MKTG3010: Integrated Marketing Communications Lecture Notes - October 15 PDF

MKTG3010: Integrated Marketing Communications CREAT IVE ST RAT EGY: PLA NNING & IMPLEME NTATION Learning Outcomes By the end of this session you should be able to: ◦ Discuss Young’s & Wallas’ creative process models ◦ Develop a campaign theme based on the models discussed. ◦ Choose & Implemen...

MKTG3010: Integrated Marketing Communications CREAT IVE ST RAT EGY: PLA NNING & IMPLEME NTATION Learning Outcomes By the end of this session you should be able to: ◦ Discuss Young’s & Wallas’ creative process models ◦ Develop a campaign theme based on the models discussed. ◦ Choose & Implement advertising appeals and execution styles ◦ Design an effective marketing message based on the differing models discussed ◦ Discuss the evaluation guidelines for creative output Where are we? Analysis of Analysis of Develop Review of Budget Marketing Plan promotional communica- determination IMC situation tions process Programme What is Creativity… Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing.  Important to Note: It is believed that being creative can not be taught; these are guidelines, thoughts and theories developed about creative strategy. Planning & Development CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION Creative Strategy: Planning What is it?  Creative Strategy: Planning The Perpetual Debate Only artistic It isn’t creative if it doesn’t value and sell. originality count Stick with what works Try something new Suits Artists The Perpetual Debate There are two schools of thought on creativity and its importance. There are those who think that if it doesn’t sell its not creative. Then there are those who consider themselves to be creative, the artists and copy writers etc. that think the complete opposite. Usually what persons are looking for is a nice medium, something creative and effective. Your goal - try to find that happy medium. Sample Creative Executions CRE ATIVE THAT STANDS OUT Starbucks thanks customers for wearing a mask By bringing some light-relief to mask-wearing, the brand successfully normalized something which all consumers had to increasingly embrace as part of everyday life. Starbucks is famous for writing customers’ names on cups. So, as masks became mandatory in UK cafes, they played into this with a visual for Starbucks’ social channels that showed the even greater challenge baristas faced, thanks to customers wearing their masks. Burger King launched an ad campaign featuring a moldy Whopper, and it reflects a trend taking over the fast-food industry "Natural" beauty has finally made its way into fast-food advertising. Burger King released a time-lapse video of its flagship burger decomposing and becoming covered in mold over 34 days. The stunt was part of the chain's campaign to highlight its move away from preservatives and artificial ingredients. Burger King said in a press release that it had removed preservatives from the Whopper in most European markets and select US markets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ef7xw2J500 Amazon's celebrity-packed Alexa commercial is named as the year's most-viewed ad on YouTube with 50M views - almost DOUBLE the hits earned by Nike and Colin Kaepernick The Amazon ad, which was used to promote the virtual assistant otherwise known as Alexa, featured a handful of celebrities and was aired ahead of Superbowl 2018. But it is online where the video appears to have gained the most traction, racking up a whopping 50.1 million views on YouTube, and beating all other advertisements to the top spot that year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNxvsxU2rJE  The ad that changed advertising… The Volkswagen “Think Small” campaign Volkswagen’s “think small” campaign for the Beetle when it was first introduced to North America looms large as one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time. It wasn’t just a revolution in automotive advertising; it changed the entire industry. The clean, simple photography on a white background that emphasized the Beetle’s compact, practical form may seem commonplace these days, but it was a revolution in a world where Americans grew up obsessed with muscle cars, horsepower, and tire smoke. Making the car small, when the convention was to make it fill the page, was also novel. The simplistic approach to design and layout was totally contrary to the advertising conventions of the time. What defined the ads even more than their visual style was the tone of their copy. The text was minimalist in both look and content, presenting the facts simply instead of trying to weave tall tales and fantasies; it ushered in an intelligent sense of humour that made readers feel like they were in on the joke. The message was one of smart anti-luxury, and took gentle aim at an industry obsessed with superficiality and styling, rather than the substance underneath the car bodies. Creative Processes CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION Creative Processes Some persons believe that creativity can follow a process and we will look at two of these processes - Young’s and Wallas’ Young’s creative process is one of the most popular approaches and he purports that one must follow specific steps while Wallas’ on the other hand, identifies four steps in the creative process. It is easy to see the similarities in these two processes. Creative Strategy: Planning Young’s Creative Process Get raw material and data, and immerse yourself Immersion in the problem Take the information, work it over, wrestle with it Digestion in your mind Turn the information over to the subconscious to Incubation do the work Illumination Eureka, I have it!!! Phenomenon Study the idea, evaluate