INTRO TO AD EXAM 2

Advertising Strategy

Consists of two sub-strategies: the Creative Strategy and the Media Strategy.

Creative Strategy

A written statement that serves as the creative team's guide for writing and producing an ad or campaign. Also called a Creative Brief.

Media Strategy

A document that helps media planners determine how messages will be delivered to consumers.

Creative Brief

A written document that highlights the most important issues to consider in the development of creative advertising. Establishes clear direction from the start, outlining business objectives, setting the tone, and guiding the creative team.

Who writes the Creative Brief?

Generally written by account managers and account planners; signed off by members of the client and agency team.

Elements of a Creative Brief (list all 7)

1. The basic problem the advertising must address 2. The advertising objective 3. A definition of the target audience 4. The key message / benefits to communicate 5. Support or proof of those benefits 6. The brand's tone / personality 7. Any special requirements

Problem the advertising must solve

The specific challenge that marketing communications must overcome to meet the marketing objectives.

Advertising Objective

The task an advertising campaign should accomplish for a specific target audience.

Target Audience

The specific group of individuals to whom the advertising message is directed.

Key Benefit / Key Message Statement

The heart of the creative strategy; should be succinct and single-minded.

Support Statement

Provides information about the product or service that will convince the target audience that the key benefit is true.

Brand Personality

Describes a brand in terms of human characteristics.

Special Requirements

Unique characteristics that should be considered during the creative development process.

Art Director

Responsible for all the visual (nonverbal) aspects of an ad or campaign.

Copywriter

Responsible for all the verbal and written aspects of an ad or campaign.

Creative Director

Head of the creative department. Oversees teams of art directors and copywriters. Ultimately responsible for the creative product and the form the creative takes.

Creatives

The people who work in the creative department, regardless of their specialty.

Art Director's role AFTER ideas are landed

Spends a lot of time on the "look" of the work; sets the visual tone and personality for the ads; explores fonts, colors, layout, photography, etc.

Copywriter's role AFTER ideas are landed

Finesses the words (copy); makes sure all headlines, body copy, and scripts convey the right details in the right tone of voice.

Art Director & Copywriter's shared role DURING concept development

To generate ideas — their roles are the same at this stage.

Two dimensions of "greatness" in ads

Resonance and Relevance.

Resonance (in advertising)

Strikes an emotional chord, makes the message stand out and be unforgettable. It's memorable, creative, and breaks through.

Relevance (in advertising)

Strategic relevance — a consumer believes that an ad speaks to them and their needs. It's smart, appeals to the target, and is "on strategy."

Bill Bernbach quote on creativity

"Dullness won't sell your product. But neither will irrelevant brilliance."

What is Creativity (advertising definition)?

Creativity involves combining two or more previously unconnected objects or ideas into something new.

Griffin & Morris 4-Stage Creative Process

Stage 1: Think about the problem. Stage 2: Step away and let the subconscious work (incubation). Stage 3: Potential solutions pop into awareness. Stage 4: Determine which solutions might work.

Young's 5-Step Creative Process

Step 1: Gathering Raw Material. Step 2: Digesting the Material. Step 3: Unconscious Processing. Step 4: The A-Ha Moment. Step 5: Idea Meets Reality.

The Explorer Role (Creative Process)

Gathering information: examining information, reviewing the creative strategy, studying the market/product/competition, seeking input from account managers and clients, and brainstorming many ideas without scrutinizing them.

Brainstorming (in the creative process)

The team develops lots of ideas without scrutinizing them. The goal is to capture many ideas and write them down.

The Artist Role (Creative Process) — Big Idea

Reviewing rough ideas for patterns, developing them into more imaginative forms, and combining verbal and visual ideas in search of a Big Idea.

Big Idea

The flash of creative insight that captures the essence of the strategy in an imaginative way; a core idea or guiding principle that anchors a campaign or "family" of ads across any media.

The Artist Role (Creative Process) — Implementation

Taking the Big Idea and making executional decisions: writing exact words for headlines/scripts, designing ad layouts, making style decisions on artistic elements.

Art Direction

The act or process of managing the visual presentation of an ad or campaign.

Art (in advertising)

The whole visual presentation of an ad — setting the overall tone, style of photography or illustration, use of color, and arrangement of elements.

The Judge Role (Creative Process)

Evaluating the results of experimentation, deciding which approach is more practical, weighing pros/cons, risks, biases, and potential roadblocks — helping produce good ideas rather than just criticizing.

The Warrior Role (Creative Process)

Overcoming setbacks and obstacles; selling good creative work by making presentations that are on strategy, well-prepared, well-structured, and solve the client's problem.

Words & Pictures

The basic building blocks of all ads; it is how these elements are used and combined that gives an ad its power to stand out, stir emotion, generate interest, persuasion, and sell products.

Layout

An orderly formation of all the parts of an advertisement.

