RF#7-24767

Creative Considerations &

Advertising

Last Week

• What is IMC? • What are the two types of, or approaches to, IMC?

Two Approaches to IMC

• Communications Idea – “Look and Feel”

• Customer-based Brand Concept – “Meaning”

Last Week

• What should be at the core of an IMC campaign and drive each touchpoint?

• What do you need for IMC to be effective?

IMC

• Pick each tool to best achieve an objective • Coordinate for consistency, clarity, & complementarity • Converge on shared meaning

Strong IMC Components

• Balance between message & creative • Must attract attention and engage customers • Must persuade customers of the merits of the brand – Points-of-parity – Points-of-difference

• Need to be well-branded

Which Tools are Best for Which Tasks?

• Strengths and Weaknesses (IMC table)

How Can We Make Our Tools Most Effective?

Learning Agenda

• A Framework for Effective Execution (Creative Considerations)

• Understanding Signature Stories

Good Communications…

• Focus on achieving one or more specific objectives

Good Communications…

• Focus on achieving one or more specific objectives • Are processed by the target

Processed Communications

• Catch the attention of the target

• Maintain the interest of the target

• Develop memory of the brand & specific associations

Processing Involvement

• System I – Fast and automatic

• System II – Slow, effortful and deliberate

Processing Involvement (Petty & Cacioppo)

• There are two levels of processing involvement

Processing Involvement (Petty & Cacioppo)

• There are two levels of processing involvement

• There are two routes to persuasion – The Peripheral Route – The Central Route

Processing Involvement (Petty & Cacioppo)

• Attitude change (persuasion) is influenced by the amount and nature of elaboration

• Elaboration likelihood is impacted by characteristics of the – Target

• Motivation • Ability • Opportunity

– Message • Discrepancy • Relevance

Three Options

• Accept and communicate for low involvement • Work to increase involvement and communicate for higher levels of involvement

• Do both!

Two Common Approaches

• Lecture format – Rationality – Comparison

• Dramatic format – Verisimilitude – Story Grammar

Effective Communications...

• Catch the attention of the target – Stopping power – Target self-identification

• Maintain the interest of the target – Relevance – Benefit communication – Support

• Develop memory of the brand & specific associations

Motivational Creative Tactics

• Information – Rationality – Comparison

• Metaphor • Mystery

• Emotion – Love – Fear

• Borrowed Interest – Sex – Animals – Babies/kids

• Humor • Music

• Source – Expert – Celebrity

• What is critical is to motivate appropriate consumer processing

• Motivate processing such that “learn” something relevant about the brand

Potential Pitfalls of Motivational Tactics?

Potential Pitfalls of Motivational Tactics?

• Can be distracting; consumers may remember the wrong thing (and/or not the brand).

• Has to say something – the right thing – about the brand! – Relevance to the target is an important driver of processing involvement

Tide Cold

Again…

• What is critical is to motivate appropriate processing of the ad

Many Types of Communications

• Advertising is a business practice where a company pays to place its messaging or branding in a particular location.

“Static” ads

Parts of a (Static) Print or Digital Ad

1. Headline – The words that will be read first and/or are

positioned to draw the most attention – Subhead

• A secondary head, usually smaller than the headline, but larger than the body copy

– (Much evidence indicates that short headlines are more effective for low involvement products while longer headlines are more effectives for high involvement products)

Parts of a Print/Digital Ad, continued

2 Illustration/visual element – The visual(s) that is(are) included in the

advertisement – Plays an important role in the effectiveness of the

ad

Parts of a Print/Digital Ad, continued

2 Illustration/visual element – The visual(s) that is(are) included in the

advertisement – Plays an important role in the effectiveness of the

ad 3 Body Copy – The main text of the ad – Must match the type of appeal (e.g., rational

appeal needs relevant support; emotional appeal may use narration, a story, etc.)

– Make a point

Parts of a Print/Digital Ad, continued

4 Logo - The brand name and/or logo or other brand

elements 5 Layout

- How the other elements (headline, visuals, copy) are blended together into a cohesive whole. The physical arrangement of the elements of the ad

8 Steps in Static (Print/Digital) Evaluation

1. Does the visual and/or headline catch the attention of the target?

2. What does the initially-processed material (i.e., visual + headline combo) convey?

3. Is the meaning of the visual + headline combo relevant to the target?

8 Steps in Print/Digital Evaluation

4. Is an important benefit communicated? • Is it important to the target? • Does it meet the objective?

5. Is the benefit supported and convincing? • Body copy • Visuals

6. Is the brand clearly identified? Where does the logo appear?

7. Is the piece memorable and persuasive? 8. Does this piece fit with brand history & equity?

Critical Balance Between Message Strategy & Creative

• Need to be based on clear communication objectives • Need to attract attention and engage target consumers • Need to be linked to the brand • Need to persuade consumers of the merit of the brand – POP – POD

• Need consistency

Once Upon a Time…

Signature Story

An intriguing, authentic, involving narrative with a strategic message

that clarifies or enhances the brand, the customer relationship,

the organization, and/or the business strategy.

Aaker & Aaker

Tactical Story

A story that is used to achieve a short-term

communication objective

The Power of Stories

The Power of Stories

• Write down: – How did 1984 motivate processing (how did it create processing involvement)?

– What did it communicate?

Discuss: What are the Hero Types?

• How can you use these? Do you think of any good examples (not from the reading)?

• Mayhem?

For More on Signature Stories…

Next

Reflections – Saturday, Feb 19, 8 pm

Class 8 Media Strategy Sales Promotions

Work with your team on your final project (Meet with me to discuss?)

Announcements

Th 2/17 Office Hours 1:30 – 3:25 pm

Land & Nature Jerky Individual Assignment

Due MONDAY, February 28

Final Presentations – probably Tuesday, March 15 11 - 2