it, reshape for practical Verification usefulness  Creative Strategy: Planning Wallas’ Creative Process Model Define the problem, need, or desire, and gather any information the solution or response needs to account for, and set up criteria for Preparation Step back from the problem and let verifying the solution's acceptability. our minds contemplate and work it through. Like preparation, incubation can last minutes, weeks, even years. Incubation The Creative Ideas arise from the mind to provide the basis of a creative response. Process These ideas can be pieces of the whole or the whole itself, i.e. seeing Illumination the entire concept or entity all at One carries out activities to once. Unlike the other stages, demonstrate whether or not what illumination is often very brief, emerged in illumination satisfies Verification involving a tremendous rush of the need and the criteria defined insights within a few minutes or in the preparation stage hours. Developing the Creative Strategy CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION Developing the Creative Strategy Each creative strategy should be based on several factors, the target audience, the objectives of the IMC campaign, the major selling idea or key benefit as well as any supporting information. Creative Strategy: Planning Developing the Creative Strategy Target Basic problem, Major Selling Any supporting Audience issue, idea or key information identity opportunity benefit  Basic problem, Major Selling Target Audience Any supporting issue, idea or key identity information opportunity benefit  Creative Strategy: Planning An Advertising Campaign An advertising campaign is a series of integrated, interrelated and coordinated marketing communication activities all centered on a theme or idea. Marketing Integrated Communication Interrelated Activities Coordinated Centered on a Theme or Idea. Consumers just weren’t drinking the same amount of milk in the late 80s and early 90s. The early campaign revolved around the idea of that unsettling moment when all you need is milk to wash down that sandwich you’re eating, and you realize all the milk is gone, and moved in to the use of celebrities and their milk “occasions.” Because of this campaign, milk sales in California rose 7% in just one year and to this day you still can’t escape the millions of “Got” parodies. The lesson here is that the creatives here didn’t focus initially on people who weren’t drinking milk, but on the set of consumers who already were. Sometimes it’s not always about getting new people to use your products, but to get your current set of customers to appreciate your product more. Use your marketing and communications to tell your audience why they should appreciate the product or service you are already providing for them. Creative Strategy that stood the Test of Time Almost as important as what the ads said and how they said it was where the ads appeared. "Got Milk?" handled different platforms from television to print to billboards expertly. https://www.inc.com/issie-lapowsky/marketing-tips-got-milk.html  Basic problem, Major Selling Target Audience Any supporting issue, idea or key identity information opportunity benefit Creative Strategy: Planning The Advertising Campaign Theme  Creative Strategy: Planning The Campaign Theme or Power Idea should be: Describable in a Likely to attract Lets prospects simple word or the prospects vividly experience phrase attention the goods Allows you to Revolves around brand the the clinching advertising benefit The Campaign Theme or Power Idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZPk CntVNSo Creative Strategy: Planning The Major Selling Idea Unique Creating a selling brand proposition image Finding the inherent Positioning drama  The Major Selling Idea The major selling idea is the STRONGEST SINGULAR THING that you can say about your good/service. Some of the best known approaches for identification of it are: 1) Unique Selling proposition – “buy this product and you will get this benefit” This must be a sustainable competitive advantage, It must be a great pull to attract your audience and it must not be easily copied or not offered by competition at all. 2)Creating a brand image – there are some instances where products are so similar that it is hard to find something product related to distinguish yourself on. Marketers then turn to building a brand image or personality to set themselves apart. This is done through image advertising which relies on building an image that will appeal to your target audience. The Major Selling Idea 3) Finding the inherent drama – this is finding the characteristic of the product that makes the consumer purchase it. Hallmark - Everyone has something they need to hear. Vow to tell them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgEkUVJINns 4) Positioning – where you want the consumer to place the product/brand in their minds relative to competing offers. Your major selling idea could then be based on any of these. Implementation & Evaluation CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION Creative Strategy: Planning & Implementation So you have established your campaign theme and/or your major selling idea. Now you need to determine how you will put it all over, you are still in the creative process, but how do we go from vague to very specific. 1)How will we get the attention of the consumer? 2)How will you implement all of your plans?  Creative Strategy: Implementation Advertising Appeals Advertising appeals look at the approach to attract the attention of consumers and how that approach is used to influence consumer feelings toward a product, service or cause.  