Visuals

All the picture elements that are placed into an ad.

Headline

The words in the leading position of an ad — the words that will be read first or are positioned to draw the most attention.

Subhead

A secondary headline that may appear above or below the headline, or in the text of the ad.

Body Copy

The text of an ad that tells the complete story. A continuation of the headline and subhead; usually set in smaller type than the headline.

What can good Art Direction do? (6 things)

1. Set the tone before you read a word. 2. Focus attention. 3. Create a strong emotional connection. 4. Simplify complicated things. 5. Create a recognizable look & feel for a campaign. 6. Make consumers look at a product differently.

What can good Copywriting do? (7 things)

1. Be the tone of voice an ad speaks in. 2. Grab attention. 3. Create a strong emotional connection. 4. Clearly communicate benefits or value. 5. Simplify complicated things. 6. Be compelling and drive action. 7. Build trust.

What do sophisticated advertisers want advertising to do beyond selling?

Create a personality for the product and build the brand's equity with the consumer.

When words and pictures are combined in an ad, what is the ideal?

They should complement each other — each doing its own job to express one beautiful thought.

Marketing Plan

A written guide for the present and future marketing activities of an organization.

What does a Marketing Plan do? (4 things)

1. Assembles relevant facts about the organization, its markets, products, services, customers, and competition. 2. Forces all departments to focus on the customer. 3. Lists goals and objectives for specific periods of time. 4. Lays out precise strategies and tactics to achieve them.

What happens WITHOUT a marketing plan? (3 problems)

1. No focus — talking to everyone, reaching no one. 2. No consistency — mixed messages across channels. 3. No accountability — no clear way to measure success.

What happens WITH a marketing plan? (4 benefits)

1. Clarity — everyone knows the goal and target. 2. Alignment — all tactics support the same strategy. 3. Efficiency — less wasted budget and effort. 4. Measurement — clear success metrics.

How does a marketing plan affect advertising?

It defines the role of advertising in the marketing mix, enables better implementation, control, and continuity of advertising programs, and ensures the most efficient allocation of the IMC budget.

Three models of marketing plans

1. Top-Down Planning 2. Bottom-Up Planning 3. IMC Model Planning

Situation Analysis

A factual statement of the organization's current situation and how it got there. Includes company history, growth, products and services, sales volume, share of market, competitive status, markets served, distribution systems, past IMC programs, marketing research studies, and more.

SWOT Analysis

A framework that highlights the most important aspects of a situation analysis by identifying a company's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Marketing Objectives

Goals of the marketing effort, expressed in terms of the needs of specific target markets and specific sales objectives. The next step coming out of the Situation Analysis.

Corporate Objectives

Goals of the company stated in terms of profit or return on investment (ROI).

Need-Satisfying Objectives

A marketing objective that shifts management's view from "producer of products/services" to "satisfier of target market needs." Allows a broader view of the business and lets managers see through customers' eyes.

Sales-Target Objectives

Marketing objectives that relate to a company's sales; may be expressed in terms of total sales volume, sales by product, by market segment, etc.

Marketing Strategy

The statement of how the company is going to accomplish its marketing objectives. Involves: 1. Defining the target market. 2. Determining the strategic positioning. 3. Developing the marketing mix.

Positioning

The association of a brand's features and benefits with a particular set of customer needs, clearly differentiating it from the competitor in the mind of the customer.

7 (+ 1) Approaches to Positioning Strategy

1. Product Attribute 2. Price/Quality 3. Use/Application 4. Product Class 5. Product User 6. Product Competitor 7. Cultural Symbol 8. By Category

Product Attribute Positioning

Setting the brand apart by stressing a particular product feature that's important to the consumer (e.g., fuel economy, comfort).

Price/Quality Positioning

Positioning on the basis of price or quality (e.g., luxury vs. low price).

Use/Application Positioning

Positioning on the basis of how a product is used (e.g., Arm & Hammer baking soda for refrigerator deodorizing).

Product Class Positioning

Positioning the brand against other products that, while not the same, offer the same class of benefit (e.g., a soft drink positioned against sugary sodas).

Product User Positioning

Positioning based on the particular group who uses the product (e.g., defined by Gen Z users or luxury users).

Product Competitor Positioning

Positioning directly against competitors.

Cultural Symbol Positioning

Positioning apart from competitors through the creation or use of some recognized symbol or icon.

By Category Positioning

Positioning by defining or redefining a category (e.g., Peloton defining 'connected fitness'; Keurig defining single-serve home coffee).

Brand Positioning Statement

A structured statement that captures how a brand is positioned. Format: "For [target audience] who [need], [Brand] is the [product category] that [key benefit], because [reason to believe]."

Mountain Dew Brand Positioning Statement Example

"For 18-25 year-old males who embrace excitement, adventure, and fun, Mountain Dew is the great tasting soft drink that exhilarates like no other, because it is energizing, thirst quenching, and has a unique citrus flavor."

