Chapter 9 Message strategy and execution

1. Chapter 9Message strategy and execution

2. Learning objectives • To examine messages—their types, structure and consistency. • To discuss what is meant by creativity and creative thinking in IMC. • To examine the creative process—looking at message strategy and execution. • To be able to articulate a message strategy and identify different types of message strategy. • To explore the best way to execute the big idea—looking at advertising appeals and execution techniques. • To consider the contribution of creative tactics to outstanding production. • To consider the importance of clients in inspiring and evaluating the creative work of their agencies.

3. Barriers to big ideas Creativity and IMC Client inspiration and evaluation Guidelines for evaluation Creative process Message strategy The big idea How to say it Strategic triad Message strategy statement Types of strategies Creativity Appeals Execution Kinds of messages Message consistency Message structure Messages and IMC Message strategy and execution

4. Persuasive communications The ‘right’ message: • connects emotionally with the target audience • may need to connect in different ways for different audiences • contains a key insight or big idea • is distinctive, memorable and creative.

5. Types of messages

6. The consistency triangle

7. The campaign theme • A central or unifying idea around which a campaign is built • A central message that can be coordinated across all marketing communications activities and media platforms

8. You ought to be congratulated

9. Message structure

10. Message conclusions What conclusions do you draw from this ad for Veet?

11. Message arguments One-sided messages Mention only positive attributes or benefits • Two-sided messages Present both good and bad points • Refutational messages Present both sides of an issue, before refuting the opposing viewpoint

12. Creating an emotional connection

13. Universal message standards • Does this advertising position the product simply and with unmistakable clarity? • Does this advertising bolt the brand to a clinching benefit? • Does this advertising contain a power idea? • Does this advertising design in brand personality? • Is this advertising unexpected? • Is this advertising single-minded? • Does this advertising reward the prospect? • Is this advertising visually arresting? • Does this advertising exhibit painstaking craftsmanship?

14. Buzzman creativity

15. Absolut accessory

16. Barriers to big ideas Creativity and IMC Client inspiration and evaluation Guidelines for evaluation Creative process Message strategy The big idea How to say it Strategic triad Message strategy statement Types of strategies Creativity Appeals Execution Kinds of messages Message consistency Message structure Messages and IMC Message strategy and execution

17. Big idea • How to say it • Appeals and techniques • What to say • Major selling argument • Brings strategy to life Execution Message strategy The creative process

18. Rice sculptures

19. Market research Talking to customers Use the product Ruminating on Data Ask Questions Store visits Observation Creative inspiration Sources Of Creative Insight

20. The message strategy Message strategy defined: The major selling idea should emerge as the strongest singular thing you can say about your product or service. This should be the claim with the broadest and most meaningful appeal to your target audience. A. Jerome Jeweler, Creative Strategy in Advertising, 2007

21. Strategic triad

22. Message strategy statement

23. Message strategies

24. Unique selling proposition

25. Often used for products such as soft drinks, perfume, liquor, clothing, airlines. Creating a brand image Used when competing brands are so similar it is difficult to find or create a unique attribute. Creativity sales strategy is based on a strong, memorable brand identity through image advertising.

26. Establish a particular place in the customer’s mind for the product or service. Positioning may be based on: • product attributes/benefits • price/quality • use or application • type of user • problem solved. Approaches to the major selling idea: positioning Positioning

27. Creative principles

28. Positioning

29. Messages generally presented in a warm, emotional way e.g. McDonald’s, Kellogg’s cereals and Hallmark greeting cards Focus on consumer benefits with an emphasis on the dramatic element in expressing them Approaches to the major selling idea: inherent drama Inherent drama

30. Finding the inherent drama

31. The big idea

32. The big idea (cont.) David Ogilvy on the big idea: I doubt if more than one campaign in a hundred contains a big idea. I am supposed to be one of the more fertile inventors of big ideas, but in my long career as a copywriter I have not had more than 20, if that. David Ogilvy, Ogilvy on Advertising, 1983

33. The big idea (cont.)

34. Appeals and execution Advertising appeal defined: The appeal can be said to form the underlying content of the advertisement, and the execution the way in which that content is presented. Advertising appeals and executions are usually independent of each other; that is, a particular appeal can be executed in a variety of ways and a particular means of execution can be applied to a variety of advertising appeals. William Weilbacher, Advertising, 1984

35. Primarily processed cognitively Focus on practical, functional, utilitarian benefits or reasons Primarily processed emotionally Focus on social or psychological needs Message appeals Informational Rational appeals Transformational Emotional appeals

36. Message appeals

37. Executional techniques

38. Executional techniques (cont.)

39. Fear appeal

40. Which appeal? Comparative ads Fear appeals Humour appeals • Often used for brands with small market share • Frequently used in political advertising • May be especially useful for new brands/market challengers • May stress physical danger or threats to health • May identify social threats: disapproval or rejection • May backfire if the level of threat is too high • Attract and hold attention • Often the most memorable • They put the consumer in a positive mood • Can suffer from early wear-out

41. Testimonial

42. Creative tactics for print Headline Words that introduce the ad Body copy Main sales message Visual elements Images, including product display

43. Format Arrangement of the elements on the printed page Size Expressed in columns, column inches or portions of a page Colour Mono, spot colour or four colour White space Marginal and intermediate space that remains unprinted Print ad layout

44. Jingles Voiceovers Advergames Interactivity Click throughs Creative tactics for video and digital Audio

45. Planning and production of TVCs

46. Storyboards • Storyboards have numerous applications. • Some of the storyboard’s uses include: • presenting concepts to clients for approval • a basis for dialogue and negotiation between agencies and clients • detecting problems before expensive production commences • pretesting before focus groups for consumer acceptance • providing guidance to art directors and crew during production.

47. Barriers to big ideas Creativity and IMC Client inspiration and evaluation Guidelines for evaluation Creative process Message strategy The big idea How to say it Strategic triad Message strategy statement Types of strategies Creativity Appeals Execution Kinds of messages Message consistency Message structure Messages and IMC Message strategy and execution

48. Creative risk-takers

49. Creative risk-takers (cont.)

50. Barriers to big ideas