Creative Strategy: Implementation Advertising Appeals There are two major types of appeals rational appeals and emotional appeals … Rational Appeals ◦ Focus on the customer’s functional, utilitarian or practical needs for products or services Emotional Appeals ◦ Relate to a consumer’s social and/or psychological need for a product or service Creative Strategy: Implementation Types of Information/Rational Appeals Feature Focus on dominant traits of the product Competitive Makes comparisons to other brands Price Makes price offer the dominant point News News announcement about the product Popularity Stresses the brand’s popularity Remember that rational appeals focus on the practical, functional or utilitarian need for a product or service.  Creative Strategy: Implementation Emotional Appeals Emotional appeals in marketing are designed to create a powerful connection between the customer and the brand. By appealing to people's emotions, marketers can create a sense of relevance, urgency, and connection that drives them to take action. Stimulation Safety Sorrow, Grief Security Achievement Fear Accomplishment Love, Affection Self-esteem Happiness, Joy Embarrassment Nostalgia Actualization Sentiment Pleasure Excitement Ambition Arousal Comfort Emotional Appeals on the other hand focus on the consumers’ social and/or psychological need for a product or service. There are many feelings that can be used as the basis or method of appeal in advertising. Humor being one. Creative Strategy: Implementation Emotional Appeals Everyone wants to feel Acceptance included which is why some ads will create scenarios where the consumer can Involvement Status immediately see the social benefits of using the product. For example, Axe Social Based commercials encourage Feelings men to buy their products to have better game with the female population. Recognition Respect Rejection Creative Strategy: Implementation Combining Rational & Emotional Appeals  Creative Strategy: Implementation Levels of Relationships with Brands McCann Erickson developed a research technique called emotional bonding. This looks at how consumers feel about Emotions brands. With this model there are three levels of the consumer’s relationship with brands. Personality (self assured, aggressive, adventurous) Product Benefits Levels of Relationships with Brands Product benefits – how consumers think about brands with respect to product benefits (rational learning) After this stage, consumer assigns a personality to the brand using cues from advertising and promotion But when the consumer has strong feelings or emotions about the brand then that is the strongest bond that they can have with a brand. How ‘Priceless’ helped Mastercard save a brand ‘in a mess’ “There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else there’s Mastercard.” Mastercard’s famous slogan, launched in 1997, immediately caught the public’s imagination. Almost before there was such a thing as viral campaigns and internet memes, people were holding up placards at baseball matches listing the prices of various objects and then ending with the word “priceless” to emulate the company’s marketing campaign. Prior to the campaign, MasterCard was perceived as an ordinary credit card. The challenge was to reposition the brand and create an emotional bond between consumers and MasterCard without losing the brand’s functional appeal. The ”Priceless” campaign helped build an emotional bond with consumers by positioning MasterCard as the best way to pay for everything that truly matters.  Creative Strategy: Implementation Execution Style ▪The way an advertising appeal is turned into an advertising message ▪The way the message is presented to the consumer Creative Strategy: Implementation Execution Styles Straight Sell Scientific/Technical Demonstration Comparison Testimonial Slice of Life Animation Personality Symbol Imagery Dramatisation Humor Combinations  Execution Styles 1. Straight Sell – the straightforward presentation of information (rational appeal) 2. Scientific – variation of straight sell with an emphasis on scientific and technical information (rational) – used for the appropriate products 3. Demonstration – illustrates advantages of the product by showing it in use (rational) – Colgate 4. Comparison – compares the product to its competitors 5. Testimonial – where a person praises the product or service based on their experience this can be a celebrity endorser or just a regular consumer 6. Slice of Life – portrays a problem or conflict that the consumer may face in their daily life and how the good/service will solve it 7. Animation – the use of animated characters within the advertisement 8. Personality Symbol – developing central character or personality  Execution Styles 9. Imagery – these types of advertisements contain little to no information and are very visual. This can be the basis for emotional appeals. It is also used to associate the brand with symbols, characters or a situation. 