Marketing Mix (4 Ps)

Product, Price, Place, and Promotion — a cost-effective combination of all the marketing elements that a company controls for each target market.

Marketing Tactics (Action Programs)

The specific short-term actions that will be used to achieve marketing objectives.

Bottom-Up Marketing

The opposite of top-down; focuses on one specific tactic and develops it into an overall strategy. Often used by managers at small companies who are closer to day-to-day operations.

Relationship Marketing

Creating, maintaining, and enhancing long-term relationships with customers and other stakeholders that result in exchanges of information and other things of mutual value.

Value (in marketing)

The ratio of perceived benefits to the cost of obtaining and using a product. "Cost" is not always just about money.

Lifetime Customer Value (LCV)

The total sales or profit value of a customer to a marketer over the course of that customer's lifetime.

Why is managing customer loyalty important? (3 reasons)

1. The cost of lost customers (high LCV lost). 2. The cost of acquiring new customers (defensive marketing costs less than offensive). 3. The value of loyal customers (repeat purchases, referrals, increased buying).

Synergy (in IMC)

An effect achieved when the sum of the parts is greater than what would be expected from simply adding together the individual components. Occurs when a customer experiences a brand's messages at more than one touchpoint.

The Four Sources of Brand Messages

1. Planned messages 2. Product messages 3. Service messages 4. Unplanned messages

Planned Messages

Traditional marketing messages including advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and personal selling. Have the LEAST impact because they are seen as self-serving.

Product Messages

Messages communicated by a product, its packaging, price, or distribution elements. Have a great impact.

Service Messages

Messages resulting from employee interactions with customers. Typically have a greater impact than planned messages.

Unplanned Messages

Messages that come from gossip, unsought news stories, rumors, or major disasters. Companies have little control, but they can dramatically affect customer attitudes.

The Integration Triangle

Illustrates how brand perceptions are created through three forces: what the company says about itself, what the company does, and what others say and confirm about the company. Constructive integration occurs when all three align.

IMC Approach to Planning

An outside-in process that starts with the customer and works back to the brand. Considers which media customers use, the relevance of the company's message, and when prospects are most receptive.

Advertising Plan

Directs a company's advertising effort; a natural outgrowth of the marketing plan. Analyzes the situation, sets advertising objectives, lays out a specific strategy, and usually includes a proposed budget and research plan.

Steps of an Advertising Plan

1. Review the marketing plan. 2. Set advertising objectives. 3. Determine the advertising strategy. 4. Allocate funds for advertising.

Advertising Objectives vs. Marketing Objectives

Marketing objectives relate to sales goals. Advertising objectives relate to communication outcomes (what the ad must make consumers know, think, or feel). Objectives should be specific, realistic, and measurable.

The Advertising Pyramid

Depicts the progression of advertising effects on mass audiences: Awareness → Comprehension → Conviction → Desire → Action. Represents a traditional, mass-marketing approach.

"Learn, Feel, Do" Model

The traditional advertising pyramid model. Assumes people rationally consider a purchase. The advertiser talks and the consumer listens — it's a monologue.

"Do, Feel, Learn" Model

An alternative consumer purchase pattern where a consumer might start with an impulse purchase (Do), then form feelings (Feel), then learn more (Learn). Relevant in IMC where consumers experience the brand in many ways before fully learning about it.

IMC Model vs. Traditional Advertising Pyramid

In the IMC model, there is a two-way relationship (a dialog) with the consumer. The consumer's attitudes, behaviors, and feedback affect the company's messaging. Starting with the customer and integrating all marketing communications achieves lasting loyalty.

Advertising Strategy

Describes HOW the advertiser will achieve the advertising objective. Consists of the Creative Strategy and the Media Strategy.

Media

A plural form of medium, referring to communication vehicles paid for by marketers to present an advertisement to their target audience. Examples include TV, radio, billboards, newspapers, and direct mail.

Media Planning — purpose

To conceive, analyze, and select channels of communication that will direct advertising messages to the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

Key decisions in Media Planning

1. Where to advertise (countries, states, parts of town). 2. Which media vehicles reach and engage the target. 3. When during the year to concentrate advertising. 4. How often to run the advertising. 5. What opportunities exist to integrate with other IMC tools.

Two challenges of the changing media landscape

1. Increasing media options (TV fragmentation, magazine specialization, new nontraditional media). 2. Increasing fragmentation of the audience (viewers scattered across platforms, selectively consuming media, spending more time with less traditional media).

Media Objectives — two major components

1. Audience Objectives. 2. Message-Distribution Objectives.

Audience Objectives

Defines the specific types of people the advertiser wants to reach. Uses demographic data (age, income, gender, location) and purchase behavior data (heavy vs. light users) to select media vehicles whose audience most closely resembles the desired target.