idea or solution.IlluminationIllumination

Young's (J. Walter Thompson) Creative Process

Marketing Communication Tasks

Features and Benefits

Target Audience

• Who’s buying the product and why?• Who’s not buying the product and why?

Copy Platform (a.k.a. Creative Platform)

1. Framework for your ad campaign2. Identity the “One Thing”3. Support One Thing with believable information4. Organize a client’s thoughts5. Justify creative decisions

See Altstiel text p.383

Creative Brief (one version)

• What do we want to accomplish? (objective)• Who are we talking to? (target audience)• What do they think now? (current position)• What do we want them to think? (reinforce

position or reposition)• Why should they think this? (features/benefits)• What is our message? (the One Thing and how

you say it and show it including tone)

Creative Brief – Another Format

Key observation

Communication objective

Consumer insight

Promise and support

Audience

Mandatories

Sample Creative Brief

Consumer profile

• Who is the prospect? • What does she do, and what does she want? • Where does she live? • When does she buy? • Why would she be interested? • How does she want to buy?

Tone

• Finding your voice• Emotional tenor• Look and feel, pace• Does it fit product, message, market, target

audience and “the times”?• Resonance: Invoking a meaningful emotion in

consumers (“This ad resonates with me…”)