1. Products where differentiation based on physical characteristics is difficult 2. Show how brand is used or performed 3. Focus on type of person who uses the brand (nike ad with sports personality) 10. Dramatization – (good for tv) focus on telling a short story where the good/service shows off. This is close to slice of life but uses more suspense and excitement 11. Humor – good for tv or radio (can be distracting but is one of the more popular methods used) 12. Combinations – Many of these execution styles can be combined to suit the needs of the IMC plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nH-sUHfhwo Creative Strategy: Implementation Execution Style Examples Animation (Rotoscoping - an animation technique Personality Symbols in which animators trace over footage, frame by frame )  Creative Strategy: Implementation Other Ad Types ▪ Transformational Ads - defined as advertisements which associate a unique set of psychological characteristics not typically associated with the brand experience. The consumer should not be able to remember the brand without recalling the experience generated by the advertisement. Image advertising is transformational (most interesting man in the world or Skyy vodka) ▪Reminder advertising - used to build brand awareness or keep the brand name in front of the consumer ▪Teaser Ads - do just what their name implies; they build curiosity or interest, get the consumer excited about what is coming Creative Strategy: Implementation Transformational Ads The Ads Create It must make the product use experience… Feelings Richer Meanings More exciting Images Warmer Beliefs More enjoyable Designing an effective message CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION  Creative Strategy: Implementation Designing an effective message Your message should be ◦ Clear ◦ Simple ◦ Consistent ◦ Concise ◦ Easy to recall You want that when your customer decodes your message that they understand it or get exactly what you wanted them to get. You want to avoid misunderstanding/confusion/offense because you would not achieve your objectives. THREE differing views on how to create a good/effective message… The AIDA model holds that as you write your messages you should follow this strategy… first … 1. Get the customer’s attention 1. use powerful headlines, that include benefit rich statements/ questions that will motivate your market 2. Use images (customer stopping images) – 1. you could show persons enjoying your products, these people should represent target market (to ensure customer identifies with the image) 2. celebrities or other direct sources as well as indirect sources could also be customer stopping images 2. Hold their interest or generate an interest in your product 3. Create Desire in your customer – make them really want it 1. Discuss the benefits to customers if they use your good or service 2. Answer the question.. How will this benefit you? 4. Obtain Action 1. What do you want the customer to do after you have gotten them this far? 2. Make them act on their desires 3. It could be something as simple as making an appointment 4. Make a purchase within a particular time period 5. Get a free consultation Creative Strategy: Implementation Designing an effective message - AIDA Model Get With Words and Images Attention Hold Interest Generate and Hold Interest Create Discuss the benefits, answer Desire their questions Obtain Action What do you want them to do? Julie Chance’s six step process is quite similar to AIDA, but adds 1. Identifying the problems, symptoms, issues, needs and wants of your target market 2. Providing a brief description of good/service listing its features. 3. Most important she adds “give your message credibility”. This could include testimonials or be achieved through a spokesperson  Creative Strategy: Implementation Designing an effective message – Six Step Model Describe Create Problem Give State ID Problem Benefit/ Attention Recognition Value Credibility Action Doug Hall author of “Jump Start your business brain” puts it a different way and outlines the three essential components of a marketing message as … 1. Overt Benefit: what’s in it for the customer? 2. Reason to believe: there is your credibility again 3. Dramatic Difference: competitive advantage, or what makes your good or your service unique  Creative Strategy: Implementation Designing an effective message Dramatic Difference Reason to Believe Three Essential Components of Overt Benefit Marketing Message – Doug Hall The theories… What are the repeating elements of these views? Use these methods as guides to develop your own messages or step outside of the box completely… Creative Strategy: Implementation Basic Components of Print Advertising Headline Words in the Leading Position of the Ad Subheads Smaller Than the Headline, Larger Than the Copy Body Copy The Main Text Portion of a Print Ad Visual Elements Illustrations Such As Drawings or Photos Layout How Elements Are Blended Into a Finished Ad  HEADLINE VISUAL ELEMENT BODY COPY SUB HEADLINE Creative Strategy: Implementation Designing a video message In contrast to print advertising, video messages can use sight, motion and sound – which makes video a very powerful advertising medium (which is also Motion seen in its price – tv) Sound can include; voice, music, sound effects etc… Radio only allows for sound Sound Remember Key IMC Feature #3 Speak with a single voice Flash back to the first class… those Key IMC features! Feature three states that all IMC elements should speak with a single voice. So your Campaign Theme & Major Selling Idea should keep everything focused. Your messages for each promotional element that you choose for your campaign must be appropriate for that element and they should also all be in line with your campaign theme and speak with the same voice! Evaluation CREATIV E STRATEGY: PLANNING & IMPLE ME NTATION Creative Strategy: Implementation Evaluation Guidelines for Creative Output Consistent with brand marketing objectives? These are essentially Consistent with brand advertising objectives? questions you Consistent with creative strategy, objectives? should ask yourself to ensure Communicates what it’s supposed to? that you have not gotten too Approach appropriate to target audience? creative and/or sidetracked and Communicates clear, convincing message? strayed from your objectives and Does execution overwhelm the message? target audience. Appropriate to the media environment? Truthful and tasteful? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13WZij3xmCA